Spaghetti with seitan “meatballs” and tomato sauce

If you’ve been following ‘veganuary’ or have resolved to eat less meat in the New Year, this recipe from our book Vegan Pasta is a perfect weeknight classic made meat-free!

Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
280 g seitan
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp tamari
200 g cooked kidney beans
2 tbsp plant-based Parmesan (recipe in Vegan Pasta p.24) or 1 tbsp malted yeast plus 1 tbsp ground almonds
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Salt, pepper

Tomato Sauce for 4 people (recipe in Vegan Pasta p.25)

400g Spaghetti

Recipe

Prepare the “meatballs”: peel the shallots, peel and degerm the garlic. Chop them up, fry for 3 to 4 minutes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the tomato paste, paprika and tamari. Stir and take off the heat. Cut the seitan into pieces and put in a blender with the beans (rinsed and drained if canned or from a jar), the plant-based Parmesan and the fried shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Blend in short bursts to chop the mixture.

Add the parsley then blend again quickly so that everything comes together. Shape the meatballs with wet hands, then cook them for 6 to 7 minutes all over in a non-stick pan with the remaining olive oil. Add the tomato sauce and reheat it with the meatballs.

To cook the spaghetti, follow the instructions on the packet. Drain and serve with the meatballs in tomato sauce. Sprinkle with a little plant-based Parmesan if you wish.