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Tender Vegan Meatballs

These meatballs are made with black beans, cashews, and oats for a hearty protein- and fibre-filled meal!

Course Main Course
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 meatballs

Ingredients

Meatball Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup whole oats
  • 1/4 cup plain almond milk
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1/2 cooking onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 cup black beans (canned or rehydrated)
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 2 tbsp hemp hearts
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • handful fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • fresh ground pepper

For Serving

  • tomato pasta sauce
  • pasta of choice (up to 4 servings)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  2. In a small bowl, mix the oats and almond milk together. Put to the side and allow to soak.

  3. Create mirepoix by finely dicing the carrot, celery, half onion, and clove of garlic. Heat up the olive oil in a frying pan and saut? these veggies until cooked down and flavourful.

  4. Set up your food processor. Add the black beans, cashews, hemp hearts, soaked oats (along with any leftover liquid in bowl), and mirepoix. Pulse a few times.

  5. Add the fresh parsley, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Process until it reaches a fairly smooth consistency - leave some texture. 

  6. Add the panko bread crumbs. Pulse until incorporated. 

  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a reusable sheet liner. Using two spoons, shape the meatballs into spheres. The batter should be fairly moist but hold together when gently formed. Place onto the baking sheet; should make about 12.

  8. Pop the sheet into the oven. After 15 minutes, flip the meatballs onto another side - you will notice a flat side wherever they lay on the sheet. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the exterior is crispy and the interior is tender.

To Serve

  1. Prepare or heat up the tomato sauce in a pan. When simmering, take off the heat and drop in the number of meatballs you want to serve. Don't stir, put a lid on and leave for 5 or 6 minutes.

  2. Cook the pasta al dente according to instructions. Serve on shallow dishes or plates.

  3. Gently turn over the meatballs and cover them in the sauce. Scoop them out with sauce onto the pasta.

  4. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley leaves.