Vegan BBQ Meatballs + Polenta

Closeup of Vegan Chickpea Meatballs with Polenta

4.89 from 9 votes

Get ready to indulge in our Vegan BBQ Meatballs + Creamy Polenta recipe. Made with chickpeas, quinoa, pecans, and nutritional yeast, these tender meatballs boast a delightful blend of savory and sweet flavors. Paired with creamy polenta infused with garlic, it creates the perfect comforting base for this delicious plant-based dish. Completely Vegan + Gluten-free option.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Keyword: bbq, chickpea, dairy-free, dinner, easy, gluten-free, grits, meatballs, polenta, quinoa, sweet, vegan, veggies, weeknight meals

Servings: servings

Calories: 860kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

CREAMY POLENTA:

1 cup organic polenta corn grits, yellow
3 cups organic vegetable stock (You can use water instead, if preferred!)
1 cup Almond milk, unsweetened (You can use your fave plant-based milk)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup vegan butter
1 cup dairy-free cheese shreds, optional (I love So Delicious Dairy-Free)

HOMEMADE VEGAN MEATBALLS:

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
1 cup cooked quinoa (See Notes!)
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup breadcrumbs (See Notes for Homemade!)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
½ onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking + 1 Tbsp!
2 cups BBQ sauce, vegan-friendly

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO MAKE THE HOMEMADE VEGAN MEATBALLS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Start by adding onions and garlic cloves to a heated oven-safe skillet (with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil) and sautéing them until they are fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside skillet for later.
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.
Using an ice cream scoop (or spoon), shape mixture into individual balls (further rounding them with your hands). Repeat until all meatballs are created.
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. Remove each meatball and set aside. Spoon the BBQ sauce atop the vegan meatballs and add the skillet to the preheated oven, baking for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce becomes "baked on". Remove from the oven.

TO MAKE CREAMY POLENTA:

Bring 3 cups veggie stock, milk and salt to a low boil in a large-size pot or dutch oven. Once boiling, whisk in the polenta and cook 15-20 minutes until thickened and most of the liquid has "dried out". Stir in the butter, garlic powder, and dairy-free shreds (if using), until melted and the polenta becomes creamy.
In serving bowl(s), spoon the polenta into the bottom of the bowl(s) and top with BBQ vegan meatballs. Sprinkle dried parsley (optional) as garnish, if desired and serve immediately.
Bon Appétit!

Notes

STORAGE: Store any leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze the meatballs for up to three months. Defrost them overnight in the fridge and reheat them on the stove or in the oven. Leftover polenta can be kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Re-heat over the stovetop when ready to serve, by adding a bit of milk (¼ cup or so) and stirring until creamy again.
MAKE AHEAD: All ingredients can be made and individually stored as meal prep and assembled + heated when ready to serve.
OILS: Instead of using Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can substitute with Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil, or Coconut Oil.
HOMEMADE BREADCRUMBS: 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.
GUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this recipe entirely GF, simply ensure that the polenta is GF-friendly as well as the breadcrumbs and BBQ sauce.

Nutrition