Black Bean Spaghetti with Vegan Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Explore Cuisine Organic Black Bean Spaghetti
• 235g of mushrooms
• 1 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 35g of pumpkin seeds
• 35g of pine nuts
• 1 can of cannellini beans
• 90g of oats
• 1 tsp of dried parsley
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 1 tsp of dried basil
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp of onion powder
• A pinch of chilly flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 400ml of passata
• A pinch of sugar
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• Fresh basil leaves, to taste.

Instructions: 

1. In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add half a chopped white onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Then, add the sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, adding the salt and dried parsley in the final minute. Set aside.
2. Place pine nuts and pumpkin seeds into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Next, incorporate oats and garlic cloves, pulsing until well combined.
3. Add the herbs, onion powder and chilli flakes, and pulse until everything is just mixed. Set the mixture aside.
4. In the same food processor, combine cannellini beans and cooked mushrooms, and pulse until combined. Then, add the dry mixture and mix everything thoroughly. Taste for seasoning adding anything extra you may like.
5. Preheat the oven to 190C degrees Fan
6. Shape the mixture into approximately 16 meatballs and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the meatballs halfway through the cooking time.
7. In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. Clean and slice half white onion in large wedges
8. Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion wedges, sauté for 5 minutes or until soften
9. Pour into the skillet 400ml of tomato passata. Add some water in the jar, swirl and pour the liquid back to the skillet.
10. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. At this point, add salt and pepper as taste, and a sprinkle of sugar to remove the acidity.
11. Reduce the heat to low, cover the sauce and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally
12. After 20 minutes, add the meatballs into the tomato sauce and cook together over low heat for the final 10 minutes
13. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the past according to the package instructions until al dente.
14. In individual pasta plates serve spaghetti topped with sauce and vegan meatballs. Top with fresh basil and a nice dusting of vegan Parmesan will also enhance this dish.