Easy Meatball Pasta Recipe
Sweetheart, let’s talk about meatball pasta that contains exactly zero cows, chickens, or anything requiring mooing or clucking.
This vegan wonder uses hearty plant-based protein rolled into juicy “meatballs” that would make even your skeptical uncle raise an eyebrow.
Saucy tomato richness hugs tender pasta, while those golden-browned meatballs sit like divas demanding applause at center stage.
You’ll twirl, bite, and suddenly forget why anyone still bothers with meat that clogs arteries faster than bad dating decisions clog your calendar.
So yes, easy meatball pasta—vegan, fabulous, and guaranteed to silence carnivores who “just don’t get vegan food.”
Easy Meatball Pasta Recipe
A comforting vegan pasta dish featuring juicy plant-based meatballs simmered in rich tomato sauce, tossed with perfectly cooked pasta.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or penne
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water flax egg
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Mix flaxseed and water to form flax egg. Let rest 5 minutes.
- In blender, pulse lentils, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, soy sauce, oregano, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper until combined.
- Stir in flax egg, shape mixture into small balls.
- Bake meatballs on a tray at 375°F for 20 minutes until firm and golden.
- Heat olive oil in skillet, add marinara sauce, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Toss meatballs into sauce, coat gently.
- Add pasta, mix, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.
Notes
Nutritional Values (per serving)
- Calories: 470
- Total Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 19g
Vitamins and Minerals (per serving)
- Iron: 22%
- Calcium: 15%
- Vitamin A: 18%
- Folate: 20%
- Potassium: 21%
Additional Notes & Tips
- Add smoked paprika for a meatier flavor.
- Serve with garlic bread to soak up extra sauce.
- Swap lentils with chickpeas for variety.
- Leftovers freeze beautifully—yes, future you will thank present you.
