Spaghetti and hearty vegan meatballs bring all the pleasure of a classic tomato pasta to the table in a satisfying plant-based twist.
1
For the vegan Italian meatballs:
2
Finely chop or process 1/2 cup of walnuts & set aside.
3
Process 1 onion (1/2 cup), garlic cloves and carrot.
4
Cook the onion and carrot mix in a little olive oil until golden & set aside to cool.
5
Mix chia seeds and 1/4 cup of water. Set aside until it forms a thick gel (5mins).
6
Drain & rinse lentils. Set aside.
7
Mix breadcrumbs, Mutti Tomato Paste, dried oregano and a pinch of salt together. Use a potato masher to gently mash all ingredients including those that were set aside. Be sure to keep a little texture of the lentils.
8
Using your hands, roll the mixture into roughly 3cm size balls.
9
Cook in a hot oven until golden, turning regularly.
10
For the sauce:
11
Heat saucepan with olive oil over medium heat. Fry onion and garlic. Once translucent, add a tin of Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes. Add salt to taste & cook on low until sauce thickens and becomes rich in colour.
12
Cook spaghetti as per packet instructions.
13
Serve spaghetti with the Mutti sauce and top with vegan Italian meatballs.
A simple tomato sauce lets the flavour and texture of the vegan meatballs take centre stage. Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes creates a fresh, pulpy sauce with enough body to coat the spaghetti and complement the lentil-based meatballs without making the dish feel too heavy.
