Who else has a thing for pasta?
Pasta is definitely a go-to type of dinner in my house. Whether I’m whipping up a veggie-packed pasta primavera, or making a simple broccoli pasta with a bit of garlic and oil, we like to carb up in my household.
I kid – well kinda sorta. It’s all about moderation my friends, and pasta is something that I wouldn’t want to give up.
This leads me to today’s recipe. This veggie-packed “meat” ball recipe is the perfect pairing for when you’re in the mood for a flavorful marinara sauce with spaghetti or your favorite type of pasta.
These zucchini meatballs take spaghetti with sauce up a notch from both a flavor and nutritional standpoint. Adding a few zucchini meatballs to your pasta gives your mealtime a major veggie boost. Not only are 4 zucchini packed into this 12-meatball recipe, the ingredient list also features a can of white beans – both for a dose of legumes, and to create sticking power in the mixture to hold everything together.
These zucchini meatballs get their Italian zest from Italian breadcrumbs, basil, tomato paste and Italian seasoning.
So on the next pasta night that you have, I hope that you whip up these zucchini meatballs for a hearty plant-based option!
Vegan Italian Zucchini Meatballs
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 15- oz can cannellini beans or other white beans
- 2 TBSP tomato paste
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/4 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
- 1 TBSP salt
- 1 TSP dried basil
- 1/2 TSP ground pepper
- Serve with pasta and marinara sauce
Instructions
- Slice off the bottoms of the zucchini, then use a food processor to shred them. Place the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle the salt on top. Let the zucchini rest for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Drain the beans, and mince the onion and garlic.
- Drain the zucchini of excess moisture by using your hands to wring them out. Grab the zucchini by the handful, squeeze it a few times to drain excess liquid, then place it back in the food processor. Repeat until all of the zucchini is drained.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor. Process just until everything mixes and forms a big, sort of sticky mixture.
- Roll the mixture into a dozen meatballs that are a bit bigger than golf ball sized.
- Place the meatballs in the baking dish, then bake for 20 minutes. Flip each meatball, then bake for another 20 minutes.
- Serve with pasta and marinara sauce.
Nutrition
Tell me… What’s your all-time favorite pasta dish?
I could eat pasta everyday! I make mine w eggplant but I love your idea to use zucchini. Looks delish!
I gave up gluten for the most part a few years ago, but I eat real pasta every now and then because there really is no substitute! I’d rather have veggie noodles than GF pasta. 🙂 These “meatballs” look incredibly hearty and I’d love to try them!
Oh we are carb fanatics here in our house, too! Pasta is a staple around here. And in the summer, zucchini is too…mainly because it comes out of the garden at an alarming rate. This would be such a fun and different way to use up extra zukes! Sounds delicious, Nicole!
Oooo yes! These veggie meatballs look fantastic!! I love that you used zucchini – it’s such a favorite of mine!
This is an amazing and i love your pairing of veggie or meat..and it meatballs looks are fabulous…& more yummy as well…Thanks for sharing…! keep shared your innovative recipes…!