Quinoa Bowl with Plant-Based Meatballs, Green Beans, and Garlic Dressing
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Dressing
3 tablespoons roasted garlic cloves 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme ⅛ teaspoon table salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilBowls
½ cup panko bread crumbs ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 1½ teaspoons ground fennel 1½ teaspoons ground sage ¾ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided⅛ teaspoon pepper 12 ounces plant-based ground meat 1¼ cups prewashed white quinoa 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise¼ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup sliced almonds, toastedBefore You Begin
You can often find roasted garlic in your supermarket's olive bar section. If roasted garlic is unavailable, you can make your own: Cut the top third off two heads of garlic and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Roast the garlic in a 350-degree oven until very tender, about 1 hour. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from the skins and discard the skins.
Instructions
- Process garlic, vinegar, 1½ tablespoons water, maple syrup, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in blender until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. With blender running, slowly add oil until combined, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; whisk to recombine before serving.)
- Stir 2 tablespoons water, panko, parsley, fennel, sage, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with panko mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into ¾-inch meatballs. (You should have 24 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Meanwhile, toast quinoa in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and makes continuous popping sound, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1¾ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Remove pot from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes, then gently fluff with fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides and firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer meatballs to clean plate, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside until ready to serve. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add green beans and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook until green beans are spotty brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Divide quinoa among individual serving bowls, then top with meatballs and green beans. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with cranberries and almonds. Serve.
for the dressing
for the bowls
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Dressing
3 tablespoons roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
⅛ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Bowls
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons ground fennel
1½ teaspoons ground sage
¾ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1¼ cups prewashed white quinoa
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Ingredients
Dressing
3 tablespoons roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
⅛ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Bowls
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons ground fennel
1½ teaspoons ground sage
¾ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1¼ cups prewashed white quinoa
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Ingredients
Dressing
3 tablespoons roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
⅛ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Bowls
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons ground fennel
1½ teaspoons ground sage
¾ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1¼ cups prewashed white quinoa
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Why This Recipe Works
This hearty grain bowl distills the essence of Thanksgiving dinner into an easy plant-based feast. In lieu of turkey, we use plant-based meatballs flavored with parsley, ground fennel, and ground sage. Rather than a bread stuffing, we cook nutty quinoa to use as the bowl's base. Green beans take just a few minutes in a skillet to turn crisp-tender, and a handful of dried cranberries adds chewy tartness. To tie the bowl together, we drizzle our homemade creamy roasted garlic dressing liberally over everything.
Before You Begin
You can often find roasted garlic in your supermarket's olive bar section. If roasted garlic is unavailable, you can make your own: Cut the top third off two heads of garlic and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Roast the garlic in a 350-degree oven until very tender, about 1 hour. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from the skins and discard the skins.
Instructions
- Process garlic, vinegar, 1½ tablespoons water, maple syrup, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in blender until smooth, about 45 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. With blender running, slowly add oil until combined, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; whisk to recombine before serving.)
- Stir 2 tablespoons water, panko, parsley, fennel, sage, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with panko mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into ¾-inch meatballs. (You should have 24 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Meanwhile, toast quinoa in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and makes continuous popping sound, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1¾ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Remove pot from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes, then gently fluff with fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides and firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer meatballs to clean plate, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside until ready to serve. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add green beans and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook until green beans are spotty brown, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Divide quinoa among individual serving bowls, then top with meatballs and green beans. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with cranberries and almonds. Serve.
for the dressing
for the bowls
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