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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions

    LAST UPDATED: January 30, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: November 8, 2016

    Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Hearty quinoa meatballs are smothered in tomato sauce and stuffed into buns with grilled bell peppers and onion strips to make these crowd-pleasing vegan sandwiches!

    Two Halves of a Quinoa Meatball Sub on a Plate with Water Glass in the Background

    November. There's so much going on this month. Whether you're into football or holiday planning, I think comfort food is something we can all agree that we're ready for, right?

    So, let's talk comfort food. When I think back to my pre-veggie days, there aren't a whole lot of dishes that I really miss. I usually rely on other people to tell me what their favorites are, and they do, I proclaim that I never liked whatever dish they tell me, proceed to make a vegan one, and love it.

    Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions

    For whatever reason though, I do have a bit of a soft spot for meatball sandwiches. Maybe it has something to do with growing up in an Italian family, in which meatball sandwiches were the norm at most of our get-togethers. In any event, once I saw this recipe, I was a goner. This one is from Homestyle Vegan by Amber from Good Saint.

    Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions

    Even after having said all those words of praise about meatballs, it was a tough choice! This book has some serious vegan comfort food recipes and I really wanted to try them all. I also really wanted to share something holiday-esque, as lots of the recipes are (check out the pumpkin whoopie pies, green bean casserole with crunchy onions, and creamy wild mushroom soup, among others). I'm really looking forward to working my way through this book over the fall and winter months - it actually has a chapter named "Cook Up Some Comfort Food," and another one titled "Meals That'll Stick to Your Ribs." I'm all about this.

    In the end, even amid all the holiday goodies, I couldn't resist the lure of meatballs.

    These meatballs were unlike any vegan meatballs I've ever mad. They're made with quinoa! I was a little nervous about that, but I actually found that the quiona gave these meatballs a great meaty texture, and when they're drowned in tomato sauce, I'm sure even the staunchest of omnivores won't complain.

    For more Homestyle Vegan deliciousness, grab a copy of the book on Amazon.

    Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions
    Two Halves of a Quinoa Meatball Sub on a Plate with Water Glass in the Background
    5 from 1 vote
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    Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions

    Hearty quinoa meatballs are smothered in tomato sauce and stuffed into buns with grilled bell peppers and onion strips to make these crowd-pleasing vegan sandwiches!
    Course Sandwich
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings 4 -6
    Calories 554 kcal
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    Quinoa Meatballs

    • 1 tbsp 7 g ground flax
    • 3 tbsp 45 ml warm water
    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 ½ cups 402 g cooked quinoa
    • ½ cup 17 g loosely packed fresh basil, chopped
    • ¼ cup 8 g loosely packed fresh oregano, chopped
    • ½ cup 48 g panko bread crumbs
    • 1 cup 200 g cooked chickpeas
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

    Grilled Onions + Peppers

    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
    • 4 to 6 Burger Buns, book, page 101, or store-bought
    • 1 to 2 cups 250 to 500 ml Garlic Herb Pizza + Pasta Sauce (book, page 173), or store-bought, warmed
    • ½ cup 80 g Vegan Parmesan, (book, page 65), or store-bought

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (163ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. To make the quinoa meatballs, in a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax and warm water. Set aside to gelatinize, about 5 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the pan on the stove to fry the meatballs in.
    4. Combine the flax mixture, sautéed garlic, cooked quinoa, fresh basil, fresh oregano, bread crumbs, chickpeas, salt and red pepper flakes in a food processor and pulse until a thick paste forms. Move the mixture to a bowl and heat the frying pan over medium heat again. Scoop 1 ½-inch (3.8-cm) balls into the frying pan and sauté until golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Move the cooked balls to the lined baking sheet. Repeat this process until all of the meatballs are cooked.
    5. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, to heat the balls all the way through.
    6. While the meatballs bake, prepare the grilled onions and peppers by heating the olive oil in a large frying or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions and peppers together until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
    7. When everything is ready, slice open the buns and stuff 3 or 4 meatballs inside. Top with grilled onions and peppers, warm tomato sauce and a generous sprinkle of the vegan Parmesan. Serve and enjoy!
    8. Leftover meatballs will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge. They can also be frozen and will thaw very well.

    Recipe Notes

    Alissa's note: I used store-bought rolls and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast in place of vegan Parmesan.

    Nutrition Facts
    Quinoa Meatball Sub with Grilled Peppers + Onions
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 554 Calories from Fat 89
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9.9g15%
    Saturated Fat 1.4g7%
    Sodium 1327mg55%
    Potassium 393mg11%
    Carbohydrates 92.7g31%
    Fiber 12.5g50%
    Sugar 9.9g11%
    Protein 23.2g46%
    Calcium 270mg27%
    Iron 7.4mg41%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Nutty Pumpkin Burgers with Apple Relish
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brooklyn Murtaugh says

      November 08, 2016 at 4:17 pm

      Yes please! This looks so delicious, and I will be making this for sure soon, especially with the cooler weather :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 11, 2016 at 9:05 am

        It was so good! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)

        Reply
    2. ㅤLia says

      December 14, 2016 at 9:03 pm

      this was good, i forgot the flax seed but it worked anyway. i used brown rice and quinoa. surprisingly simple to make and store for the next day when you don't feel like cooking. thanks for the recipe:)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 15, 2016 at 9:00 am

        Glad you enjoyed this! And good to know that it worked without the flax! Thanks Lia. :)

        Reply
    3. Peter says

      October 17, 2019 at 5:33 pm

      Can you use almond flour to replace the breadcrumbs

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 20, 2019 at 2:22 pm

        Possibly, but I don't think it would be a direct one-to-one substitution. I'd add a bit at a time until you're able to shape the mixture into balls.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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