Moroccan Meatball Bowls

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These Moroccan meatball bowls with roasted cauliflower carrot quinoa pilaf and turmeric lemon tahini sauce are delicious and healthy. They are easy to prep and perfect for weekday lunches and dinners.

overhead shot of a Moroccan meatball bowl on a light pink backdrop

Isn’t this meal beautiful? The colours, the aromas, the flavours… it’s one of my favourite dinners that I’ve created recently. I am thrilled to be sharing it with you today!

At first glance, it might look complicated, but I can assure you that the elements are all easy to prepare. These Moroccan meatball bowls consist of the following components:

Moroccan meatballs
Roasted cauliflower carrot quinoa pilaf
Turmeric lemon tahini sauce

I also like to add some arugula for a pop of green colour, as well as some warm naan or pita and hummus!

an overhead shot of the Moroccan meatballs on a white plate

overhead shot of the quinoa cauliflower carrot pilaf in a serving bowl on a light pink backdrop

overhead shot of the turmeric tahini sauce, hummus, olives, cilantro, almonds, and quinoa pilaf on a light pink backdrop

why you’ll love these Moroccan meatball bowls

They’re:

Rich in protein and bioavailable iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
Full of flavour.
Perfect for meal prep.
Relatively simple to prepare.

ingredients in these meatball bowls

For the Moroccan meatballs, you’ll need:

Lean or extra-lean ground beef or ground sirloin (I like to use ground sirloin.)
Egg
Panko breadcrumbs
Cilantro
Garlic
Cumin
Turmeric
Smoked paprika
Cinnamon
Coriander
Cayenne
Sea salt and pepper

For the roasted cauliflower quinoa carrot pilaf, you’ll need:

Quinoa
Cauliflower
Carrots
Sea salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Cilantro
Parsley
Red onion
Green peas
Raisins
Kalamata olives
Roasted almonds

For the turmeric lemon tahini sauce, you’ll need:

Tahini
Lemon
Sea salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Honey
Tuermic
Water

slightly higher angle photo of the meatball bow surrounded by dishes of olives, almonds, and cilantro

how to make these bowls

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the cauliflower and carrots on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss well to coat. Arrange in an even layer and roast for 25 minutes, or until tender and lightly charred in some places.

Cook the quinoa: Bring the water to a boil. Add the rinsed, drained quinoa and salt. Turn down heat to low, stir, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, lightly fluff with a fork, and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, panko, cilantro, garlic, spices, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to incorporate everything evenly. Next, roll into 16 balls and place on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Finish making the pilaf: Place the cooked quinoa, cauliflower, and carrots in a large bowl. Add the cilantro, parsley, red onion, peas, raisins, olives, and almonds. Toss to combine.

Finally, make the turmeric lemon tahini sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, elmon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, honey, turmeric, and enough water to achieve your desired consistency. (I would start with ⅓ cup and increase from there until you have a pourable sauce/dressing.)

Serve: Spoon some pilaf into a bowl. Add some arugula and top with a few meatballs. Drizzle with the sauce and enjoy!

straight on shot of the Moroccan meatballs served over top of a bed of quinoa pilaf

frequently asked questions about moroccan meatball bowls

I’d love to try these bowls, but I don’t eat meat. What can I make in place of the meatballs?

Make the Moroccan chickpeas from this recipe instead of the meatballs, and enjoy them with the quinoa pilaf and turmeric tahini sauce. If you are vegetarian, you could also fry up some cubed halloumi to enjoy with the pilaf and sauce.

How long can I store the meatballs, pilaf, and sauce in the fridge?

In an airtight container, the meatballs will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The pilaf will keep for 5-6 days, and the sauce will keep for up to two weeks.

more moroccan-inspired recipes from up beet kitchen

close up offset shot of the bowl with quinoa cauliflower carrot pilaf, meatballs, turmeric tahini sauce, and arugula in a light pink bowl

I hope that you love these Moroccan meatball bowls! If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment and rating below the post. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoy this recipe and would like to see more of my recipes, subscribe to my email list to receive a free e-book and three new recipes each week. You can also connect with me on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Enjoy!

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Author: Allison
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 servings, with leftover sauce 1x

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

Moroccan Meatballs

1 pound (454 grams) lean or extra-lean ground beef or ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Roasted Cauliflower Carrot Quinoa Pilaf

3 cups cauliflower florets
2 medium carrots, sliced into ½-inch rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ¾ cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained in a fine mesh sieve
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 cup green peas
⅓ cup raisins
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
⅓ cup roasted almonds, chopped

Turmeric Lemon Tahini Sauce

½ cup tahini
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon turmeric
Water, to thin

For serving

Arugula
Hummus
Naan or pita

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the cauliflower and carrots on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss well to coat. Arrange in an even layer and roast for 25 minutes, or until tender and lightly charred in some places.
Cook the quinoa: Bring the water to a boil. Add the rinsed, drained quinoa and salt. Turn down heat to low, stir, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, lightly fluff with a fork, and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, panko, cilantro, garlic, spices, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to incorporate everything evenly. Next, roll into 16 balls and place on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Finish making the pilaf: Place the cooked quinoa, cauliflower, and carrots in a large bowl. Add the cilantro, parsley, red onion, peas, raisins, olives, and almonds. Toss to combine.
Finally, make the turmeric lemon tahini sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, elmon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, honey, turmeric, and enough water to achieve your desired consistency. (I would start with ⅓ cup and increase from there until you have a pourable sauce/dressing.)
Serve: Spoon some pilaf into a bowl. Add some arugula and top with a few meatballs. Drizzle with the sauce and enjoy!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine: Moroccan

Keywords: Moroccan meatball bowls recipe

Lots of deliciousness coming your way this week: egg, pesto, and sweet potato burritos tomorrow, chocolate zucchini cupcakes on Wednesday, and barbecue meatball bowls on Friday! Have a great holiday Monday tomorrow and good luck to everyone going back to school on Tuesday. Xo!