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Vegan Spaghetti Meatballs
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Vegan Spaghetti Meatballs with Veggie Sauce

The best spaghetti “meatballs” I have ever eaten! Definitely a keeper.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Dinner
Servings: 2
Calories: 591kcal

Ingredients

  • thin spaghetti of your choice (GF if needed)

For the “meatballs” (makes around 5-6 “meatballs”/each)

  • 1/2 cup dried lentils/beans uncooked and rinsed, we used a combo of adzuki and mung beans
  • 1.25 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup red onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup carrot grated
  • 1/4 cup Panko/breadcrumbs (GF if needed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoon peanut butter or 1 egg, or flax seed/chia seed egg

For the veggie sauce

  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cups celery chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup carrot chopped
  • 3 cups tomato chopped
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Instructions

For the “meatballs”

  • Bring lentils and water to a gentle boil in a medium sized pot. When boiling reduce heat to simmer and cook until lentils/beans are tender. This will take about 20-25 minutes. Add water if needed. When ready drain off any excess water.
  • Meanwhile, heat a skillet with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (use refined to avoid coconut flavor) over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and fragrant. This will take bout 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and carrots and cook for 3 minutes more.
  • Combine cooked lentils and onion mix with all other meatball ingredients, except for the “egg”, in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine the ingredients, then add the “egg” and pulse a few times more. Do not overdo to pulsing, the lentils should still have some shape in them. Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 425˚F or 220˚C.
  • Roll lentil mixture into 10-12 “meatballs” (more or less the size of a golf ball). Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush each “meatball” with a little olive or melted coconut oil.
  • Bake until nicely browned and crisp. This will take about 25-30 minutes.

For the veggie sauce

  • Heat a skillet with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (use refined to avoid coconut flavor) over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and fragrant. Or about 5 minutes. Add garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir regularly.
  • Add tomatoes and season with oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and sauce-like.
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta in lightly salted water according to the instructions on the package.
  • When ready, drain pasta in a colander and top with veggie sauce and meatballs.

Notes

  • Optional: add ¼-½ cup crushed nuts of your choice to meatballs for extra flavor and crunch (pecans, cashews, walnuts are all good options)
  • FYI: peel tomatoes roughly for smoother tomato sauce. We didn’t bother doing this as we don’t mind the little tomato skin pieces in the sauce.
  • FYI: unlike most other foods on the market refined doesn’t necessarily means a bad thing if it comes to coconut oil. It all depends on how it is being processed. Click the link to learn more.