My famous Spaghetti and Vegan Wheatballs is based on a classic Italian-American staple, made deliciously vegan for a hearty family meal. This is the recipe I served to the ladies of THE TALK on CBS (when I was a guest on the show), and they all loved it! You can now watch me prepare this famous recipe on YouTube!
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Easy enough to make for a special weeknight meal, but fancy enough to serve when hosting a casual dinner party, this classic, Italian inspired dish will become a staple in your house.
Makes 3 to 4 servings (12 to 14 wheatballs)
INGREDIENTS:
1⅓ cups lightly packed, fresh, soft whole-grain bread crumbs (about 3 to 4 large slices, use gluten-free if needed) (see note)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
½ cup diced sweet or yellow onion
¾ pound spaghetti or your favorite pasta variety (use gluten-free if needed)
3 cups prepared vegan marinara or pasta sauce
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a medium baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.
Put the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Put the walnuts in a blender, and pulse to process into coarse crumbs. Add the walnuts to the bread crumb mixture and stir gently to incorporate.
Put the mushrooms and onion in a blender, and process to a chunky purée. Add the mushroom mixture to the walnut–bread crumb mixture and stir to incorporate. Spoon out about 1½ tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and roll it into a ball. Gently squeeze it together, to make sure it is compact and will hold together while baking. Continue in this way with the remaining mushroom mixture. Arrange the wheatballs on the lined baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Gently rotate each wheatball and bake for 12 to 25 minutes more, or until they are firm, crisp and golden. (Depending upon the brand of bread you use, the wheatballs may be soft and delicate, so please handle them carefully!)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm. Drain the spaghetti.
Meanwhile, pour the marinara sauce in a medium sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-low heat.
To serve, put one-quarter of the spaghetti into each of four pasta bowls, and top with 3 or 4 wheatballs. Ladle marinara sauce over the top of the wheatballs and pasta and serve immediately. (See note)
Chef’s Note: To make fresh bread crumbs, put 3 to 4 slices of wholegrain bread in a blender and process into coarse crumbs.
Chef’s Note: If the wheatballs have been prepared in advance, gently re-warm them by adding them to the sauce and heating on a slow simmer for about 3 minutes, or until heated through. (The wheatballs will be soft after reheating them IN the sauce, so handle with care!) Alternately, you can re-warm the wheatballs by placing them on a lined baking pan and baking in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Ingredients
Directions
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Easy enough to make for a special weeknight meal, but fancy enough to serve when hosting a casual dinner party, this classic, Italian inspired dish will become a staple in your house.
Makes 3 to 4 servings (12 to 14 wheatballs)
INGREDIENTS:
1⅓ cups lightly packed, fresh, soft whole-grain bread crumbs (about 3 to 4 large slices, use gluten-free if needed) (see note)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
½ cup diced sweet or yellow onion
¾ pound spaghetti or your favorite pasta variety (use gluten-free if needed)
3 cups prepared vegan marinara or pasta sauce
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a medium baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.
Put the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl. Put the walnuts in a blender, and pulse to process into coarse crumbs. Add the walnuts to the bread crumb mixture and stir gently to incorporate.
Put the mushrooms and onion in a blender, and process to a chunky purée. Add the mushroom mixture to the walnut–bread crumb mixture and stir to incorporate. Spoon out about 1½ tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and roll it into a ball. Gently squeeze it together, to make sure it is compact and will hold together while baking. Continue in this way with the remaining mushroom mixture. Arrange the wheatballs on the lined baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Gently rotate each wheatball and bake for 12 to 25 minutes more, or until they are firm, crisp and golden. (Depending upon the brand of bread you use, the wheatballs may be soft and delicate, so please handle them carefully!)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm. Drain the spaghetti.
Meanwhile, pour the marinara sauce in a medium sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-low heat.
To serve, put one-quarter of the spaghetti into each of four pasta bowls, and top with 3 or 4 wheatballs. Ladle marinara sauce over the top of the wheatballs and pasta and serve immediately. (See note)
Chef’s Note: To make fresh bread crumbs, put 3 to 4 slices of wholegrain bread in a blender and process into coarse crumbs.
Chef’s Note: If the wheatballs have been prepared in advance, gently re-warm them by adding them to the sauce and heating on a slow simmer for about 3 minutes, or until heated through. (The wheatballs will be soft after reheating them IN the sauce, so handle with care!) Alternately, you can re-warm the wheatballs by placing them on a lined baking pan and baking in a 350 degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.
