Healthy chickpea meatballs made with fresh herbs, smoked paprika and miso for a tasty and filling vegetarian alternative. These veggie balls are high in fibre and made with gut friendly miso paste making them a great meal for digestive health.
What makes these chickpea meatballs gut friendly?
A diet high in fibre has long been touted as a great way to maintain digestive health. Fibre helps regulate blood sugars and is also great for digestion (and constipation!) and all round bowel health.
These chickpea meatballs are made with red miso paste which is a great natural probiotic. Probiotics help maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Thankfully miso paste is very easy to spoon into many recipes so there really are no excuses not to start using it.
The ingredients
Chickpeas are incredibly versatile little gems. For this plant based recipe they add a subtle nutty flavour as well as good ‘meaty’ texture.
Miso paste is the secret ingredient to these chickpea meatballs; taking them from bland veggie balls reminiscent of something your hippie aunt would knock and transforming them into moist ‘meatballs’ that are loaded with flavour. Miso is a gut friendly ingredient but more importantly it adds tons of umami flavour.
Use oats and golden breadcrumbs for a healthier alternative to flour. Eggs helps to bind the mixture together creating perfectly moist veggie balls.
Finally don’t skip the flavourings! Smoked paprika and tomato puree add further umami deliciousness. Fresh parsley is absolutely necessary in any good meatball recipe! Season with a good pinch of salt and you’ll have tasty ‘meatballs’ that will please everyone around the dinner table, veggie or not. Try with my recipe for spicy salsa brava for the ultimate meal.
Leave a comment and let me know how you get on making these chickpea meatballs. I would love to see your creations over on instagram!
More healthy veggie meals
Crispy patatas bravas with salsa brava
Chickpea Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/2 can / 200g chickpeas rinsed
- 25 g breadcrumbs use GF if required
- 45 g rolled oats
- 1 egg
- 1.5 tbsp red miso paste
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and drizzle over some olive oil.
- In a frying pan add the olive oil and fry the onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic and the remaining ingredients to a food processor.
- Blitz for 30 seconds or until the mixture is well combined.
- Finally give the mixture a good stir to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Use your hand to form the mixture into 8 balls.
- Transfer to the baking tray and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Serve with your favourite tomato sauce.