Quick and easy Chickpea Meatballs ready in under 25 minutes! They make the perfect addition to meals or can be enjoyed on their own hot or cold. Meal prep and freezer-friendly!
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"Finally made these after saving the recipe weeks ago. Delightful and SO easy! Made a very flavorful and delicious ball that’s nice and versatile. 10/10 will make again. Thanks for another great recipe, Mel!" - Abigail ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
Let's take a minute to talk about these perfect little Chickpea Meatballs...
We are loving them! Golden on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, packed with flavor, and ready from start to finish in about 25 minutes!
I've made them SO many times in the last few weeks. Ways we've enjoyed them include:
- With marinara sauce and spaghetti.
- Piled on creamy orzo risotto.
- Dunked in green sauce.
- With mashed potatoes, veggies and simple vegan gravy.
- Tucked into fluffy pita breads or flatbreads.
- In bowl meals. We love them with rice or any other grain, some salad or veggies and a nice sauce (my healthy sweet & sour sauce or garlic pineapple sauce are good choices).
- On salads ( I love them with my lemon orzo salad!).
- In lunch boxes.
- And popped into my mouth for snacks straight from the fridge way too often...
They really are a make-it-anytime-for-any-purpose kind of situation!
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance:
And a few ingredient notes
- Chickpeas - I used canned chickpeas but you can use home-cooked if you prefer.
- Panko - I've got a job lot from Costco so it's naturally what I used, but homemade breadcrumbs (as long as they are nice and dry) will work just as well. Use gluten-free panko if necessary.
- Nutritional yeast - For deep umami flavor. Vegan parmesan makes a very delicious substitute.
- Fresh onion & garlic - Don't be tempted to swap them out for powder. The onion and garlic provide much needed moisture and bind too.
- Ketchup - This binds and adds loads of flavor. Use your favorite variety of ketchup, and for the nay sayers who always show up whenever I use ketchup in a recipe, just use a natural/healthy variety. There are lots ;O)
Love spicy? Substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons of the ketchup for sriracha. 🌶️ - Paprika and Italian seasoning - My flavorings of choice but you can really get creative here. Use any herbs and spices that you enjoy.
- Olive oil - I like to use some olive oil on my hands when rolling them (it makes it easier and they look smoother and neater) and some more for cooking. Make them oil-free if you prefer though.
Let's Make Chickpea Meatballs!
Can't wait to make these gorgeous little chickpea balls? Here's a quick visual walkthrough (see the recipe card and recipe video for the full and detailed version). It's so easy!
1 - Blend everything up in a food processor.
2 - Roll into balls.
3 - Fry, bake, or air fry. My preference is to fry. I think they turn out slightly moister, and they look better. When baked or air fried the outsides get a little dry and slightly cracked. They still taste great though!
IMPORTANT TIP - It's really important not to overcook these chickpea meatballs. No-one wants dry chickpea balls! They need just need 8 to 10 minutes in a skillet or 20 minutes in the oven. That way they'll be perfectly moist and tender and will still be that way when reheated.
Recipe
Chickpea Meatballs
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (246 grams) canned chickpeas ,(equivalent to 1 x 15oz can, 1 x 398ml Canadian can, or a 400g can in UK)
- ½ medium (70 grams) onion
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic , (3 = very garlicky)
- 4 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast , or grated vegan parmesan
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 packed cup (70 grams) Panko bread crumbs , use gluten-free panko if necessary
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , for rolling and cooking
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Drain the chickpeas and add them and everything else except the oil to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Remove the blade, rub some olive oil on your hands then scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of mixture per ball (I use a medium cookie scoop) and roll into balls. The olive oil on your hands stops the mixture sticking to your fingers and makes the balls look smoother and neater. If you're oil-free use slightly damp hands. Place them on a plate or baking tray as you go.
To fry
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil in it. Add the chickpea balls and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, moving them around frequently until golden on all sides.
To oven bake
- Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time.
To air fry
- Place the chickpea balls in your air fryer. Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden. The cook time will vary depending on your brand of air fryer so keep a close eye on them.
NOTES
If adding to a sauce, oven bake or fry them first then add to the sauce a couple of minutes before serving to preserve their texture. Leftovers (uncooked or cooked) keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight then cook/reheat. Reheat previously cooked chickpea balls in a skillet on medium-low until heated through, the oven at 350 °F for 12 to 15 mins, or an air fryer at 325°F for 8 mins.
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Brian W says
This was a big hit with my wife and I and I am something of a reluctant vegan! We had it with arrabbiata sauce and pasta. Both the taste and the texture were great and it was very low fat - I cooked it in the oven. I want to use the base recipe with different spices for our Swedish Christmas this year, I just don't know what to replace the ketchup with. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed the recipe, Brian! A Swedish version should be do-able. I'm thinking a smooth (not wholegrain), mild, flavorful mustard would work well instead of the ketchup. It's a similar texture so wouldn't change the texture of the meatballs or how they hold together.
Brian W says
That's a great idea. Maybe some Dijon mustard.
Terry says
I’m excited to try these with Indian seasonings to dip in Raita or chutney
Melanie McDonald says
Great idea! I'm testing a curry-spiced version tomorrow in a creamy curry sauce. Fingers crossed it turns out good!
Lucy says
I made these (along with a vegan banana bread) for our annual 'dimanche au canal' food-sharing picnic. It needed to be finger food, and as things were getting a bit end-of-the-month-ish, I used what I had in the house, which usually includes a can of chickpeas and a packet of breadcrumbs, though they were the finer, denser 'chapelure' ones, not panko. I added most of the aquafaba from the chickpeas, as it seemed a bit stiff and dry and crumbly (maybe because of the breadcrumbs), and some harissa and dried garlic rather than fresh. I said they were 'sort of like falafel' to make them more familiar to people, and I also took some homemade chutney and cucumber raita, which they were good dipped in.
Anyway, they were a great success, not least with some of the French people there, who are sometimes a bit iffy with things they don't know, and I just had the last of them in a sandwich with tomato and your vegan mayonnaise which I always have a jar of around. Very handy and tasty food!
Abigail says
Finally made these after saving the recipe weeks ago. Delightful and SO easy! Made a very flavorful and delicious ball that’s nice and versatile. 10/10 Will make again. Thanks for another great recipe, Mel!
Jo says
Fantastic recipe - they were a hit with my kids!