Delicious Vegan Buffalo Quinoa Cauliflower Meatballs: The Ultimate Plant-Based Party Appetizer
These Buffalo Quinoa Cauliflower Vegan Meatballs are poised to be the undisputed MVP at your next gathering! Incredibly simple to prepare, generously coated in a tangy buffalo sauce, and perfectly suited for meal prepping, they hit all the right notes for a crowd-pleasing plant-based dish.
Imagine biting into your new favorite vegan meatball, bursting with an irresistible texture and enveloped in a perfectly balanced sweet and spicy buffalo sauce. That’s precisely the culinary delight awaiting you with this recipe. My journey into the world of meatless meatballs began with my beet meatballs, and ever since, I’ve been eager to explore deeper into the incredible versatility of plant-based cuisine. What I truly adore about vegetarian and vegan cooking is the freedom it offers. You can experiment with such a diverse array of ingredients to reimagine classic dishes, crafting something truly unique and tailored to your palate. There are no rigid rules in this kitchen, and no one should ever tell you otherwise!
Why These Vegan Buffalo Quinoa Cauliflower Meatballs Are Your New Must-Try
These Buffalo Quinoa Cauliflower Vegan Meatballs aren’t just another recipe; they’re a revelation. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan, looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, or simply searching for a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional meatballs, this recipe delivers. The combination of roasted cauliflower and protein-packed quinoa creates a foundational texture that is both satisfyingly firm and delightfully tender, mimicking the mouthfeel of classic meatballs without any meat. This innovative blend makes them an excellent source of fiber and plant-based protein, ensuring they are as nourishing as they are flavorful. Forget bland or crumbly vegan alternatives – these meatballs are robust, savory, and hold their shape beautifully.
Their versatility is another major highlight. Serve them as a hearty main course alongside your favorite grains or greens, or transform them into an unforgettable appetizer for any party or casual get-together. The spicy, sweet, and tangy buffalo sauce elevates them from simple veggie balls to an exciting culinary experience that will have everyone reaching for more. They’re also incredibly meal-preppable, meaning you can whip up a batch on Sunday and enjoy them throughout the week, saving time and ensuring healthy, delicious options are always at hand.
Crafting the Perfect Plant-Based Meatball: Ingredients & Technique
The secret to the perfect texture of these vegan meatballs lies in the harmonious blend of cauliflower and quinoa. My previous success with Quinoa Cauliflower Burgers proved this combination yields an ideal consistency, balancing tenderness with just the right amount of bite. Roasted cauliflower, much like in my sticky sesame cauliflower wings, provides a magnificent base that’s naturally sweet and slightly nutty. Quinoa, on the other hand, introduces a delightful textural contrast while significantly boosting the fiber and protein content, making these meatballs incredibly wholesome. It’s a powerhouse duo that forms the heart of these delectable plant-based spheres.
Binding It All Together: Vegan Egg Replacers and Breadcrumbs
Traditional meatballs often rely on eggs and breadcrumbs as binding agents. For a vegan twist, I turn to effective alternatives. My go-to is Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer, which consistently delivers excellent results. Alternatively, you can use flax eggs, but a small adjustment is key: remove one tablespoon of water per flax egg from the recipe. This subtle change ensures a thicker consistency, enhancing their binding power and preventing the meatballs from becoming too loose. These plant-based egg substitutes effectively mimic the cohesive properties of traditional eggs, keeping your meatballs perfectly intact.
Breadcrumbs are indispensable for achieving that classic meatball texture. They provide the necessary structure and absorb moisture, resulting in a firm yet tender interior. A fantastic tip for fresh and flavorful breadcrumbs, especially if you’re gluten-free, is to make them yourself! I regularly take stale multigrain bread from my favorite bakery, freeze it, then toast and crumble it in my food processor or blender whenever a recipe calls for breadcrumbs. If you follow a gluten-free diet, simply use your preferred gluten-free bread and follow the same method. It’s incredibly easy, reduces waste, and ensures you always have fresh, high-quality breadcrumbs on hand, ready for any culinary adventure.
Flavorful Seasonings for a Memorable Taste
Even though these are “meatless,” we certainly don’t skimp on flavor. The foundation of savory taste comes from classic aromatics: garlic and onions. These everyday ingredients infuse the meatballs with a depth of flavor that is both comforting and exciting, without requiring an overwhelming list of spices. Simple yet powerful, they ensure every bite is packed with deliciousness. After expertly crafting your vegan meatballs, the next step is to cook them to perfection. Pan-frying them until they achieve a beautiful golden-brown crust not only enhances their visual appeal but also locks in all those incredible flavors, creating a truly irresistible exterior.
