Italian Baked Vegan Meatballs

1. To prepare the black bean meatballs, start by placing the drained beans into a bowl and mash them with the back of a fork. In the meantime, cook the quinoa according to packaging instructions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the diced onion for 4-5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Remove from the skillet and place the diced mushroom inside. Cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until the mushrooms have released the majority of their water and the liquid has reduced.
4. Preheat your oven to 180C.
5. In a large bowl, combine the mashed beans with the quinoa, onion, and mushrooms, then add in the shredded vegan cheese, thyme, oregano, and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through the brown rice flour. Set aside for 10 minutes, then gently shape your bean balls and transfer them to the oven for 30-35 minutes.
6. In the meantime, prepare your roasted garlic sauce! Cut off the top of the entire garlic bulb and place it onto aluminium foil. Drizzle with half of the olive oil, wrap tightly and roast in the oven at 200C for 20 minutes.
7. Heat the rest of the oil in a large non-stick skillet and sauté the red onion until soft. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then stir in the tomato puree and chopped tomatoes.
8. Once done, squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves and stir them through the tomato sauce. Season with Italian seasoning mix and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Toss the baked vegan meatballs in the sauce before serving and enjoy alongside pasta or on their own.

Chef’s tip!

Did you know – vegan meatballs are not only delicious alongside spaghetti, but also divine in a pasta bake or served alongside roasted thyme potatoes – try it for yourself!