This vegan veggie-balls in aubergine & tomato sauce is a delicious umami accomaniment for spaghetti. Usually I use peppers and courgettes, but this time I thought I’d ring the changes. Anyway I’d run out of peppers and courgettes but had some aubergines.
Cutting the auberines up fairly small is essential so that you get a good mouthfeel with the meatballs and spaghetti. Cooking them in the actifry is the easiest way, but you can do them in a wok or similar. Cut in half lengthways, then into 4 lengthways and into smallish triangular shaped wedges.
I used a small jar of proprietory tomato sauce (Lloyd Grossman) plus a can of tomatoes, but you can either use all fresh, or all canned instead. It also works well with some halved baby plum tomatoes – also cooked in the actifry to add extra oomph and interest.
I’ve tried various vegan meatballs, personally I don’t like the Linda McCartney ones, but do like the Plant Pioneer ones. You can also use veggie sausages cut into 5 as chunks instead.
Serving this vegan meatballs tomato & aubergine sauce with wholemeal spaghetti is definitely the best & healthiest option. Don’t go by the guidance quantities on the pack -50g is plenty – no wonder people are overweight packs say 80g to 100g for a main meal! I’d also question the cooking time – 8 minutes is too short – more like 10 to 11 minutes.
Cooking the onions and garlic first, then simmering the tomatoes gently give the sauce a nice richness. A little fresh basil helps too. Meanwhile cook the aubergines and halved tomatoes works well. Adding the auberines around 20 minutes before the end helps them soften and integrate. But add the halved tomatoes 5 minutes before the end, so that don’t break up too much.
Add the vegan meatballs around the same time, and mix them in so they are coated with the sauce. Add some vegan red pesto to the cooked spaghetti, then ladle on the veggie-balls in aubergine & tomato sauce mixture! Goes brilliantly with my vegan garlic bread and also of course hummus!
Veggie-balls in Aubergine & Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- 1 mediteranean casserole or wide large pan
Ingredients
- 250 g red or white onion
- 35 g garlic
- 300 g aubergine
- 800 g vine or plum tomatoes or 2 cans of chopped tomatoes or 1 can plus a jar of tomato pasta sauce.
- 300 g baby plum tomatoes
- 30 g fresh basil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 teasp paprika
- 1 teasp ground black pepper optional
- 1 teasp nutritional yeast optoinal
- 1 teasp low salt soy sauce
- 300 g plant pioneers vegan meatballs
- 2 cubes 2 low salt veg stock cubes or one umami and one low salt veg stock cubes
Instructions
- Chop the aubergine into quite small pieces. I suggest in half lengthways, then into 4 lengthways, then accross into small chunks as long as they are wide. You'll end up with lots of uniform wedge shaped pieces.
- either cook off in a well seasoned skillet or give 14 minutes in the actifry on 180°C. Try not to use too much oil but you need enough so they don't stick. around half a tablespoon in the actifry, more if in a skillet.
- Cut the onions in half and then in half accross the equator, then into long thin strips - or any other customary way you prefer.
- begin sauteeing in your main pan on a low to medium heat to get them going, then turn down as they begine to soften.
- In the meantime, peel the garlic and crush it directly into the pan. Stir often enough for it not to stick or burn.
- when it's coming along nicely and they are really softening and going translucent, add in the yeast flakes, paprika, black pepper and oregano and give it a quick stir round to break up any lumps.
- add in the finely chopped fresh tomatoes or the cans/pasta style sauce and stir well.
- Simmer on a very low heat adding water as necessary to stop it sticking or getting too thick.
- Cook for around 15 minutes,then add in the aubergines and continue cooking for another 10 minutues until they are becoming nice and soft.
- Add in the meatballs or veggies sausages cut into chunks and also the fresh basil
- Stir gently but well to integrate the meatballs with the sauce. Cook for a few minutes longer to allow the veggieballs or sausages to soak up the sauce. Adjust the liquid level so it's not to thick.
- Serve on spaghetti, penne or fusilli with some green veg looks nice.
One Response
Very tasty and succulent sauce. The aubergine brings a different taste and texture to the sauce, a sense of having a more luxurious ingredient which balances the sharpness of the tomato sauce.
A great variation.