Spaghetti and Meatballs is a much loved classic, but did you know you can easily make the meatballs completely vegan by using Beyond Meat or another plant-based ground beef alternative? These delicious vegan meatballs are served with a spicy marinara and red pepper sauce, perfect to serve over spaghetti!
You can recreate your very own Lady and The Tramp romantic moment with these Beyond Meat Meatballs and a big mound of spaghetti. But you don't have to just keep this delicious meal for a Valentine's dinner or anniversary, it's also a favorite with kids (you can make it without the spices) or to serve at a dinner party.
If you're wanting to appeal to meat eaters, but still make great tasting plant-based dinners, why not try these easy Beyond Burgers in the Air Fryer or one our family favorites Lentil Bolognese Sauce.
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🍝Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- Beyond Meat or other plant-based mince such as Impossible Meat or Moving Mountains.
- Red Onion: One small red or yellow onion for flavor.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: These help bulk out and bind the meatballs so they don't fall apart.
- Parsley: for freshness and because it looks pretty.
- Plant Milk: Oat milk, almond milk or soy milk- as long as it's not sweetened!
- Nutritional Yeast: This replaces parmesan cheese that you might find in traditional Italian Meatballs and adds a cheezy, savory note.
For the Pasta Sauce
- Red Peppers/Bell Peppers: One sliced up larger red bell or pointy red pepper.
- Olive Oil: Good quality olive oil for the authentic Italian meatball flavor.
- Garlic: This goes in the sauce, so use as much garlic as your heart desired. Fresh garlic cloves are best but you could use frozen or jarred if you like.
- Fresh Onion (the other half of the onion you used in the meatballs)
- Tin of Chopped Tomatoes: One 400g/15oz can of regular chopped tomatoes.
- Thyme: Fresh or dried thyme for flavor.
- Fajita Spice Mix or Baharat spice mix *Optional* I like to add a bit of extra spice to my sauce. Baharat spice is a Middle Eastern spice mix that goes perfectly with meats or lentils- You can also use a Fajita spice mix, or just leave it out.
- Smoked Paprika: For a rich smokey flavor. Choose the mild or spicy version as you wish.
- Cracked Black Pepper and Flakey Sea Salt
👩🍳Instructions
Use this section to help you visualise how to make the beyond meat meatballs and the rich tomato marinara sauce.
First of all- make sure to chop the onions and garlic finely, and slice the red/bell peppers. You'll want half the onion chopped up super small as that will go in the meatballs.
- Mix together the meatball ingredients so they are well combined.
2. Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to scoop out equal scoops of the meatball mixture.
3. Roll the plant-based meatballs so they're even.
4. Heat some oil up in a large frying pan or skillet and add the meatballs. Now is a good time to put your water on to boil for the spaghetti.
5. Once the meatballs are golden brown on all sides, remove them from the pan and leave them aside.
6. Add the other half of the onion, the red pepper slices and garlic until the onion is translucent and the peppers are softened. Add the spices and cook for a second so the spices flavors really open up.
7. Add the tomatoes to the peppers, rinsing out the tin with a little water.
8. Cook the red pepper and marinara sauce until it's thickened. (about 10 minutes) Taste and add more spices or a little brown sugar. Add the pasta to the boiled water and cook as per the instructions.
9. Put the meatballs into the sauce and simmer for a few minutes so they absorb some of the sauce.
Serve the spaghetti with the meatballs. I like to mix some of the sauce in with the spaghetti, then top with the meatballs and more sauce, plus some extra vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast and fresh chopped parsley.
Hint: Time the pasta to be al-dente and ready to eat by putting the past into the boiling water about 5 minutes before you add the meatballs to the sauce (Or cook according to the pasta packet instructions)
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
Here are some easy swaps you can make to ensure that this recipe is perfect for you and your family.
- Gluten Free - choose gluten free breadcrumbs or use ground flax seed to bind the meatballs. You can also choose your favourite gluten-free pasta.
- Tomato Sauce -replace the red peppers and onions in the tomato sauce with a second can of tomatoes. Add garlic powder and/or fresh garlic to taste.
- Extra Spicy- I specify a fajita or baharat spice mix, however you could also add extra chili.
- If the red pepper tomato sauce isn't sweet enough, balance the flavor with a little balsamic vinegar or some brown sugar. Taste and add more or less until the flavors are balanced.
- Other brands of Plant-Based Ground Beef or pre-made vegan meatballs can be used: Choose to use Meatless Farms, Linda McCartneys or any of your favourite pre-made vegan meatballs.
