Beef Quinoa 
Mini Meatballs with Spiced Pomegranate Sauce & Mashed Cauliflower

These lean beef meatballs get topped with an exotic-tasting tomato sauce that features pomegranate molasses for a subtle tang and depth of flavor. Puréed cauliflower is a lighter, less-starchy stand-in for mashed potatoes. Garnish with additional cilantro springs.

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Servings
4
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
45 min
Duration
70 min

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped yellow 
onion, divided
  • 4 tsp minced garlic, divided
  • 2/3 cup ketchup (NOTE: Look for all-natural options such as Tessemae’s, or check out our homemade ketchup recipe at cleaneating.com)
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp organic evaporated cane juice
  • Pinch ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp pomegranate molasses (NOTE: Pomegranate molasses can be purchased or you can make your own with our 3-ingredient recipe at cleaneating.com)
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 3/4 cup cooked and cooled quinoa (from about ¼ cup dried quinoa)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 tsp plus pinch sea salt, divided
  • 1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lb), broken into florets

Preparation

  1. Prepare sauce: In a medium saucepan on medium-low, heat oil. Add 1/4 cup onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in ketchup, lemon juice, mustard, soy sauce, cane juice, cayenne and 1/4 cup water. Return to heat on low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in pomegranate molasses and remove from heat; cover and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. To a large bowl, add beef, quinoa, remaining ½ cup onion, cilantro, egg, remaining 3 tsp garlic, cumin, 1/4 tsp pepper and pinch salt. Using your hands, combine mixture until well blended. Gently form into about 24 mini meatballs, about 1 1/2 tbsp each, and place on sheet. Bake, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball registers 160°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to pan with sauce and stir gently to coat; keep warm on low heat.
  3. Meanwhile, cook cauliflower florets in a steamer basket over simmering water until tender when pierced with a fork, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer steamed cauliflower to a food processor and process until puréed. Season with remaining 1/4 tsp each pepper and salt. Serve meatballs and sauce over cauliflower.

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Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size 6 meatballs and 3/4 cup cauliflower
  • Calories 368
  • Carbohydrate Content 45 g
  • Cholesterol Content 52 mg
  • Fat Content 10 g
  • Fiber Content 5 g
  • Protein Content 23 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 1 g
  • Sodium Content 284 mg
  • Sugar Content 5 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat Content 3 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat Content 4 g