This is an epic best spaghetti with vegan balls recipe, maxed out in flavour and with a great bite – more than one friend has said it’s the best they’ve tasted in both vegan and non-vegan cuisine. A winner in taste, texture, aroma, colour and mouth-feel. Just make it and see for yourself !
INGREDIENTS FOR THE MEATBALLS
2 slices of brown bread (whizzed into breadcrumbs)
1½ cups vegan mince (ground crumble)
4 vegan sausages
2 large cloves garlic
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp vital wheat gluten (available in the US from here, and in the UK from here)
INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion, chopped
¼ tsp garlic granules
2 medium sized fresh tomatoes
2 cups of tomato pulp
a handful of Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon of xylitol or coconut sugar
1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses (available in the US from here, and in the UK from here)
¼ cup dry white wine
3 Tbsp tomato puree/paste
2 bay leaves
1 fresh red chilli pepper chopped
1 romano (bell) red pepper (de-seeded and washed)
2 Tbsp olive oil
METHOD FOR THE BALLS
- Having processed your bread, place it in a bowl and set aside.
- Now, place the sausages and burgers in your food processor, and process for 15 seconds (yes, go ahead and just count 15). Then add the onions and garlic, as well as the remaining ingredients from the balls list (including the breadcrumbs). Process until it all comes together – around 15-20 seconds should do the trick as we are not after a ‘spread like’ consistency, but rather a normal mince one, with good texture and colour.
- Now, using clean hands, form into balls and refrigerate for a half hour, then fry until golden, and set aside whilst you assemble your sauce.
- Place all your sauce ingredients in your liquidizer, except for the bay leaves, and process. Then pour it into a saucepan, add the bay leaves to the sauce, and place on a low heat. Allow to simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened. This will take an hour or longer, but don’t worry. At first, allow it simmer with the lid on, then the rest of the time remove it so that it can nicely reduce. Taste it and season accordingly. It should have a very rich taste – both in sweetness and saltiness.
- Finally, add your meatballs into the sauce for a few minutes, before serving up with your favourite spaghetti, and Enjoy ! MMMMMmmmm, out of this world !
All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
I don’t get it…the balls are not precooked, just warmed up for a few minutes in the sauce straight out of the refrigerator? I’m sorry but that doesn’t seem right to me. Did you forget a step…liking cooking the balls.
You didn’t say when to use the breadcrumbs.
Hi Juli, I did say to add all the ingredients on the ‘meatball list’ and since the breadcrumbs are included in that, that means they too go in, but I mention to do so again to be 101% clear. Hope you make and enjoy them you ! 🙂
Nita Hi there, don’t worry 3 words where missing when editing, so go back and it’ll all make sense now. Hope you make and enjoy them ! 🙂
Hello Miriam – I’m finally breaking in your MWV cookbook & very excited! Question about one recipe (not “No Meat Balls” – but I’m unable to leave a comment any other way on your site): Mushroom and Walnut Loaf. What is the consistency supposed to be after cooking? Is it supposed to be similar to a meat consistency? Or it’s still supposed to be gooey? My pan dimensions are different (9.5 x 5.25) than what you recommended, but even after being in the oven for two hours at 400, the inside is totally gooey & of course the top & sides are hard as a rock! I scraped off the top so the heat could get in, but still no change to the gooey-ness. Obviously I’m not yet a gourmet! Thank you.
Hi there Lorinda, thanks for purchasing my book. Regarding the loaf you mention, the texture should not be gooey, but reasonanably solid enough to cut but with a moist and soft texture inside. If it’s too gooey for your liking add or double the amount of breadcrumbs and add more chopped nuts and when you process the mushrooms be sure they are not cut too small and that they are dry as much as possible. Also add 2 1/2 T of flour instead of 1 1/2 T. There could be a number of reasons why your loaf was not as dense as you wished, least of all your oven versus mine, etc . . . but I think that the tips I have given you will solve the problem. The last note for your book is, for the cheddar and mozzarella, double the amount of agar powder, just pencil that in, the reason for that is that the revised recipe did not reach my publishers in time. Enjoy and Cheers your way ! 🙂
Hello,
With apologies for hijacking the comments, can you please clarify the changes to the two cheese recipes in you cookbook? Was it corrected in the second printing, or does it still need to be doubled? Thanks!
Kindly let me know the quantities/proportions for the agar powder for both the cheddars and the mozzarella – each of them separately in that way I will see whether your book is the 2nd printing or not. Thanks.
Hello again, it shows 2 tsp for the mozzi and 3 for the cheddar.
BTW, the shepherd’s pie was out of this world good!
Hi, thanks for getting back to me (by the way, what is your name please ?). I assume you mean Tbsp (tablespoons) not tsp (teaspoons) – in which case you’ll be happy know that your book is the reprinted version, and therefore the correct measurements. The only point I should add, should you wish for a denser or less dense cheese, either add or more or less agar powder to your personal preference, as agar powders can vary in strength.
Miriam, many thanks for the clarification, and am happy that you were able to get the publisher to make corrections.
Will be venturing into the cheese chapter next week.
Cheers,
Dorian
Dorian Hi there, you’re welcome and hope you enjoy them ! 🙂
Hi and HAppy Mother’s Day! I am making this for dinner tonight and wondering if I need to use oil to fry these meatballs? I try not to use more oil than necessary, so if it’s possible to use something else (or nothing)…I would prefer it. However, if it tastes best using oil, I’ll use that. Just need some direction here. Thanks for the recipe, it looks great!!!!
Becky Hi, thanks for dropping by here. Don’t know if you have attempted to make these yet. Yes, they do need to be fried in some oil, but after you do so, use a kitchen towel to wipe the surface oil off, in this way you have very little oil contact with each veg-ball, and yes, it would taste better too ! Enjoy, and let me know how it all goes ! Cheers. 🙂
Yum! I can’t wait to try out the meatballs, they look so good!
Hope you enjoy it Mandi ! 🙂
Pomegranate molasses? How about the old-fashioned kind?
It works well with them, but by all means omit the molasses if you wish Cynthia.