Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs [Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free]

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These gluten-free and vegan Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs are the perfect party appetizer! You can also enjoy these veggie balls over rice or quinoa for an easy dinner! These chickpea balls are extra delicious when drizzled with some homemade vegan ranch dressing and topped with chopped scallions.

Rah! Rah! Rah! Sis, boom, bah!

For this year’s big game, I’m cheering for the best team in town…Team Chickpea!

That’s right! When you route for Team Chickpea, you’re sure to score a touchdown!

Chickpeas can do it all! These babies are game for anything…

EVEN meatless meatballs…

EVEN Buffalo wing inspired meatless meatballs. 🙂

These two-bite balls of Buffalo sauce bliss are similar to my Buffalo chickpea burgers.

Of course, they both are made with chickpeas and Buffalo sauce…lol! 😉

These chickpea balls are baked, not fried

Seriously though, in addition to slight variations in the ingredients, one of the main differences is that while the burgers are pan-fried, the meatballs are oven-baked.

How should these veggie balls be dressed?

The chickpea balls are also much smaller than the burgers, which them the perfect party appetizer…especially when served drizzled with some delicious vegan ranch dressing. 🙂

A little heat paired with a little coolness…what’s not to love?

In addition to the ranch, I also topped the chickpea meatballs with some chopped scallions.

What about the Buffalo sauce?

Well, I’m not going to lie…I didn’t make it myself. Instead, I opted for store-bought Buffalo sauce. The first time I made them I used Frank’s RedHot Buffalo sauce, which in case you weren’t sure, IS vegan.

I have been assured both via email and verbally that this sauce “doesn’t include animal or animal by-products” and that “the natural butter type flavor (listed within the ingredients) is made with natural ingredients derived from sources other than milk and butter.”

Furthermore, I was also told that the current formulations for Frank’s RedHot sauces in general “do not contain any animal derivatives or synthesized milk proteins.”

On subsequent occasions, I’ve also used Noble Made Mild Buffalo sauce by The New Primal, which is another great vegan-friendly option.

So now that your taste buds are tantalized, let’s get on with the show…

How to make Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs

Start by making a flax egg by using a fork to whisk together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and set aside. Next, preheat your oven to 400°F.

Then, roughly chop 2 medium carrots and 1/4 of a sweet onion, and measure 2 tablespoons of parsley leaves.

Add the carrot, onion and parsley mixture to a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed.

Next, heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add carrot mixture and kosher salt to taste, and cook on medium for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the carrot mixture is cooking, rinse out the food processor and set aside for future use. Also, drain and rinse your chickpeas and set aside. When the carrot mixture is done, allow it to cool for 1-2 minutes, and then add it to the food processor along with chickpeas.

Process on low until everything is well combined but not pureed, scraping down the sides as needed.

Transfer chickpea mixture to a mixing bowl. Add gluten-free/vegan bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, flax egg, kosher salt and Buffalo sauce.

Mix thoroughly until ingredients are well-combined.

Use a small cookie scoop and scoop chickpea mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, use your hands to roll into rounded balls.

Bake for 15 minutes.

While the chickpea balls are in the oven, melt vegan butter in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Then use a fork to whisk in Buffalo sauce.

When the “meatballs” are done, remove from the oven and set the baking sheet on top of the stove or on a heat resistant surface or mat. Use a silicone pastry brush to baste each ball with the Buffalo sauce and butter mixture.

Return the tray of basted chickpea meatballs back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve with desired toppings, such as additional Buffalo sauce, vegan ranch dressing and chopped scallions. They also make a delicious and easy dinner served over rice or quinoa. 🙂

Team Chickpea FOR THE WIN!

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5 from 15 votes

Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs

These Gluten-Free & Vegan Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs are the perfect party appetizer! They're extra delicious when drizzled with some homemade vegan ranch dressing and topped with chopped scallions.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Keyword buffalo sauce, dairy-free, egg free, game day, gluten free, meatless monday, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 20 chickpea meatballs

Calories 49kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped sweet onion (approximately 1/4 of a Vidalia sweet onion)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
• 1 (15 oz.) can no salt added chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2 tbsp gluten-free, vegan bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp vegan Buffalo sauce
• 2 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance buttery sticks)

Instructions

• Use a fork to whisk together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to make the flax egg. Cover and set aside. 
• Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
• Blend carrots, onion and parsley in food processor on the pulse setting until finely chopped, but not pureed. You may have to stop to scrape down the sides.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add carrot mixture and kosher salt to taste, and cook on medium for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the carrot mixture is cooking, rinse out the food processor and set aside for future use.
• When the carrot mixture is done, allow it to cool for 1-2 minutes, and then add it to the food processor along with the chickpeas. Process on low until everything is well-combined but not pureed, scraping down the sides as needed.
  
• Transfer chickpea mixture to a mixing bowl. Add bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, flax egg, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon Buffalo sauce. Mix thoroughly until ingredients are well-combined.
• Use a small cookie scoop and scoop chickpea mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, use your hands to roll into rounded balls. Bake for 15 minutes.
• While the chickpea meatballs are in the oven, melt vegan butter in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Then use a fork to whisk in 1/4 cup Buffalo sauce.
• When the chickpea meatballs are done, remove from the oven and set the baking sheet on top of the stove or on a heat resistant surface or mat. Use a *silicone pastry brush to baste each ball with the Buffalo sauce-butter mixture.
• Return the tray of basted chickpea meatballs back into the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes before removing balls from the baking sheet. Serve with desired toppings, such as additional Buffalo sauce, vegan ranch dressing and/or chopped scallions.

Notes

*I recommend a silicone pastry brush because it allows the sauce to just glide easily over each meatball. In addition, silicone brushes are vegan-friendly and dishwasher safe.

Leftovers are best reheated in the oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet until warm. 

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Please note the nutrition calculation for this recipe does not include kosher salt to taste or any toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2g

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