Vegan Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients

Zucchini Meatballs:
4 cloves garlic
50 ounces cooked garbanzo beans
1.5 cups rolled oats
4 medium zucchini
3 teaspoons dry basil
3 teaspoons dry oregano
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
Juice of 2 lemons or limes
6 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Spicy Marinara Sauce:
8 large or 11 medium tomatoes
2 white onions
1 bell pepper, any color.
4 cloves garlic
Serrano pepper to taste
4 carrots
4 teaspoons fresh or dry thyme
4 teaspoons fresh or dry oregano
4 teaspoons fresh or dry basil
4 teaspoons Himalayan salt
4 teaspoons black pepper

Cashew Parmesan Cheese:
1 cup cashews
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Quinoa Pasta:
1 package (8 ounces) quinoa pasta
1/4 white onion
1 clove garlic

Method

Zucchini Meatballs:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mince garlic.
2. In a food processor, pulse garbanzo beans, garlic, and rolled oats and for 10-15 seconds until it’s a well-combined mixture.
   Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
3. Shred the zucchini. Pile it on a piece of cheesecloth and wring to get out as much liquid as possible.
4. Add the shredded zucchini, basil, oregano, salt, lemon or lime juice, and nutritional yeast to the garbanzo bean mixture, and combine well with your hands.
5. Roll the mixture into meatball-sized balls and bake on a sheet at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip them over and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Spicy Marinara Sauce:

1. Optional: simmer the tomatoes in a large pot of water for several minutes until they soften.
2. Finely chop the onions and bell pepper. Mince the garlic and Serrano pepper. Shred the carrots. Dice the tomatoes.
3. In a large pot, sauté the onion, garlic and Serrano pepper for 3 minutes, using a little bit of water instead of oil.
4. Add the shredded carrots, stir, and cook for 2-4 minutes.
5. Add the herbs and chopped tomatoes, stir to combine, and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Pour the sauce into a blender and blend to your preferred smoothness.

Cashew Parmesan Cheese:

1. Process all ingredients in a food processor until they become a powder.

Quinoa Pasta:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Add the quinoa pasta, onion chunk, and garlic clove. Cook according to package directions.
3. Strain the pasta and discard the onion and garlic.

Assembly:

1. Fill a bowl with quinoa spaghetti. Top with several zucchini meatballs.
2. Spoon a generous portion of the marinara sauce over the spaghetti and meatballs.
3. Sprinkle with cashew cheese powder. Serve and enjoy!

This meal is vibrant and healthful, but familiar and comforting all at the same time! It’s the perfect transition meal for someone moving into being vegan since it’s a play on a common food, but it’s so good that you might just find it becomes one of your go-to dinners.

Let me know what you think in the comments here or on the YouTube video, and share pictures if you make it yourself! I always love to see you guys cooking these recipes.

Love you! ❤️

Yovana