Have you left your Valentine’s Day plans to the last minute?
Don’t worry, we have you covered with this simple but scrumptious Lady and the Tramp style meat-free meatballs and spaghetti! The perfect pairing for a cold winter’s evening. Whether you are spending the day with a loved one, or celebrating GALentine’s Day with your best girls, this recipe will have your guests filled with love and appreciation. We have a vegan variation too.
 
 

Meat-free Meatballs & Spaghetti

 

 
Serves 2 (obviously)

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

80g button mushrooms

1 tbsp butter

½ large white onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

50g porridge oats

50g breadcrumbs

2 eggs

3-4 sprigs of chopped flat-leaf parsley

100g spaghetti (add in some spiralised courgette for hidden veg!)

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 jar of tomato pasta sauce (or make your own – see below)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

1. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the mushrooms and salt, stirring until the liquid has evaporated. Add the butter, reduce to medium heat and continue to cook until the mushrooms are golden brown.
2. Mix in the diced onion and garlic, cook until golden brown.
3. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and combine with oats, parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley and 1 egg.
4. Season with salt and pepper, mix until crumbly, then add the remaining egg. Mix well.
5. Using about a tablespoon of mixture per meatball, roll them lightly between your hands until smooth and then arrange the balls evenly on a baking sheet.
6. Cook for roughly 15 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown.
7. Whilst the meatballs are cooking, cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan with a pinch of salt, until soft.
8. In a separate saucepan, bring the pasta sauce to a boil and then simmer. Gently stir the meatballs into the sauce until evenly coated and cook for a further 20 minutes.
9. Serve the spaghetti with the meatballs and sauce on top. Garnish with parmesan (or vegan cheese) and parsley.

 

Vegan variation

Use olive oil instead of butter.

Instead of eggs, mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water.

Replace parmesan with vegan cheese of choice.

 

 

Simple tomato pasta sauce

Dice ½ onion and 2 garlic cloves.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions and garlic, and cook for a few minutes on a low heat until golden brown.

Add a can of chopped tomatoes, season well and simmer for around 20 minutes (with meatballs as in no. 8 above).
 

Other simple dinner recipes:

Grilled Salmon with Herby Couscous & Broccoli

Prawn Pesto Pasta

Bacon & Egg Pie