Vegan Moroccan Meatball Stew

4.67 from 6 votes

Chickpea balls are served over couscous and smothered in a mixture of spiced tomatoes, veggies and apricots to make this cozy vegan Moroccan meatball stew.

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Moroccan

Servings:

Calories: 522kcal

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 teaspoons ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
½ cup dried apricots, diced
1 teaspoon harissa sauce (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 scallions, chopped

For Serving

4 cups cooked couscous
¼ cup chopped raw almonds

Instructions

To Make the Meatballs

Preheat the oven to 375° and lightly oil a baking sheet or large oven-safe skillet.
Place the chickpeas, panko, onion, ginger, garlic, tomato paste, soy sauce, and Moroccan spice blend into a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped and well mixed. Be careful not to overdo it—you want to keep some texture from the chickpeas.
Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl and roll it into 1-inch balls (about 20). Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheet, brush with olive oil, and bake for 30 minutes, flipping once about halfway through cooking, until lightly browned in spots.

To Make the Stew

Coat the bottom of a medium pot with oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Sauté until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, and ras el hanout and cumin. Continue to sauté for about 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, apricots, harissa, and 1 cup of water. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower heat and allow to cook until the veggies are soft, 30-40 minutes, adding water to the pot as needed when it becomes too dry.
Remove the stew from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the mint, cilantro, parsley and scallions.

To Serve

Divide the couscous among bowls, the top with meatballs and a ladle the stew overtop. Sprinkle with almonds and extra herbs, if desired. Serve.

Notes

Don't let the meatballs sit in the stew for too long or they'll fall apart. If you're going to have leftovers, store the meatballs and the stew separately.

Nutrition