Sunday Special Vegan Spaghetti And Meatball Recipe

What is a Sunday without something special? Sundays and special occasions call for some good food. A Sunday afternoon, a pot of spaghetti and meatballs, slowly simmering in the kitchen, and the warm aroma of spaghetti sauce wafting through the house -sounds yummy?

Getting everyone in the house into the kitchen, and cooking together can be so much fun!

For this recipe-putting  all the ingredients together, rolling the ‘meatballs’, boiling the spaghetti, chopping the tomatoes/ onions, garnishing the sauce, and then very soon, you will have something truly special on the table.

The recipe

Cuisine– Italian/ American

Serves- 4

Preparation & Cooking time-1 hour

The ingredients

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For the sauce

Chopped tomatoes- 4

Chopped onions-2

Garlic cloves-4 -5

Basil leaves (optional) – 2-3

1 tbsp dried mixed herbs/ oregano

1 tsp red chili flakes/ 1 tsp red chili powder

Some salt and black pepper powder

A tsp of sugar

Tomato ketchup- 4 tbsp

2 tbsp oil (preferably olive oil)

For the meatballs (Non- vegetarians can use minced chicken/ meat)

3 cups soy granules

Ginger, garlic, coriander and green chili paste- 2 tbsp

Turmeric- ½ tsp

Salt for taste

Corn flour- 3 tbsp

Method

Step 1–
Soak the soy granules for 5- 7 minutes in a cup of warm water. Drain them.

Add the ginger, garlic, coriander and green chili paste.

Add ½ a tsp of turmeric powder, some salt and 3 tbsp corn flour to it.

In a blender, grind this into a coarse mixture.

Shape into 2 inch diameter ‘meatballs’.

Roll the meatballs into some corn flour.

Add oil to a pan over medium heat. Fry them until lightly brown on all sides.

Place the meatballs on some paper towels in a plate, to soak in the excess oil.

Step 2

Cook the spaghetti in a pan as per the instruction on the package.

OR

Bring water to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, add a pinch of salt, some oil and then throw in the spaghetti.

Keep it whole, do not break it.

The spaghetti will settle down in the boiling water.

Once cooked, strain the spaghetti it and set it aside in the same pan.

Step 3

 While the spaghetti boils,

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in another pan.

Add the chopped garlic, sauté for 1 or 2 minutes.

Add the chopped onions, sauté until translucent.

Add the chopped tomatoes, some water, salt, pepper, sugar and basil.

Over medium-low heat, stirring often, bring to a simmer, until tomatoes are soft. Let mixture cool.

Step 4

Pour the cooled sauce mixture, it into a food processor or blender. Blend, and bring it back into the same saucepan.

Add 4 tbsp tomato ketchup, a tbsp of dried mixed herbs/ oregano, along with a tsp of red chili flakes/ 1 tsp red chili powder.

Add more dried herbs if required.

Cover over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Sauce done.

Step 5

Add the meatballs to the sauce.

Carefully, pour the entire sauce and meatball mix over the spaghetti in the pan.

Stir it all together really well – the sauce needs to coat all the noodles.

You can even put plain spaghetti on individual plates and spoon the sauce over top- whatever works for you.

Top up with some grated cheese if you like and relish every bite.

Another weeknight meal

After all the effort you’ve put in on a Sunday afternoon and enjoying it for dinner, how about freezing any leftover  for another weeknight meal?Freeze the mix of the meatballs and sauce. Defrost thoroughly, heat in a covered pan until the sauce and meatballs are piping hot and serve with/ without an accompaniment like bread, steamed vegetables or a salad.

OR

Make a big batch of meatballs and freeze them. Perhaps for an Italian meatball and rice casserole dish?

For the coming weekend, do try out this recipe and make your  Sunday super special!

Image source: Pixabay

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