Spaghetti and Vegan Meatballs

A plant-based twist on an Italian-American classic. Serve with pasta or use a melon scoop to turn out mini-meatballs, which make great finger food (with toothpicks) for entertaining. Another option: meatball sliders using vegan bread rolls and pasta sauce with a little fresh basil on top. (Read what inspired these meatballs below.) (Photo source: Miya Lohmeier)

| Yield: 6-8 servings | Time: 35 minutes |

Ingredients

1 package vegan ground meat

1 ½ cups plain breadcrumbs

⅔ cups plus 1 Tablespoon Aquafaba or vegan egg replacer (substitute for 2 eggs)

¼ cup rice, soy, or unsweetened almond milk

2 ½ Tablespoons granulated garlic or garlic powder

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt

¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Virgin olive oil or canola oil

1 package of spaghetti, whole grain or gluten-free, prepared according to directions

1 jar of pasta sauce (any type works)

Preparation

Make the meatball mixture

In a large bowl, add the vegan ground meat, breadcrumbs, vegan egg, milk, and seasonings. Using your hands, mix it until it’s combined. Don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be dense and heavy.

Form the meatballs

Line a sheet pan with parchment or wax paper. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out the mixture onto the pan. Dampen your hands a bit to shape the meatballs into circles.

Cook the meatballs

In a large skillet, heat about 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until it simmers. Working in batches, pan fry the meatballs, turning them with a spatula or tongs, until they are cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

Place the meatballs on a tray or plate.

Cook the spaghetti. In a saucepan, heat up the jar sauce. Add the meatballs directly to the sauce, or pour the sauce over the meatballs when you’re ready to serve.

The cooked meatballs will last up to two months in an airtight freezer bag.

The inspiration for these meatballs: While my great-grandfather Hannibal grew up in St. Thomas, his roots also trace back to Italy. We’ve found family in Genoa, Venice, and Rome through ancestry research. When he married my great-grandmother Sarah, he married a woman who could cook anything, including many of the Italian dishes he grew up with. Nana’s spaghetti and meatballs was Italian American. Hannibal grew up eating polpettes, which are similar to meatballs but not eaten with pasta.

~Chamein Canton, an author and founder of the Canton Smith literary agency, is at work on her first cookbook, Cooking with My Nanas: Discovering Family, Traditions, and Love In The Kitchen. Find more of her recipes—and stories—at stillachicklit.com; @chamtherese (TikTok); @stillachicklit (Instagram)