← Nouns Cooking · Plant-Based

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Ground flaxseed (linseed)
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 250 g Mushrooms, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, divided, crushed
• ½ tsp Fennel seeds
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 50 g Walnuts
• 1 can green or brown lentils (400 g can), drained well
• 60 g panko or dried breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp Nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 handful Parsley, chopped
• 700 g Passata
• 1 handful Basil
• 400 g Spaghetti
• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Stir the flaxseed with 3 tbsp water and leave for 5 min to thicken into a "flax egg".
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the onion and mushrooms for 8–10 min, until all the liquid has gone and they are browned. Add half the garlic, the fennel seeds and oregano for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and soy sauce. Cool for a few minutes.
3. Pulse the walnuts in a food processor until coarse, then add the mushroom mix, lentils, flax egg, breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, parsley and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse until it holds together but still has texture. Chill for 15 min.
4. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and oil a lined tray. Roll the mixture into about 20 balls, set them on the tray and brush with oil. Bake for 25 min, turning halfway, until browned and firm.
5. Meanwhile, warm the remaining oil in a wide pan, fry the rest of the garlic for 1 minute, add the passata and simmer for 15 min. Season and tear in the basil. Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water.
6. Gently add the meatballs to the sauce and spoon it over them. Serve over the spaghetti.

Tips

• The meatballs are fragile straight from the oven and firm up as they cool slightly, so handle them gently.
• Walnuts are a tree nut; sunflower seeds work instead. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, pasta and tamari for a gluten-free meal.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Love and Lemons Minimalist Baker