Vegetarian Spaghetti and Meatballs
By Sara MayerPublished on October 16, 2019
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Meatballs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ onion, chopped fine2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon driedSalt and pepper 4 garlic cloves, minced12 ounces veggie protein crumbles 2 large eggs 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces¼ cup milk ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted1 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for servingSauce and Pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes ¼ cup chopped fresh basil Salt and pepper 1 pound spaghettiBefore You Begin
If using frozen veggie protein crumbles, do not thaw them before adding them to the food processor.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are well browned, soft, and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- Process cooked onion mixture, veggie protein crumbles, eggs, bread, 2 tablespoons milk, pine nuts, and Parmesan together in food processor until mixture is well combined and has a uniform texture, scraping down bowl as needed, about 20 seconds. If mixture is too dry or does not come together, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time until mixture is desired consistency.
- Shape mixture into 20 meatballs (about 1½ tablespoons each), and space evenly on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake meatballs until browned and firm, about 30 minutes.
- Cook oil and garlic in Dutch oven over medium heat until garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mash with a potato masher until coarsely chopped. Bring to boil and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in basil; add salt and pepper to taste.
- Reserve 2 cups sauce separately. Gently add cooked meatballs to Dutch oven and coat thoroughly with remaining sauce.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta, and return it to pot. Add reserved sauce and toss to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Top individual portions with meatballs and remaining sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan.
for the meatballs
for the sauce and pasta
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Meatballs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces veggie protein crumbles
2 large eggs
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
¼ cup milk
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Sauce and Pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti
Ingredients
Meatballs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces veggie protein crumbles
2 large eggs
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
¼ cup milk
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Sauce and Pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti
Ingredients
Meatballs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces veggie protein crumbles
2 large eggs
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
¼ cup milk
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Sauce and Pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti
Why This Recipe Works
To make a better vegetarian meatball, we first tried to use meaty chopped mushrooms, but tasters found their flavor overwhelming. Veggie protein crumbles, made of texturized soy protein, turned out to be the solution. They gave our meatballs structure, a nice chew, and great savory flavor. Lots of garlic and some onion and rosemary rounded out the flavors. Toasted ground pine nuts added more texture and, along with some grated Parmesan, nutty richness. Because the protein crumbles have less fat and protein than ground meat, we used a combination of a panade of bread and milk and 2 eggs to bind the meatballs. Rather than trying to pan-fry the delicate meatballs, we brushed them with oil and baked them on a sheet tray until they had a nice browned crust. Then we made a simple, fresh-tasting sauce to complement the tender, savory meatballs. Any brand of veggie protein crumbles will work here; we've had good luck using Lightlife Smart Ground Original.
Before You Begin
If using frozen veggie protein crumbles, do not thaw them before adding them to the food processor.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are well browned, soft, and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- Process cooked onion mixture, veggie protein crumbles, eggs, bread, 2 tablespoons milk, pine nuts, and Parmesan together in food processor until mixture is well combined and has a uniform texture, scraping down bowl as needed, about 20 seconds. If mixture is too dry or does not come together, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time until mixture is desired consistency.
- Shape mixture into 20 meatballs (about 1½ tablespoons each), and space evenly on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake meatballs until browned and firm, about 30 minutes.
- Cook oil and garlic in Dutch oven over medium heat until garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mash with a potato masher until coarsely chopped. Bring to boil and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Stir in basil; add salt and pepper to taste.
- Reserve 2 cups sauce separately. Gently add cooked meatballs to Dutch oven and coat thoroughly with remaining sauce.
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta, and return it to pot. Add reserved sauce and toss to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Top individual portions with meatballs and remaining sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan.
for the meatballs
for the sauce and pasta
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