Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year? I’ll be going deeper into my own in a few days, but I wanted to get back in the swing of recipes first. This time last year my husband and I decided to give up meat once and for all. It wasn’t so much a resolution as it was a good time to just start fresh making choices that made us feel good.
We had already cut back drastically on our meat consumption and noticed we felt considerably better physically when we left meat off our plates and out of our mouths. I was reluctant to give up chicken (hello), but finally went for it. I guess you could say we’re pescatarians since we do still eat eggs, fish, and shellfish.
Initially I was at a loss as to what we would eat. I had an arsenal of delicious vegetarian food, but could we really eat healthfully and deliciously day after day without basing meals around meat?
One thing that has been kind of fun is taking classic meat dishes and making them vegetarian. I like this recipe for spaghetti and “meatballs” because it is super light and healthy. Sometimes meat substitutes can still have a meaty flavor, which might not be what you’re going for. These balls are made with white beans and roasted red peppers which keeps them tasting light and fresh.
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Spaghetti and “Meatballs”
Ingredients
- 21 ounces canned cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 egg
- ½ cup dried breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
- 1 pound spaghetti
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or a Silpat.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans, roasted red peppers, and onions. Pulse until chopped but not smoothly pureed.
- Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.
- Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of the bean mixture and form it into a ball by rolling it between the palms of your hands. Place the “meatballs” on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly. Repeat with the remaining bean mixture.
- Bake the balls until they are firm to the touch and have become lightly golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, heat marinara sauce over medium heat until simmering. Add the “meatballs” and stir to coat. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions. Serve cooked spaghetti topped with sauce, “meatballs,” and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Deb @ Dietitian Debbie Dishes says
I’ve tried in the past to make vegetarian meatballs without much success, but yours look like they will be great! We’ll have to plan a spaghetti night at my house soon. 🙂
Lindsay Moe says
These hold together really well, which I like. They’re also really different because they’re so not trying to be meat. I hope you enjoy them!
Mimi @ Culinary Couture says
Meatballs made of beans, now this I’ve gotta try!
Kate says
My boyfriend and I have decided to eat far less meat this year. I’ve always been pretty much a pescatarian (a burger slip maybe once or twice a year), but I can see he’s already struggling and it’s been a mere THREE DAYS. Thank you for the inspiration, this will certainly be on the grocery list this weekend…
http://blog.katehardydesign.com/
Lindsay Moe says
You can do it! Let me know how you like the dish!
Debbie says
How many people would this feed?
Lindsay Moe says
This serves 4-6.
April says
I had such high hopes for this recipe but it was a DUD. The “meat”balls fell apart as soon as I put them in with the sauce and they tasted horrible. My husband, a meat eater, was not happy with me LOL. Two stars for effort.
Lindsay Moe says
I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you. This is an older recipe, and I’ll definitely look into testing it further. In the meantime, these eggplant meatballs might suit your tastes better and are my current favorite meatless meatball. https://theliveinkitchen.com/eggplant-meatballs/