Bean Balls
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Use these bean balls as you would any meat ball or falafel type ball. We tend to add them on top of a mound of spaghetti squash and homemade tomato sauce.
Serves: 35 balls
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 cups dry beans (rinsed, soaked overnight, boiled and strained) - yields 2.5-3 cups cooked beans
- 1 heaping Tbsp flax meal/ground flax seeds
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp each: basil, thyme, oregano
- ½ tsp each: cayenne pepper, turmeric
- 1 Tbsp tamari or Bragg’s aminos (either of these would be my preferred alternative to soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp grapeseed or melted coconut oil (I use these due to their higher melting points, as they are more suited to heating), plus extra for rolling balls
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- Approximately ⅓ cup chickpea or almond flour
- 2 Tbsp grapeseed or melted coconut oil (I use these due to their higher melting points, as they are more suited to heating)
Instructions
- Rinse beans, soak overnight (or by your preferred method) and boil about 45 min-1 hour, or until soft and tender. For this particular recipe, overcooking isn’t as much of an issue as you will be mashing the beans up anyway (but there are some dishes where a mushy bean can truly ruin the dish). Strain off any excess water and mash beans with a potato masher (till somewhat smooth, but still lumpy).
- Add all remaining ingredients (except the flour) - and any extra spices you like!
- Okay, time to get messy. This works best if you mix and roll with your hands… begin adding select flour, one Tbsp at a time until you are able to form balls.
- Roll into bite-sized balls – should make approximately 35 balls.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Pour some oil (I use grapeseed oil) onto a cookie sheet or large casserole dish. Gently roll formed balls in oil, to cover them lightly.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove, turn balls over (add more oil here if it looks like they’ll stick). Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Notes
Bean balls store well in the fridge for up to a week. Good on a salad, in a wrap, or on a big pile of spaghetti squash!
While it is tempting to throw the bean balls in the oven at the same time as the spaghetti squash, don't do it! ... Unless, of course, you like soggy bean balls ;)
While it is tempting to throw the bean balls in the oven at the same time as the spaghetti squash, don't do it! ... Unless, of course, you like soggy bean balls ;)
Recipe by The L'Oven Life at https://thelovenlife.com/spaghetti-squash-bean-balls/