Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs

This Homemade Vegan Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs recipe is truly something special and is the perfect rendition of the traditional New York Marinara Sub. Loaded with savory, spicy and sweet flavors, these ‘meatball subs’ made from only veggies are moist, flavorful, and tender; wrapped in a toasted pretzel hot dog bun and topped with melted vegan mozzarella. This dish is the perfect meal for lunch or dinner for the entire family on any given day.

Chickpea Quinoa Meatball Subs [Vegan]

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (Cook according to packaging!)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 (15 oz. can) chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 purple onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon (See Notes!)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch of black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Toppings:

• Homemade Marinara Sauce (See Notes!)
• Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
• dried parsley, optional

Preparation

1. Start by adding onions and garlic cloves to a heated skillet (with 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil) and sautéing them until they are fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Add the cooked quinoa, pecans, and sautéed onions and garlic to a food processor and pulse for 1 minute or so. Add the chickpeas, nutritional yeast, olive oil, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, dried parsley, black pepper, sea salt, and bread crumbs, processing everything until it grounds into a thick mixture.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, shape mixture into individual balls (further rounding them with your hands) and LIGHTLY roll them in extra virgin olive oil before placing them on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all meatballs are created.
5. Bake meatballs for 15 minutes until golden.
6. Once done, remove meatballs from oven (keeping the oven on) and prep the subs.
7. In a medium skillet, add pretzel hot dog buns side by side (centers opened up) and top with meatballs, then homemade marinara sauce, and vegan mozzarella cheese. Add skillet with subs to the preheated oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbly.
8. Remove from oven and sprinkle dried parsley, if desired and enjoy.

Notes

--15 oz. can of organic tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Directions—Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat and whisk together until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and let everything simmer for about 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Once thickened enough to desired consistency, remove from heat and let cool. Set aside until ready to use or store remainder in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.** --Instead of using Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can substitute with Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil, or Coconut Oil.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/chickpea-quinoa-meatball-subs-vegan/