Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs is a delicious, flavorful twist on the old traditional favorite. The meatballs use jackfruit and tofu as the main ingredients for delicious and flavorful meatless meatballs. The creamy tomato sauce and fresh herbs really take this dish to the next level. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
If you used to be a meat-eater, you will not believe how amazing these vegan meatballs are! You can serve them with this spaghetti recipe or with any other meal. In addition to the yummy goodness that we find in a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, the meatballs and sauce have added tofu for protein. The fresh herbs enhance the flavor, and this dish is perfect for leftovers.
These vegan meatballs would also make a tasty appetizer. Serve them cold or warm for yummy finger food that your guests are sure to enjoy. You can also make meatless burgers following the instructions for the meatballs. Instead of rolling them into balls, flatten them into patties and grill them for delicious vegan burgers. Or try this Jackfruit Mushroom Burger that only takes 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
The ingredient list for vegan spaghetti and meatballs is a bit large, but it will certainly be worth it to enjoy this delicious comfort food. Here is the shopping list. The exact amounts are listed down below in the recipe card.
For the meatballs:
- Oatmeal
- Jackfruit - organic if possible
- Sea salt
- Onion
- Granulated garlic - or garlic powder
- Ground flaxseed
- Garlic
- Tofu
- Olive oil - optional
- Oregano - optional
For the spaghetti sauce:
- Tomatoes - canned
- Tomato paste
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tofu
- Vegetable broth
- Fresh oregano - dried will also work
- Fresh basil - dried will also work
- Fresh thyme - dried will also work
For the spaghetti:
- Gluten-free spaghetti
Instructions
Vegan spaghetti and meatballs take less than an hour to prepare and are well worth the time it takes. The added protein in this dish will definitely leave you feeling full and satisfied. Here are the steps for making this recipe.
To make the vegan meatballs:
- Add jackfruit to a food processor and pulse to break up large pieces, but do not liquify.
- Add remaining ingredients and pulse until all ingredients are mixed well. The mixture will be thick so, if necessary, add olive oil.
- Roll meatball mixture into balls, approximately 1 ½ inches. There should be enough for 12 meatballs.
- Place on a baking sheet with silicone or parchment paper. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes.
To make the spaghetti sauce:
- Add all sauce ingredients to the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
- Allow sauce to cool. Use a hand blender to blend the sauce until it is smooth, or the texture that you want.
To make the spaghetti:
- Cook spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain spaghetti in a colander and rinse with water.
- Add sauce and vegan meatballs, and top with fresh basil and oregano.
Variations
The spaghetti sauce for vegan spaghetti and meatballs is made using the Instant Pot. If you do not have an Instant Pot, no need to worry because this dish can also be prepared using a soup pot and the stovetop.
To make vegan spaghetti on the stovetop add all sauce ingredients to a large soup pot on the stovetop. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Tips
Vegan spaghetti and meatballs are easy to make and so delicious and nutritious. Here are my quick tips for making this dish.
- I recommend using a firm or extra firm tofu to make these vegan meatballs for the best texture.
- Press the tofu to remove excess moisture. Place the tofu on a paper towel and lightly squeeze using your hands. This will help the meatball mixture stick together better.
- Grease your hands with olive oil before rolling the meatball mixture into balls to prevent it from sticking to your hands.
- Turn the vent away from the cabinets when releasing pressure in the Instant Pot so that steam doesn't damage your kitchen.
- If you are using dried herbs instead of fresh herbs make sure to reduce the amount because dried herbs are a lot stronger in flavor.
- If you don't have an Instant Pot to make the spaghetti sauce, you can also use a large soup pot on the stovetop. See the instructions in the recipe card to use this method.
- This dish makes great leftovers. Make a big batch and save the rest for easy lunches or snacks throughout the week.
These vegan meatballs also make a tasty appetizer. Check out Vegan Meatball Appetizers with Cucumber Dill Dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover vegan spaghetti and meatballs in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Yes! I prefer to store the meatballs and spaghetti sauce separately. Store in freezer-safe containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Glass jars work really well for freezing leftover sauce.
Yes! Although I prefer the oven method, the vegan meatballs can be cooked on the stovetop. In an oiled pan add the vegan meatballs and cook on medium heat until cooked through about 10-12 minutes making sure to cook on all sides.
Recipe
Vegan Spaghetti
Ingredients
(No)Meatballs
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 14 ounces jackfruit organic if possible
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces tofu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil optional, if needed
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano optional
Spaghetti Sauce
- 2 28 ounce cans of tomatoes
- 1 6 ounce tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 ounces tofu, crumbled
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ¼ cup fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoon dried oregano)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (or 2 teaspoon dried basil)
- ¼ cup fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
Spaghetti
- 16 ounces gluten free spaghetti
Instructions
General Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix ingredients for (no)meatballs and bake. While meatballs are baking, prepare sauce in Instant Pot. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. **If you are not using an Instant Pot, prepare the sauce first, and bake (no)meatballs and cook spaghetti while sauce is simmering. Your total cook time will be adjusted if you are cooking on the stove top.
(No)Meatballs
- Add jackfruit to food processor and pulse to break up large pieces. (Do not liquify) Add remaining ingredients to food processor and pulse until all ingredients are mixed well. Mixture will be thick, so If necessary, add olive oil.
- Roll meatball mixture into balls, approximately 1-½ inch. You should have 12 meatballs. Place on baking sheet with silicon or parchment. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Add to sauce and spaghetti.
Spaghetti Sauce
- Add all sauce ingredients to Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, NR.
- **If you don't have an Instant Pot, add all ingredients to large soup pot on stove top. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Allow sauce to cool. Use hand blender to blend sauce until it is smooth, or the texture that you want. Serve on spaghetti and (no)meatballs. Top with fresh oregano and basil.
Spaghetti
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain spaghetti in colander and rinse with water. Add sauce, (no)meatballs, and top with fresh basil and oregano.
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