Pork Quinoa Meatballs
Baked pork quinoa meatballs are a little unique, and completely delicious! They’re hearty, nutritious, and require just 5 ingredients to make.
Using quinoa in these pork meatballs instead of breadcrumbs adds protein and fiber, keeps the meatballs moist, and makes this recipe naturally gluten-free. You’ll love the added texture and subtle nutty flavor, too!
I typically serve these pork quinoa meatballs with marinara sauce (sometimes with pasta and sometimes without), but you can serve them however you want. They’re honestly super tasty all on their own, but you can use them in any meatball dish.
“I made these for dinner last night and they were awesome!” — from reader Kelley
Table of Contents
- Why you'll love these meatballs
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make pork quinoa meatballs
- Serving suggestions
- Recipe FAQs
- More meatballs recipes
- Get the recipe
Why you’ll love these meatballs
- They’re nutritious as well as delicious!
- These meatballs are made with just 5 basic ingredients.
- They’re kid-approved and perfect for the whole family.
- They’re versatile, serve and enjoy how you like.
Ingredients you’ll need
To get started, let’s gather these basic ingredients (find the full recipe card at the bottom of this article):
- Ground porkÂ
- Cooked quinoa
- Egg
- Garlic powder
- Fresh or dried basil
- Salt and pepper
Can I use other ground meat instead of pork? I have not had success using this same recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken, there’s simply just too much moisture with the quinoa. However, ground beef should work just fine.
How to make pork quinoa meatballs
- Make the quinoa. If you’re not using leftover quinoa, you’ll need to start here. But this step takes just 20 minutes, giving you time to prep everything else.
- Mix the meatballs. Add quinoa, pork, egg, garlic powder, basil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Handle the mixture minimally, careful not to overmix (otherwise meatballs will be tough). I like to use disposable gloves and use my hands!
- Portion. Use a cookie scoop to make sure they’re all the same size, then roll into balls. You should get about 24-30 total meatballs.
- Bake. Place pork meatballs on a sheetpan and bake in a 400°F oven for about 20 minutes until cooked all the way through. A instant thermometer should reach 165°F.
- Serve and enjoy! If desired, top with marinara sauce. See more serving suggestions below.
Serving suggestions
- Serve with warm marinara sauce and parmesan cheese.
- Toss with spaghetti or another pasta.
- Pair with a vegetable side dish or salad, and add crusty bread.
- Pack them in lunches (my kids even like them cold!).
Recipe FAQs
Ground beef works well, but turkey or chicken will make the mixture too wet and affect texture.
Yes! You can prepare and shape the meatballs in advance, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month before baking.
Store cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. And they freeze well! Freeze cooked or uncooked meatballs in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag.
More meatballs recipes
Get the recipe
Pork Quinoa Meatballs
Ingredients
For Quinoa:
- â…“ cup quinoa (I like to use rainbow quinoa)
- â…” cup water
For Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 cup cooked quinoa , from above or use leftovers
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil , or 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Marinara and parmesan cheese , for serving (optional)
Instructions
To cook the quinoa:
- Add quinoa and â…” cup water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and cool completely.
To make the meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking dish or line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine pork, quinoa, egg, basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mixture will be very wet. Portion and shape into rounded tablespoons (use a small cookie scoop to make portioning easier, then roll with your hands). You should have about 24-28 meatballs.
- Space the meatballs evenly in the pan at least 1 inch apart and bake until meatballs are browned and cooked all the way through, about 20 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Serve meatballs how you like! They are delicious as is, or with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese, or in other recipes that use meatballs.
- Meatballs can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. They also freeze well and will keep in the freezer for about 1 month.
Notes
Looks great . I already have cooked quinoa. How much do you use already cooked? Thanks!
1/3 cup dry quinoa will yield 1 cup cooked quinoa.
I made these for dinner last night and they were awesome! Miss your face! xoxo
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them. Miss you too!
OMG yummy these look so good! I have literally just added quinoa onto my next shopping list for this 🙂
Ahhh seriously – i want a big bowl of these right now!! Hope you and the babe are doing well mama!!