Italian Veggie Balls with Spaghetti
Italian Veggie Balls are made with lentils, spinach, and herbs.They are baked until golden and served with tomato sauce.A healthy vegetarian alternative to classic meatballs.
Ingredients
For the veggie balls
- 225 g dried brown lentils
- 2 onions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil + extra for greasing
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 100 g baby spinach
- 4 tbsp pesto
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 50 g pine nuts or chopped almonds or oats for nut-free
- 1 large egg
- 50 g fresh breadcrumbs
- Salt and black pepper
For the tomato sauce
- 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar non-alcoholic
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Fresh basil leaves
- Salt and black pepper
To serve
- 300 g dried spaghetti
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Cook lentils in boiling water for 20–25 minutes until soft. Drain well and let dry.
- Fry onions in olive oil for 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer half to a food processor and keep the rest for sauce.
- Wilt spinach with hot water, then squeeze out excess moisture.
- Add lentils, spinach, pesto, and lemon zest to the processor. Blend until combined but slightly textured.
- Pulse in pine nuts, then transfer mixture to a bowl. Mix in egg and breadcrumbs. Season well.
- Shape into 20 balls and place on a greased tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden.
- For the sauce, add tomatoes, purée, vinegar, sugar, water, and basil to the onion pan. Simmer 15–18 minutes.
- Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
- Add the Italian Veggie Balls to the sauce and gently coat. Serve over spaghetti with fresh basil.
Notes
- Serve with grated cheese if desired
- Pair with garlic bread or salad
- Can be made ahead and reheated