Spinach GF vegan meatballs & creamy pumpkin tomato sauce

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

  1. 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.
  2. Drain well the red beans and ash them using a fork (keep some little parts to add some bites to the meatballs texture) 
  3. Preheat the oven, fan forced at 180°C (alternatively you could fry the meatballs in the pan, but less healthy 🙂
  4. 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.
  5. 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 
  6. Bake for 30 min roughly (rotate after 18/20 so it gets nicely golden on both sides)
  7. Eat straight away with rice, pasta, salad… or a nice sauce like the one just below
  8. 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

  1. Medium heat a pan and add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and the chopped onion.
  2. After 8 min (once onions turn translucent and golden) add the pumkin dices and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes.
  3. 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
  4. Transfer to your high speed blender, and blend until creamy, pouring more coconut milk and eventually water to get the consistency you like.
  5. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. 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.