Kung Pao Cauliflower Meatballs Recipe
These Kung Pao Cauliflower Meatballs are a flavorful and healthy vegetarian twist on the classic dish, combining tender steamed cauliflower and quinoa meatballs baked to golden perfection and coated in a spicy, savory Kung Pao sauce with bell peppers and green onions. Perfect as an appetizer or main course, this Asian-inspired recipe is packed with texture and bold flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24 meatballs
- Category: Appetizer, Entree, Vegetarian
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Cauliflower Meatballs
- 4 cups chopped cauliflower florets
- 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp. onion powder
- 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Kung Pao Sauce
- 1 cup lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp. corn starch
- 2 Tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 Tbsp. Asian chili garlic sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil such as vegetable or canola
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion, plus more for garnish (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat and steam cauliflower: Preheat your oven to 400°F. While the oven heats, steam the cauliflower florets for 12 to 15 minutes until they become fork-tender. This softens the cauliflower to prepare it for blending into the meatball mixture.
- Prepare meatball mixture: Transfer the steamed cauliflower to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Move the cauliflower to a bowl and mix in the cooked quinoa, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until everything is combined into a moldable mixture.
- Shape and bake meatballs: Gently shape the mixture into golf ball-sized balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each). Arrange them evenly on a greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and set.
- Make Kung Pao sauce: While the meatballs bake, whisk together the vegetable broth and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, and rice vinegar. Set this sauce mixture aside.
- Cook vegetables and sauce: Heat the cooking oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped red bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the sliced green onions.
- Combine sauce and meatballs: Pour the Kung Pao sauce into the skillet with the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Add the baked cauliflower meatballs to the skillet and gently toss to coat them thoroughly with the sauce.
- Serve garnished: Transfer the coated meatballs to a serving dish and garnish with additional sliced green onions if desired. Serve warm as an appetizer or main dish.
Notes
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten free.
- Adjust the amount of chili garlic sauce to control the spice level.
- The meatballs can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- For a vegan version, substitute flax eggs for the eggs and ensure the sauce ingredients are vegan-friendly.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
