Zucchini Spaghetti with Gluten-Free Vegetarian Meatballs
Try this Zucchini Spaghetti with Gluten-Free Vegetarian Meatballs recipe
Try this Zucchini Spaghetti with Gluten-Free Vegetarian Meatballs recipe
- 1 garlic clove minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- for the pasta:
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 4 ounces button mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- 1 cup lentils
- for the meatballs:
- 4 medium zucchinis
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more to drizzle (about 1/
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 egg + 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese + more to garnish
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
- for the breadcrumbs (makes about 1/4 cup):
- 4 tablespoons almond flour
- 1.5 cups favorite canned tomato sauce (i love rao’s tomato
- Carbohydrate 48.8498507458189 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 8.79504251386228 g
- Fiber 21.6000871138165 g
- Protein 20.7401590960243 g
- Saturated Fat 0.854003584457681 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (363g)
- Sodium 63.2381180165042 mg
- Sugar 27.2497636320024 g
- Trans Fat 0.665458065137653 g
- Calories 341 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine the lentils and 4 cups of water in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are soft but not falling apart, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large skillet and cook the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and season with salt and pepper over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, add the lentils to the vegetable mixture.
- In a small mixing bowl, add in the almond flour and water and massage with hands until dough-like. Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and once heated, add in the dough, crumbling into pieces with your fingers. Break the dough up with a wooden spoon or spatula and let toast until breadcrumb-like, yielding about ¼ cup. Set aside.
- Add the eggs, Parmesan, prepared breadcrumbs, parsley and walnuts to the cooled vegetables and lentils and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Drizzle the olive oil into a baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
- Roll the mixture into round golf ball-size meatballs (about 1½ inches), making sure to pack the vegetable mixture firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, in rows.
- Roast the meatballs for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
- Meanwhile, spiralize the zucchinis with Blade D and trim the noodles. Set aside.
- Ten minutes before the meatballs are done roasting, place a large skillet over medium heat and once heated, add in half of the zucchini noodles. Cook for 3 minutes or until cooked to your preferences. Set aside in a large mixing bowl and then cook the remaining zucchini noodles.
- Meanwhile, place a medium pot over medium-high heat and add in the tomato sauce. Cook to heat up, about 5 minutes. Place at a simmer until ready to use.
- Once zucchini noodles, sauce and meatballs are cooked, prepare your bowls. Divide the zucchini into four bowls, top with equal amounts of sauce and then top with 3 meatballs each. Top with parmesan cheese.
Building Structure Without Meat
Binding plant-based proteins requires mimicking the structural proteins found in animal tissue. Lentils provide the primary mass, but they lack inherent stickiness, which is why cooking them until soft before thoroughly combining them with eggs, parmesan, and finely chopped walnuts is chemically necessary to create a cohesive matrix. Walnut fats and dairy proteins solidify during the 400 degree Fahrenheit oven roast, preventing the spherical forms from crumbling. If almond flour is unavailable, finely ground sunflower seed meal functions at a one-to-one ratio without altering the moisture absorption rate of the binding dough.Controlling Zucchini Moisture
Zucchini consists of over ninety percent water, presenting a major textural challenge when substituted for wheat pasta. Retaining cellular integrity demands high heat and short contact times; cooking the spiralized strands for precisely three minutes drives off surface moisture before the internal pectin breaks down into mush. Overcrowding the pan drops surface temperature instantly, steaming the vegetables rather than gently softening them. Working in two distinct batches ensures the skillet remains hot enough to evaporate ambient liquid immediately.Building Flavor Through Reduction
Aromatic vegetables require precise thermal manipulation to develop savory depth before entering the mixing bowl. Sautéing onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms over medium-high heat for seven minutes caramelizes natural sugars while driving off excess cellular water. Tomato paste then goes into the hot pan for an additional three minutes to fry its water-soluble glutamates, deepening the savory baseline before the mixture meets the lentils.
