Feta-Stuffed Meatball Mediterranean Bowl
Stella Star Ingredient: Spiced Chickpeas
Ingredients
- Feta-stuffed meatballs:
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3-ounce block of feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- Spiced chickpeas (Stella Star Ingredient):
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Pinch of red chili flakes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Zucchini noodles:
- 4 spiralized zucchinis
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Pinch kosher salt
- To assemble:
- Grated carrots
- Grape tomatoes, sliced
- Persian cucumbers, sliced
Steps
- For the meatballs:
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
- Combine beef, green onions, garlic, egg, mint, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Roll golfball-sized meatballs with your hands and pop a cube of feta inside. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- For the chickpeas:Add olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add garlic and shallot and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with smoked paprika, cumin and chili flakes. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in chickpeas and cook for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro leaves.
- For the zucchini noodles: Add zucchini to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Toss with hands. Let soften for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature.
- To assemble bowl: Add zucchini noodles to the bottom of the bowl, top with meatballs, spiced chickpeas, feta, grated carrots, sliced grape tomatoes and sliced Persian cucumbers.