Recipe: Meatless meatballs offer a lighter protein-packed meal

Craving meatballs — but not the meat? As the holidays approach with traditionally meat-laden meals, these black bean meatballs can lighten up your weeknight menu, even while still delivering important protein and nutrients.

They are made from a blend of black beans and quinoa, along with all the garlic, spice and piquant cheese any good Italian meatball should include. Serve them as a vegetarian meal or as an appetizer, speared with a toothpick to swipe through the warm tomato sauce.

Black Bean Meatballs With Marinara Sauce

Active time: 50 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Makes about 16 (1 1/2-inch) patties

INGREDIENTS

2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, blotted dry

Olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, grated

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup cooked quinoa, room temperature

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2/3 cup (packed) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the beans on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake until slightly dried out and beginning to crack, about 15 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, paprika and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds.

Combine the onion mixture and the beans in a food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times to coarsely blend. Add the quinoa, tomato paste, Pecorino, parsley, salt and black pepper. Pulse 2 to 3 more times or until the mixture just begins to stick together without becoming mushy.

Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and form into a ball. Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture. Refrigerate the balls for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Whisk in the tomato paste to blend, then stir in the tomatoes and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

To cook the meatballs, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in one layer without overcrowding (in batches as necessary), gently pressing the meatballs to form a thick patty. Cook until browned on both sides, turning once or twice, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with the warm sauce for dipping, garnished with parsley.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer based in Northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.