Vegetarians will love this meat-free version of the classic spaghetti and meatballs. The macadamia nutballs team so well with the rich tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2x 400 g tin tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 50 g butter
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Nutballs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cup macadamias ground
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs preferably made from sourdough
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 8 sundried tomatoes finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
To serve
- 700 g spaghetti cooked
- parmesan cheese extra, grated
Instructions
Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium to low heat until thick, about 25 minutes. Crush the sauce with the back of a fork to break up any large pieces of tomato. Season to taste and set aside.
Nutballs
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and add the onions and garlic and cook over a medium heat until soft and golden. Place in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly before adding remaining ingredients. Stir thoroughly to combine and, using tablespoons of mixture, shape into balls, you will have around 15. Place each ball on a large plate or tray and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Place the nutballs in a single layer in the pan and carefully turn, browning on all sides. It may be necessary to do this in batches. Place the balls in a single layer in an ovenproof dish and pour over the tomato sauce. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling, and the balls are cooked through.
- Serve with extra grated cheese over the cooked spaghetti.
Nutrition
Calories: 4747kcalCarbohydrates: 657gProtein: 146gFat: 177gSaturated Fat: 33gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 118gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 2777mgPotassium: 4550mgFiber: 51gSugar: 61gVitamin A: 3029IUVitamin C: 77mgCalcium: 1001mgIron: 28mg