I had a real hankering for meatballs recently, and this is a recipe I’ve been thinking about for some time. It’s super easy to make, literally start to finish in under 45 minutes including prep and everything. And it’s a dish the whole family will enjoy!
How to make Vegan Meatball Marinara
Equipment
- 2 frying pans
Ingredients
Meatball ingredients –
- 150 grams of dried soya mince
- 150 mils of veg stock (read notes
- Before adding in your stock)
- 1/4 cup of gram flour
Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- Pinch of thyme
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil for frying
Marinara Sauce.
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- + 1 tin water
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 4/5 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 Fresh/dry basil – see notes.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 veg stock cube
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp paprika pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 2 tsps olive oil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch of salt at the end to taste
Instructions
Method
- Marinara Sauce
- Heat up your oil and add in your chopped onions, with a pinch of salt. Brown your onions slightly, reduce the heat then add in your garlic. Cook for another couple of minutes.
- Add in your tin of tomatoes, crumble in your stock cube, add in another can of water.
NOTE: if you are using dried basil add in a couple of teaspoons now. Fresh basil, add in at the end of your cooking.
- Add in your herbs and spices and bring your sauce to the boil. Once bubbling you want to reduce the heat. Pop in the tomatoe purée now to the sauce and continue to bubble gently until sauce has reduced. Reducing your sauce helps bring more depth of flavour and richness to it. You want to ensure its rich red and tomatoey. Once your happy with your sauce let it simmer gently while you get on with your meatballs.
Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl add all of your dry ingredients including herbs and spices.
- Next, you want to add your stock in slowly. If you’re using stock cubes, dissolve in hot water before adding to the dried mince. Slowly add your stock to the mince until you have a moist yet moldable texture.
- NoW make small meatball rounds about an inch and a half in the diameter. Once you have all your meatballs lined up and ready, add your oil to the pan. Don’t have your heat on to high, a medium heat works well. Brown your meatballs. It usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes, if you are cooking on a medium heat. These can be cooking whilst your marinara sauce is simmering in the pot.
- Add your meatballs and fresh basil to your sauce about 5 minutes before you serve up.
Notes
Since I hadn’t much shopping in the house, this recipe was perfect as it so only requires a few pretty basic food items, soya mince, tinned tomatoes, and pasta to accompany the meal. Generally I always have a stash of soya mince, tofu (but I’d run out of tofu), tins of tomatoes and dried legumes oh and my usual mix of herbs and spices.
How your mince should look once you have added in all of you ingredients.
Shape your meatballs, I just added some cornmeal to the plate to stop it sticking.
Fry it up in the pan
Don’t leave too long in your sauce as you want the meatballs to maintain their plantmeaty round texture.
I served my meatball marinara on a bed of linguini. You can serve it on any type of pasta you like, or even with potatoes!
Eat and enjoy. And please follow me for some live stories on instagram
If you love this recipe try making my tasty vegan lasagna!
Leave a Reply