Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs + Orzo

5 from 4 votes

Fans of spice, come and rejoice for this Spicy Curry Vegan Meatballs + Orzo, made with chickpeas, nuts, and quinoa!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Keyword: comfort foods, curry, dinner, Jamaican, meatballs, orzo, spicy, vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 512kcal

Author: Shanika

Start by adding onions and garlic cloves to a heated 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.

If using authentic Jamaican curry powder, it's super important to first "burn" your powder. SEE NOTES FOR MORE. If not using Jamaican curry, simply skip this step!
In a large skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and once fully heated, add curry powder. Stir curry powder in oil and let it sit until it becomes a dark brown and becomes fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet peppers, and bell peppers, sautéing until fragrant and golden. Add the allspice, salt, and black pepper, stirring until combined.
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.

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.
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.
Bon Appétit!

STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
NUTS: You can also use walnuts instead of pecans for the homemade vegan meatballs.
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.
MEATBALL TIP: Sometimes the meatballs might be soft and fall part, therefore, I always try adding additional breadcrumbs until the mixture feels more "dry" in texture and stiff-like when rolled into a ball. In addition, I love adding them to a baking sheet (lined with parchment) and baking them (after the initial searing in the pan) for 10-15 minutes in 400 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven to create a more sturdy meatball. Then follow the remaining recipe steps.
BURNING THE CURRY POWDER:When using Jamaican curry powder, it's important to burn the powder first to avoid digestive issues for some people because of it's potency. In addition, the "burning" process releases better flavor + color.