- Beyond Burgers or Impossible Burger: If you can't get the Beyond Beef Mince, you can use two burger patties instead to create the meatballs. They will yield about 8 meatballs instead of 10.
How many Meatballs does this recipe make?
- This recipe is for one package of Beyond Mince as sold in the UK (300g) and yields about 10 x 30g meatballs.
- In Canada Beyond Mince is sold in 340g. Don't panic about the 40g difference, you will just have slightly larger meatballs. (or one extra !)
- In the USA Beyond Mince is sold in 1lb packages (453g). Choose to make more meatballs (about 15) and have a little less sauce or make more sauce (add an extra tin of tomatoes and some more garlic & spices), or save some of the leftover beyond mince and use it another day.
🔪Equipment
You'll need a deep frying pan or skillet to make the meatballs and sauce for this recipe. You'll also need a good knife, a large bowl for mixing and a pot to boil your pasta in.
🫙Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover meatless meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw by gently heating in a pan with a little water to ensure it doesn't burn, or pop in the microwave.
If you do have leftovers and want to eat them up the next day, they make extra delicious vegan meatball subs or sandwiches!
Top tip
Make sure to fry the meatballs gently until golden brown then remove from the pan before making the tomato and red pepper pasta sauce.
❓FAQ
Yes you can freeze Beyond Meat or other plant-based meats. Either freeze on day of purchase and thaw out when ready to use, or freeze cooked beyond meat by letting it cool and putting it into an airtight freezer proof container then freezing.
Non-cooked beyond meat will last up to 10 days in the fridge if unopened. If the package is opened please use within 3 days.
More Great Dinners
Why not try some of these great dinner ideas:
Pasta Lover?
Easy and delicious plant-based pasta recipes to try.
📖 Recipe
Beyond Meat Meatballs with Spicy Spaghetti Sauce
Equipment
- 1 large deep frying pan
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 300 g (⅔ lb) Beyond Mince (Ground Meat)
- 40 g (⅔ cups) Panko Breadcrumbs
- 75 g (½ cups) onion (half a medium onion (use the other half in the sauce))
- 30 ml (⅛ cups) plant milk (such as oat or soy)
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for frying the meatballs)
For the Pasta Sauce and Spaghetti
- 160 g (1 cups) red pepper (approx 1 medium pepper)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 75 g (½ cups) onion (the other half of the onion)
- 4 cloves garlic (or more!)
- 400 g (15 oz) chopped tomatoes (1 standard tin)
- 1 teaspoon thyme (or oregano)
- 1 teaspoon fajita spice mix (or baharat *Optional)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (choose hot if you like)
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- sea salt to taste.
- 320 g (11 ½ oz) spaghetti (or other pasta)
Instructions
Make the Beyond Meat Meatballs
- Finely chop the onion and and set half aside for the sauce. Chop the parsley. (Chop the red peppers and garlic at the same time)
- Mix together the beyond meat, breadcrumbs, onion, plant milk, parsley and nutritional yeast until well combined and cohesive.300 g Beyond Mince (Ground Meat) , 40 g Panko Breadcrumbs, 75 g onion, 30 ml plant milk, 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- Use a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out even balls of the beyond mince mixture. Roll into even balls.
- In a large frying pan, gently heat the oil. Add the beyond meatballs and brown gently. Remove from the frying pan once browned.1 tablespoon olive oil
Make the Sauce
- Put the water on to boil for the pasta.
- In the large frying pan that you just used for the meatballs, add the oil, sliced red pepper, onion and garlic and cook over a gentle heat until the onion and pepper is softened (about 5 mins)160 g red pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 75 g onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the spices and cook for a few seconds until they smell great (this creates a more intense flavor)1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon fajita spice mix, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Now stir in the chopped tomatoes, rinsing out the can with a little water and adding that too.400 g chopped tomatoes
- By now the pasta water should be boiling. Add the pasta to the boiling water and salt well. (Time this according to your packet of pasta)320 g spaghetti
- Simmer the pasta sauce for another 5 minutes until it all comes together. Taste and add salt and black pepper to taste (if it needs it, you can also add a little balsamic vineger or brown sugar to balance the flavors)1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, sea salt to taste.
- Add the Beyond Meatballs into the sauce and simmer until your pasta is ready
- Drain the pasta and mix a little of the sauce in with it so it has flavor going all the way through it.
- Serve the pasta with meatballs and sauce on top. (You can also serve the more authentically Italian way by tossing all the meatballs and sauce through the pasta)
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