Vegan Spicy Tomato Spaghetti and Chickpea Meatballs
Plant-based meatballs made with real, wholesome food that have a gorgeous chewy and soft bite, but don’t fall apart, aren’t mushy, and are super easy and fun to whip up! What more could you ask for? Pair them with my spicy sun-dried tomato sauce, for a little change from the usual meatball marinade, or your personal favourite. Even stuff them into a baguette for a meatball sub, or just eat them as a snack - these meatballs work well with anything!
Serves: 4-6 | Total Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Chickpea Meatballs: (makes 12-16)
400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200g dry cous cous (sub for GF cous cous or quinoa for GF version)
1/2 red or white onion
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp tamari (sub for soy sauce)
Black pepper
Tomato Sauce: (enough for 4-6 servings)
2 red onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
200g sun-dried tomatoes
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp hot chilli powder
2 vegetable stock cubes, mixed with 400ml boiling water
5 tbsp tomato puree
200g silken tofu* (see below for subs)
Other:
300g wholegrain spaghetti
Fresh basil
Sprinkle of nutritional yeast or vegan cheese (optional)
*Depending on your nutritional goals, you can also sub the silken tofu for 200ml unsweetened plain vegan yoghurt OR 200ml oat/soya cream OR 200ml canned coconut milk.
Instructions
Start by making your meatballs. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC, fan.
Place the cous cous in a bowl and pour in some boiling water until the water just covers the top of the cous cous. Leave aside to allow the water to be absorbed.
Meanwhile, place your onions, garlic, chickpeas, herbs and spices into a food processor and pulse until broken up and slightly crumbly. Once the cous cous is soft and fluffy, and all the water has been absorbed, add in the cous cous to the food processor and pulse again, adding in splashes of water as it blends until it combines. However, try not to over blend or add too much water, or else it will become mushy. (See blog above for a method without a food processor).
Roll the chickpea mixture into 12 or so balls with your hands and place onto a greased baking sheet, then bake for 15 minutes, turn them over, and bake for another 15 minutes until slightly brown and crispy.
While the meatballs are baking, begin to make your sauce and pasta. Sauté your onions and garlic in a pan on medium heat for 5 or so minutes, until soft.
Finely dice your sun-dried tomatoes and halve your cherry tomatoes and place into the pan for another 2 minutes, along with the rosemary and chilli powder.
Dissolve your stock cubes in 400ml boiling water and place your silken tofu into a blender along with a splash of the veg stock. Blend until smooth and then place into the pan along with the remaining veg stock and the tomato puree. Mix and then simmer until the liquid reduces and the baby tomatoes become soft (roughly 10-15 minutes).
Meanwhile, begin to boil your spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
Using a fork, or back of a spoon to mash down the baby tomatoes to create a paste-like sauce. Then once your meatballs are fully cooked, place them into the sauce and mix until they are fully coated. Continue cooking until the sauce begins to stick to the meatballs and brown slightly, then remove from the heat and serve with some fresh basil and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast or vegan cheese!
If you do make this recipe let me know by sharing a photo with me! I would love more than anything to see your creations. Lots and lots of love guys!! & thank you xx
