Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs and Orzo

If you have ever had Jamaican curry, you know it’s spicy! Embrace the heat with

this Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs + Orzo, a tender vegan meatball mixture simmered in a sauce of hot peppers, veggie stock, garlic, and coconut milk. This is the meatiest vegan dish on Earth!

Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs and Orzo [Vegan]

Ingredients

For the Vegan Meatballs:

• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (See Notes!)
• 1/2 cup vegan breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 red or yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking + 1 tablespoon!

For the Spicy Jamaican Curry Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (14 oz.) can full-fat coconut milk or cream
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-3 scotch bonnet peppers, minced (You can also use habanero peppers)
• 1 ounce ginger root, diced (That's about 1-2 Tbsps)
• 2 green onion stalks, lightly crushed or chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons organic vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon vegan soy sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1-2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional

For the Orzo:

• 4 cups filtered water
• 4 cups organic vegetable stock
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

To Make the Vegan Meatballs:

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 skillet for later.
2. 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.
3. Using an ice cream scoop (or spoon), shape mixture into individual balls (further rounding them with your hands). Repeat until all meatballs are created.
4. Reheat previous skillet over medium-high heat (with all the bits left in it) and add additional olive oil if needed. Add meatballs to pan and sear until nicely golden on all sides.

Cook Meatballs in Curry Sauce:

1. In large skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat, add the olive oil until heated. Add the minced garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet peppers, and bell peppers, sautéing until fragrant and golden. Add the curry powder, allspice, salt, and black pepper, stirring until combined.
2. Pour in the coconut milk/cream, soy sauce, veggie stock, and hot sauce, stirring until combined. Let the mixture boil for a minute or so before adding the seared meatball. Toss them in sauce, add in the scallion (green onion) and thyme sprigs and reduce heat to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until sauce thickens and the meatballs are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally.

Make the Orzo:

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water and veggie stock to a boil. Add the orzo and let it boil for 8-10 minutes or until orzo slightly swells and is tender. Once done, drain, rinse, and season with salt + black pepper, to taste.
2. To serve, spoon cooked orzo in a plate and top with curry meatballs. Garnish with a bit of dried parsley and sprinkles of red pepper flakes, if desired.
3. Bon Appétit!

Notes

Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. You can also use walnuts instead of pecans for the homemade vegan meatballs. To make your own breadcrumbs, simply grind 1-2 cups of cubed bread into a food processor until finely chopped. Place crumbs onto a parchment lined baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 5-6 minutes in the oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring occasionally. Once brown + crisp, remove from oven and let cool. Continue recipe steps and store remaining breadcrumbs in a tightly sealed container.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/spicy-curry-vegan-meatballs-and-orzo-vegan/