Spaghetti and meatballs is one of those comfort classics that just makes you feel like you’re eight years old again. Normally it’s a very carb and meat heavy meal (I mean, it’s called spaghetti and meatballs). For this recipe, I recreated this classic meal, to make a vegan, gluten free spaghetti and meatballs.
I made both the sauce and meatballs from scratch. The only thing store bought is the spaghetti itself. To make the recipe entirely gluten free, use gluten free spaghetti. I used corn and quinoa spaghetti from the brand Ancient Harvest (not sponsored). They’re a really easy brand to find at your local grocery store, but there are also many others you can use.
Traditionally, you would make meatballs with moist breadcrumbs and eggs. To make these vegan and gluten free, I used corn meal to replace the bread and flax eggs instead of real ones. Cornmeal is just ground up corn, so it is naturally gluten free. However, if you have a gluten allergy, make sure the label says gluten free because some brands cross contaminate the ingredients.
Since you are making this recipe from scratch, it will take a little longer than most of my other recipes. However, it is still straightforward, easy to follow and so much fun to make! It makes about four servings, so you can make it for the whole family or meal prep it for the week.
Spaghetti and Meatballs (Vegan and Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Lentil Meatballs:
- 3/4 cups of dry red lentils
- 1 cup of corn meal
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 onion
- olive oil
- 1/2 cup ground hemp seeds
- 2 flax eggs
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp Italian herbs
- salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Sauce:
- 1 lb of chopped tomatoes
- olive oil
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 small can of tomato paste 6 oz
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Lentil Meatballs:
- Cook the lentils until they are soft and mushy.
- Chop your onions and garlic. In a pan, add your olive oil, garlic, and onions and cook them over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, make your flax eggs by combining 2 tbsp of ground flax and 6 tbsp water. Set aside.
- Also ground your hemp seeds in a high speed blender.
- Once the lentils are cooked, blend them in a blender along with your vegetable broth, onions, and garlic.
- Add the lentil mixture to a large bowl. Add the flax egg, ground hemp, Italian herbs, nutritional yeast, and corn meal.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Line a pan with foil.
- Create 1.5 inch balls from your lentil mixture and place them on the pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 450*F.
Pasta Sauce:
- Dice up your tomatoes, onions, and garlic.
- In a pan, add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Then add your tomatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the tomatoes, onions, and garlic from the heat and blend the mixture in a blender until smooth.
- In a new pan, add another tablespoon of oil and cook the tomato paste for several minutes.
- Then add the blended mixture of tomatoes, onions, and garlic.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes and add your salt and pepper to taste.
Assembling the recipe:
Cook your spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain it and then add it back to the pot. Add the sauce in the pot with the spaghetti and mix it well. Serve in plates or bowl, and add as many meatballs as you’d like! Top it with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for some extra cheesy flavor. Enjoy your vegan, gluten free spaghetti and meatballs!
For an Italian dessert to pair with this Italian meal, try this vegan tiramisu!
