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Bowl of spaghetti with vegan meatballs.
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5 from 9 votes

Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs

Vegan spaghetti and meatballs are made with chickpeas and traditional seasonings and served on top of spaghetti with marinara sauce. It's homemade comfort food ready in 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 490kcal
Author: Alison Corey

Ingredients

  • 15 oz can of organic chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup red onion diced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
  • 32 oz marinara sauce
  • 8 ounces spaghetti

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
  • While the spaghetti is cooking, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
  • Combine the chickpeas, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, panko breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, and parsley in a food processor. Blend until combined and still chunky.
  • Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the mixture and roll it into balls until all the mixture has been used.
  • Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat. Add the chickpea balls to the saute pan. Cook for 5 minutes on each side over medium heat.
  • Add the cooked spaghetti to a large pot. Pour the marinara sauce over the spaghetti and toss until coated.
  • Add the spaghetti to 4 bowls, and top with 3-4 vegan meatballs. Serve topped with vegan parmesan and fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

Tips for Making Vegan Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas; the balls will fall apart if you don't.
  • After you combine all the ingredients in the food processor, you should have a consistency that sticks together. If it's too wet, add some more breadcrumbs. If it's too dry, add some reserved chickpea water to help it bind.
  • Use the spaghetti of your choice. I suggest using whole wheat spaghetti, or if you are gluten-free use lentil or chickpea spaghetti.
  • Store the spaghetti and the chickpea meatballs in separate containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat the spaghetti in the microwave. The chickpea meatballs can be reheated on a dry skillet to crisp back up or in the air fryer.
  • Freeze the chickpea meatballs for 2 to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1417mg | Potassium: 1271mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1345IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 7mg