Learn how to make 10-Minute Quick Veg Meatball Manchurian in the Instant Pot, along with a delicious ginger and spring onion rice.
Everything cooks in 10 minutes, all inside one pot!
This Quick Veg Meatball Manchurian is…
- Vegan
- Easy to make
- Very speedy
- High in plant-based protein
Air fryer veg manchurian recipe
Make use of both the air fryer and Instant Pot with this quick and easy recipe for Veg Meatball Manchurian.
I air fry the frozen plant-based meatballs until golden. Once the sauce is cooked, fold them in to retain their crisp, juicy texture.
Using plant-based veggie meatballs is such a great hack for making manchurian, since all you need to do is air fry straight from frozen.
I used the Moving Mountains plant-based meatballs for this veg manchurian, but any brand you like will work, such as Beyond Meat, Plant Pioneers, Quorn or Linda McCartney, etc.
Vegetable-based (non-soy or wheat gluten) versions works too. It’s great with IKEA vegetable balls.
What is Manchurian?
Manchurian is a popular dish in Indian Chinese cuisine. It typically involves frying a main ingredient (like vegetable balls, chicken, paneer, or cauliflower) and then tossing it in a signature sauce.
It’s a fusion dish, not traditionally found in China, but incredibly popular in India and other South Asian countries. The concept originates in East India, within the Hakka Chinese community.
How to thicken sauce for manchurian
The most common and effective way to thicken Manchurian sauce is by using a cornstarch slurry. This is a staple in Indo-Chinese cuisine for achieving that desirable glossy, clingy sauce.
What is Manchurian served with?
Gravy Manchurian is most commonly served as a main course with…
- Fried Rice: Such as Vegetable Fried Rice or Schezwan Fried Rice
- Noodles: Like Hakka Noodles or Schezwan Noodles
- Plain Steamed Rice
More Indo-Chinese recipes you might like:
Veggie Meatball Manchurian with Rice step-by-step
1. Prepare the Meatballs
Air fry or cook the plant-based meatballs according to your packet instructions until golden and crispy. Set aside.
2. Build the Manchurian Sauce
Place your Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Add the oil, minced garlic, and chopped chillies. Sauté for 5-10 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Next, add the diced onions and peppers. Toss everything to combine well.
3. Season and Add Liquids
After about a minute, pour in the soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, MSG (if using), sugar, and salt. Stir-fry for another minute to let the flavors meld, then add the water.
4. Prepare and Cook the Rice (Pot-in-Pot Method)
Place a metal trivet into the Instant Pot. Drain your soaked rice and transfer it to a heatproof stainless steel container. Add the grated ginger, a pinch of salt, sesame oil, chopped spring onions, and hot water to the rice. Cover the container with a tight-fitting lid and carefully place it on top of the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
5. Pressure Cook
Secure the Instant Pot lid and set it to Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes. Once done, perform a Quick Release of the steam. Carefully remove the lid and lift out the pot of cooked rice; set it aside.
6. Thicken the Sauce and Combine
Switch the Instant Pot back to Sauté mode. Once the sauce comes to a boil, slowly pour in the cornflour and water mixture (slurry), stirring continuously. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens and develops that characteristic glossy, translucent sheen.
7. Finish and Serve
Add the cooked meatballs to the thickened sauce and toss gently to ensure they’re well coated. Garnish generously with fresh chopped spring onions and serve your delicious Veggie Meatball Manchurian immediately with the prepared rice.
10-Minute Quick Veg Meatball Manchurian & Ginger Spring Onion Rice Recipe
Quick Veg Meatball Manchurian
The ultimate Veg Meatball Manchurian recipe with crispy plant-based meatballs in a hot and garlicky Indo-Chinese sauce.
Ingredients
- 400g vegetarian meatballs / plant-based meatballs
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 pepper, cut into wedges (I used 1/2 red and 1/2 green)
- 1 red onion, cut into petals
- 6 large cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2-3 green chillies, sliced on the bias
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, white, brown or apple cider are all fine to use
- 1/4 tsp white pepper, or black pepper
- 1/2 tsp MSG, optional
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- 500ml hot water
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- For the rice:
- 200g long-grain Basmati rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes
- 400ml hot water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
Instructions
- Air fry or cook the plant-based meatballs according to the packet instructions.
- Place the Instant Pot on Sauté mode and add the oil, garlic and chillies. Sauté for 5-10 seconds and then add the tomato purée. Cook for 15 seconds, stirring all the time. Next, add in the onions and peppers. Toss to combine everything well.
- After a minute, add the soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, MSG (if using), sugar and salt. Stir fry for another minute and then add the water. Place a metail trivet in the pot.
