Spaghetti with Plant-Based Meatballs and Marinara
By Sam BlockPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped fine 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon dried oregano ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons tomato paste ¼ cup dry red wine 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basilMeatballs and Pasta
½ cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons water ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta⅛ teaspoon pepper 12 ounces plant-based ground meat 1 pound spaghetti Plant-based or dairy Parmesan cheese (optional)Before You Begin
This recipe can easily be doubled.
Instructions
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and water and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until flavors meld, about 30 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- While sauce simmers, stir panko, water, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with panko mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. (You should have 12 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Nestle meatballs into sauce and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low; and simmer until meatballs are firm and warmed through, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- 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 several spoonfuls of sauce (without meatballs) to pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta with meatballs; Parmesan, if using; and remaining sauce.
for the sauce
for the meatballs and pasta
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup dry red wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Meatballs and Pasta
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1 pound spaghetti
Plant-based or dairy Parmesan cheese (optional)
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup dry red wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Meatballs and Pasta
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1 pound spaghetti
Plant-based or dairy Parmesan cheese (optional)
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup dry red wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Meatballs and Pasta
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
⅛ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
1 pound spaghetti
Plant-based or dairy Parmesan cheese (optional)
Why This Recipe Works
Meatballs and marinara sauce is an iconic dish that's also very family friendly, so a plant-based version had better be top-notch to please everybody, with tender, moist meatballs and the brightest, freshest-tasting tomato sauce. These plant-based meatballs mimic the springy-tender texture of classic meatballs so well that you'd never know they're meat-free. We skipped the usual messy pan searing, dropping the meatballs right into the simmering sauce to cook through. As for the flavors, we kept them simple and classic. Garlic powder is milder and nuttier-tasting than fresh garlic, and together with dried oregano it gave the meatballs big flavor while keeping prep work minimal. A panko panade both bound the meat and kept it tender. Concentrated, umami-packed tomato paste and red wine added depth to our sauce.
Before You Begin
This recipe can easily be doubled.
Instructions
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and water and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until flavors meld, about 30 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- While sauce simmers, stir panko, water, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with panko mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. (You should have 12 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Nestle meatballs into sauce and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low; and simmer until meatballs are firm and warmed through, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- 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 several spoonfuls of sauce (without meatballs) to pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta with meatballs; Parmesan, if using; and remaining sauce.
for the sauce
for the meatballs and pasta
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