Vegetarian Chickpea Meatballs with San Marzano Tomato Sauce

For vegetarians, one of the hardest dishes to give up is a classic spaghetti and meatballs. Thankfully, with the use of chickpeas and a few other nifty ingredients, you can easily make tasty vegetarian meatballs that have all the same rich, savory flavor with none of the meat.

This recipe pairs light, tender chickpea meatballs with tender spaghetti noodles and a rustic San Marzano tomato sauce for a delicious vegetarian pasta night.

How to Make Vegetarian Meatballs


Making these delicious chickpea meatballs is as easy as throwing everything in the food processor. From there, you shape and cook them exactly the same way you would regular meatballs: sear them in hot oil, simmer them in tomato sauce, and serve over steaming hot spaghetti. To emulate that savory Italian meatball flavor, season these chickpea meatballs with traditional herbs and spices and bind them together with eggs and breadcrumbs. Here are the ingredients you’ll need.

  • Canned chickpeas: the base of the meatballs.
  • Parmesan cheese: adds a salty, savory flavor to the meatballs. Feel free to sub in a dairy-free parmesan substitute for a vegan version.
  • Eggs: binds the meatballs together. Use flax seed and water in place of egg for a vegan version.
  • Garlic powder, fennel seed, paprika, fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes: all traditional seasonings in Italian meatballs.
  • Lemon: adds a bright, citrusy flavor.
  • Baking powder: helps keep the meatballs light and fluffy.

About this San Marzano Tomato Sauce


ingredients for vegetarian chickpea meatballs with san marzano tomato sauce recipe

With any good spaghetti and meatballs, the meatballs are only half of the equation. The other half is the all-important tomato sauce. In this case, the sauce is made of high-quality canned San Marzano tomatoes.

San Marzano tomatoes are a specific kind of Italian plum tomato that have thicker, richer flesh with a sweet depth of flavor and low levels of acidity. These qualities make San Marzano tomatoes ideal for pasta sauce. You can typically find them in the international section marked as the San Marzano variety.

The deep, intense flavor of these tomatoes means that the sauce just needs simple ingredients like olive oil, onions, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and fresh basil to be delicious. The San Marzano tomatoes will be a little more expensive, but the rise in quality will be well worth it. If you can’t find them, however, regular canned tomatoes will do just fine.

Vegetarian Chickpea Meatballs with San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Vegetarian Chickpea Meatballs with San Marzano Tomato Sauce

2021 Jared Kent
Make pasta night meat-free with these simple, delicious chickpea meatballs in a rustic San Marzano tomato sauce.


Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Recipes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound 453 grams of dry spaghetti noodles, cooked to al dente according to the instructions on the package
  • For the San Marzano Tomato Sauce:
  • olive oil for cooking as needed
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced small
  • 6 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 28- ounce 793 grams cans of peeled San Marzano tomatoes, whole
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • 10-12 sprigs fresh oregano leaves minced, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bunch chiffonade basil leaves cut into ribbons. Some reserved for garnish
  • For the Chickpea Meatballs:
  • 1 15.5- ounce 439 grams can of chickpeas, drained
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ grated parmesan cheese or dairy-free parmesan alternative
  • ¾ cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs or 2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons water
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable or canola oil for cooking
  • For Serving:
  • grated parmesan cheese as desired
  • chiffonade basil leaves as desired

Directions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic and pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Pour the tomatoes, vinegar, water and oregano into the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes into smaller chunks. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can also use a hand blender.
  • Bring the pot to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the sauce is simmering, begin to make the meatballs.
  • Combine all ingredients for the meatballs except the oil in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined. There should be small but visible chunks of chickpeas in the mix. You may need to scrape the sides and pulse a few times to get everything incorporated evenly.
  • Use a tablespoon to scoop out portions of the meatballs, then roll into tight balls with your hands. You should yield 16-20 meatballs.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, cook the rolled balls for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. The oil should come about halfway up the sides of the meatballs and sear the outsides as well. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the meatballs and place directly into the pot with the sauce. You may need to work in 2-3 batches to cook all the meatballs. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
  • Simmer all the seared meatballs in the sauce for 8-10 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and add most of the basil leaves into the sauce.
  • Serve 4-5 meatballs per portion over the spaghetti with a generous amount of sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and grated parmesan.


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