Vegetarian Mushroom & Goat Cheese Meatballs
These savory meatless "meatballs" are perfect for adding a meatless appetizer option for cocktail parties and holidays!
Servings: 12 meatballs
Equipment
- Skillet
- Food processor or blender
- Baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for spraying or coating
- 10 ounce container of sliced baby bella mushrooms
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup cooked quinoa see notes
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup goat cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil and lightly spray with non-stick spray or rub with olive oil. Set aside.
- Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5-6 minutes or until they begin to release their liquid.
- Sprinkle with garlic powder and sea salt, and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until they're golden brown. Add cooked (or frozen) quinoa and toss to combine. Cook for another minute or two. If the pan starts to dry out, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture is ground into a uniform paste.
- Scoop the mixture into a medium sized bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and crumbled goat cheese and mix until fully combined. The mixture should be able to hold its shape when rolled into a ball.
- Using a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon measure, scoop the mixture out and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking pan.
- Spray or rub the meatballs with a little olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned. Serve hot.
Notes
I used a frozen, seasoned quinoa & kale blend to make my meatballs and added to the mushrooms to cook it through. You may also use pre-cooked, homemade quinoa, but you may want to add a bit of extra seasoning if desired.
Fresh chopped spinach or kale would also make a nice addition to this recipe. Finely chop about ½ cup of spinach or kale and add to the mixture at the same time as the quinoa.