Entree: United States – California – California Herb Vegan Meatballs with Heirloom Tomato Linguine

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 30 min

Total 45 min

Ingredients

- 1 cup (200 g) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (60 g) walnuts, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened plant milk
- 2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp (90 ml) water (flax "egg")
- 1/2 cup (60 g) finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (4 g) dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, divided
- 12 oz (340 g) linguine
- 3 cups (540 g) heirloom tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup (10 g) fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil for sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Microgreens or baby arugula for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Make flax "egg": mix ground flaxseed with water, set 5 minutes to thicken. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil over medium; sauté onion and garlic until translucent, add mushrooms and cook until moisture evaporates, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.
3. Add chickpeas, oats, walnuts, plant milk, flax mixture, soy sauce, tomato paste, smoked paprika, oregano, pepper, and salt to processor; pulse to coarse, moldable texture (do not over-process).
4. Form mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil.
5. Bake meatballs 20–25 minutes, turning once, until golden and firm.
6. While meatballs bake, bring salted water to boil and cook linguine to package al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) pasta water, then drain.
7. Toss diced heirloom tomatoes with 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste to make the fresh sauce.
8. In a large bowl, combine linguine, tomato-basil sauce, and enough reserved pasta water to coat. Add baked meatballs on top and garnish with microgreens or baby arugula. Serve immediately.