
Recipe: Sumac Meatless Meatballs with Veg-loaded Cous Cous
Meatballs are a weeknight staple. This deliciously Sumac-spiced recipe is an update on the classic - made vegetarian, and minus the usual pasta accompaniment.
Our recipe is a keeper - an overnight keeper that is. The cous cous stays fluffy and flavourful in a container in the fridge, and the meatless mince is delicious cold as it is hot.
Here's how to make sumac 'Meatless Meatballs' with veg-loaded Cous Cous
Serves 4 plus leftoversPrep time - 20 minutes
Vegetarian
Want to make it vegan? Just swap yoghurt for vegan yoghurt alternatives
Ingredients
- 800 g meatless mince
- 6 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon sumac, plus extra to sprinkle
- 1/2 tablespoon pul biber or chilli flakes
- 2 preserved lemons, rinds only, finely chopped
- A large handful of coriander, finely chopped plus extra to garnish
- A large handful of mint, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- A large handful of parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 150 g giant cous cous
- 1/2 vegan stock cube / 1 teaspoon vegan bouillon powder
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 150 g thick greek yoghurt
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 4 mini cucumbers, one grated, three chopped
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 large handfuls of jumbo pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt + freshly ground black pepper
- Dill for garnish
Method
- In a large bowl, mix together the meatless mince, breadcrumbs, spices and preserved lemon rinds. Add most of the chopped herbs, reserving around 1/4 in a separate small bowl. Season well and roll into golf ball sized balls.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the cous cous and stock cube and boil for 6 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
- For the cucumber yoghurt, add the garlic, yoghurt and lemon juice to the small bowl of herbs. Grate half the cucumber into the bowl and season to taste.
- Dice the remaining cucumber half and add to a large bowl with the tomatoes, onion, olives and giant cous cous.
- Add the oil to a large frying pan and fry the meatballs for 2 minutes, moving them around the pan often until they are golden on the outside.
- Serve the meatballs on a bed of the veg-loaded cous cous with the cucumber yoghurt. Sprinkle over some extra sumac and herbs to garnish.