- Drain the soaked rice and place it in a heatproof stainless steel container. Add the ginger, salt, sesame oil, spring onions and hot water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place on top of the trivet in the pot.
- Cover the Instant Pot and Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes. Quick release the steam and remove the lid. Carefully lift the pot of rice out and set aside.
- Switch the pot back on to Sauté mode. Once the sauce comes to the boil, add the cornflour and water mixture. Stir well until the sauce thickens and develops a glossy, translucent sheen.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and toss well to coat. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Replace the plant-based meatballs with any of your favourite plant-protein meatballs or use vegetable balls if you prefer.
- Serve immediately.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 2 days. Heat through before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 450Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 1633mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 7gSugar: 11gProtein: 28g
If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Hakka Noodles
12 Indo-Chinese Recipes with Big Flavor
Try one of these delicious Indo-Chinese recipes tonight. The flavours of India and China come together in a blended fusion cuisine that's big on flavor. These Indo-Chinese recipes are vegetarian, easy and make perfect appetizers or side dishes on weeknights and for special occasions. You must try my famous Chilli Paneer and Hakka Noodles combo!
Crispy paneer cubes wok-fried in a chilli and garlic sauce with crunchy peppers and onions. A real Indo-Chinese crowd pleaser and Indian restaurant favourite. This dish is perfect as an appetizer, or as part of a larger meal with rice or noodles.
Crispy Chilli Oil Aubergine is a fragrant chilli crisp stir fry with tempura aubergines and homemade chilli oil. This Indo-Chinese dish is a flavour explosion, so serve it with plain, steamed Jasmine rice or noodles. It’s delicious as a starter, main or alongside other dishes.
Flavour bomb incoming! For the ultimate Vegetable Manchurian, I toss crispy vegetable dumplings in a hot and garlicky Indo-Chinese sauce. It’s fiery, loaded with flavour and gives your favourite Asian restaurant a run for its’ money.
I couldn’t be more excited to share my little creation of Vegan Air Fryer Sesame Mogo Toasts with you. A lighter, vegan take Chinese restaurant favourite, sesame prawn toast using spiced cassava (mogo) to replace the shrimp.
American Chinese takeout favourite General Tso’s Chicken gets a vegetarian makeover with this Desi Chinese-inspired fresh stir-fry dish, General Tso’s Paneer. Crisp-coated creamy paneer nuggets tossed in a sticky spicy, sweet and sour sauce.
Hakka Noodles are an any time, any place noodle affair. This vegetarian version makes for a delicious lunch or dinner. Serve them with other Indo-Chinese favourites such as Chilli Paneer or Gobi Manchurian, or simply as they are. These Vegetarian Hakka Noodles are the ultimate quick meal.
I first fell in love with the spongy, cloud-like morsels that are Taiwanese folded buns when I sampled them from popular London street vendors, Yum Bun. After hearing all the Momofuku hype, these little burger-like buns had finally reached the streets of Britain. My first folded bun was filled with juicy Portabello mushrooms and crunchy, miso-glazed walnuts and they stirred one question in me. Gua Bao, where have you been all my life?!
One of my favourite weeknight dinners is Chilli-Garlic Tofu Noodle Bowls. Stir-fried tofu with colourful veggies, noodles and heaps of chilli. My special touch to these is to add crispy okra strips and fried Thai basil leaves. They add the most beautiful crunch and are a delicious way of getting your okra fix as part of a dish that’s not curry.
Gujarati rice dumplings dusted in cornflour and fried until crispy on the outside. Right before serving they are tossed in an intense sticky chilli sauce with lots of veg. Don’t be put off by the amount of ginger, chillies and garlic – it’s a lot but necessary to stand up to the somewhat plain rice flour khichi. It’s a delicious starter and a new, creative take on a Gujarati classic. My recipe for Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi serves six hungry people.
Fresh beancurd sheets stir-fried with onions, peppers, fresh basil and a sweet and sour chilli sauce. “Yuba” or tofu skin (also bean curd skin or bean curd sheet) is a form of protein made from soy beans. Soy milk, to be precise. During the boiling process, a skin forms on top of the soy milk. It is made up of protein and fats in the milk, similar to the kind that forms on top of dairy milk.
Try this recipe for Indo-Chinese Crispy Chilli Pumpkin tonight! Make the most of sweet, seasonal squash with this celebration of Indo-Chinese flavours. Be warned; This gets more and more addictive with each bite. It’s no secret that I’m a Chilli Paneer fiend. It’s probably one of the most iconic Indo-Chinese dishes, alongside the likes of Hakka Noodles and Vegetable Manchurian.