This recipe is really super easy, as all the things I post most of the time !
Even though I love cooking, and start to know a bit of cooking techniques, I always share easy recipes you can not fail ! So don’t be afraid by the long ingredient list or instructions. Just follow and it will turn perfectly right 🙂
This recipe is:
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Packed with proteins, fibers and healthy fats
- Crunchy on the outside and so nicely moist on the inside
INGREDIENTS
Meatballs
- 2 cups cooked red beans
- 1/3 cup roasted cashew nuts
- 1 diced onion
- 3 tbsp oats GF
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 3 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp grounded coriander
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Sauce:
- 2 cups tin diced tomatoes (ideally San marzano ones)
- 1 cup pumpkin peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 chopped onion
- 3 to 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1,5 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (or more to taste)
- A pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS (serves 4)
Meatballs
- Medium heat a pan, add the coconut oil, and the onion. Cook until translucent and add the garlic. Stir for 1 min, add the spices and salt and stir for another min ensuring the onions and garlic are fully coated.
- Drain well the red beans and ash them using a fork (keep some little parts to add some bites to the meatballs texture)
- Preheat the oven, fan forced at 180°C (alternatively you could fry the meatballs in the pan, but less healthy 🙂
- Transfer to a blender the cooked onions, garlic and spices, add the red beans, the oats and spinach and pulse a few times to get a texture easy to mold but not totally mashed (you don’t want “mushy” texture). Check seasoning and add spice, salt or pepper if needed.
- Make golf ball-sized balls (I used spoons, but you can also use your hands, slightly wet) and put them on a baking tray layered with baking paper
- Bake for 30 min roughly (rotate after 18/20 so it gets nicely golden on both sides)
- Eat straight away with rice, pasta, salad… or a nice sauce like the one just below
- If you don’t eat it all, keep for 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container or freeze it for up to 2 months.
Tomato and pumkin creamy sauce
- Medium heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and the chopped onion.
- After 8 min (once onions turn translucent and golden) add the pumkin dices and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, half the coconut milk, spices and sugar and bring to boil then simmer and let it cook for 10 min
- Transfer to your high speed blender, and blend until creamy, pouring more coconut milk and eventually water to get the consistency you like.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer back in cast iron skillet, add the meatballs, a dollop of coconut milk and chopped cilantro and enjoy !
Nb: you can also eat this sauce on its own with pasta, rice, quinoa, ….
It can be made ahead and can be kept for 3/4 days in the fridge and also freeze for up to 1 month.