Mastering the Buffalo Sauce: Sweet, Spicy & Irresistible
Now, let’s talk about the star of the show: the buffalo sauce. For those who love a good kick, this sauce is pure bliss. It’s wonderfully spicy, with a delightful tang and a hint of sweetness that beautifully complements the savory meatballs. Even for a spice-lover like myself, it brings a delightful heat! If you prefer a milder flavor profile, don’t fret! You can easily swap it for a different sauce, such as the one from my sticky sesame cauliflower wings, or adjust the amount of hot sauce to your liking. But for the true buffalo enthusiasts, get ready for a flavor explosion.
My partner, who devoured these meatballs with gusto, can attest to their addictive quality – I literally had to ask him to slow down! It’s truly hard to resist when something tastes this good. These versatile vegan buffalo meatballs can be enjoyed in countless ways. Serve them on their own as a hearty snack, tuck them into a delicious hoagie for a satisfying meal, or pair them with cauliflower rice or extra quinoa for a nutrient-packed double down. They’re also an absolute game-changer for parties; imagine them on toothpicks as an appetizer at your next Super Bowl gathering! Your guests will be raving. The best part? You can prepare them in advance. In our fridge, they lasted a good three days—mostly because we finished them all by then! Feel free to double or even triple the recipe to feed a larger crowd, as each batch yields a generous 16 meatballs. And for the ultimate pairing, consider serving them alongside my creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing to cool things down a notch.
With game day fast approaching, or simply any occasion that calls for delicious food, these Buffalo Quinoa Cauliflower Vegan Meatballs are your go-to recipe. Get ready to whip up a batch for your next party or family dinner and watch them disappear!
Buffalo Cauliflower Meatballs
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Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted cauliflower, instructions below; 120g
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, 137g
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, 100g
- 2 Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacers OR flax eggs, if flax eggs, less one tablespoon of liquid per flax egg
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced, 114g
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1g
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, 4g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, 20mL
Buffalo Sauce
- ½ cup vinegar based hot sauce, such as Frank’s hot sauce, 120mL
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter, 14g
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3g
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, 30–45mL
Instructions
Buffalo Sauce
- Mix all the ingredients together other medium low heat in a sauce pan until completely incorporated. Set aside until ready to use.
Vegan Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 450°F/230°C. Cut the cauliflower’s stem off, and cut into even-sized florets. Drizzle the cauliflower with maybe a teaspoon of oil. Roast the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes in the oven. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- In a food processor, add the cauliflower and pulse it until it’s completely riced. Remove from the food processor. You only need 1 cup of this for this recipe. You can use the rest for a cauliflower rice recipe
- Add the 1 cup of riced cauliflower and all the other meatball ingredients EXCEPT the coconut oil. You can pulse them or mix them together until they form into a tight ball, combining everything. You want to ensure they are so mixed together that you’re not seeing individual cauliflower or quinoa florets, it’s all one big mixture. That’s how you’ll ensure the meatballs will hold together!
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium high heat. While it’s heating, use a tablespoon measurer to form one raw meatball and shape into a ball with your fingers. You can place them on a plate while the oil heats.
- Add one meatball to test the oil. Cook on one side for about 1-2 minutes, turning on all sides onto fully cooked inside and out, about 4 minutes. You can add as many meatballs as can fit in the pan without overcrowding it, cooking them all for about 4-5 minutes turning on each side, to cook them through.
- Lower/turn the heat off. When the heat has cooled down, add in the sauce. You want to do this because if the pan is too hot, the sauce will spew and the heat can be dangerous while so hot.
- Coat the meatballs in the sauce and then remove the pan from the stove. Serve the meatballs and enjoy!! You can enjoy these vegan meatballs alone, in a nice hoagie or with cauliflower rice or quinoa on the side, you know, for a double down. You could even have them on toothpicks as an appetiser at your Super Bowl party!
Notes
- Refrigerator: Transfer the Buffalo cauliflower meatballs and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the meatballs in the sauce, in an airtight container or freezer bag. They’ll keep up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm up the meatballs in the microwave or in a skillet set over medium heat.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.