Homemade version of famous IKEA Veggie Balls - yummy and nutritious meal! It could be served with spaghetti and tomato sauce, or with rice and masala gravy or with bulgur and vegan mayo. Any combination of your choice!
First step is to soak the chickpeas overnight. It is very important to use raw chickpeas and cook it by yourself, because canned chickpeas are usually overcooked and too soft and juicy. If you use dry chickpeas you will get a perfect dough and there will be no need to add any flour.
Next day you put soaked chickpeas to boil and prepare the veggies in the meanwhile.
Cut onion, carrot and bell pepper into little cubs. Chop the cabbage finely, then preheat the frying pen with olive oil.
First fry onions until golden brown, then add bell pepper, then carrots.
Cook the veggies for 5 min, until the carrot becomes soft. Add the spices you like and then add cabbage. Stir for 2 more min and add the rest of ingredients: green peas, corn and chopped spinach. Stir for another 2-3 min.
The chickpeas must be cooked to that point. Usually it takes about 30 min. Don’t worry if it will be slightly raw. Just make sure it is chewable. Blend the chick peas and 1/3 of the veggies together in a blender. Rest of the veggies put in a bowl and smash it a little bit using a temper. Then mix everything together in a bowl (chickpeas and rest of the veggies). You can use your hands for it.
The dough is ready, it must be a little bit sticky. If it is too sticky to create a ball you have no other choice than to add some flour (oat flour, chickpea flour, potato starch or rice flour). However better to do it without flour.
Roll the dough into small balls and place the balls on the baking paper (spread a bit of oil on the paper in advance).
Bake Veggie Balls for 30-40 min in oven (180 'C).
Ikea Veggie Balls are ready!
Nutrition facts
Follow the link to see detailed nutritional data (calculated by cronometer.com). 270 kcal represents amount of calories in one portion (about 9 balls).
Notes
Serve this veggie balls with pasta, rice or bulgur and sauce of your choice. My favorite combination is spaghetti with veggie balls in tomato sauce.