Do you love all things Italian? I definitely do, which is probably why I love pasta dishes so much. I usually have some kind of pasta once a week. There’s nothing that tastes better to me than serving plant-based spaghetti balls on a bed of noodles, covered in a zesty tomato sauce! With a garden salad on the side, it’s all I need to thrive and feel nourished.
I started making these veggie spaghetti balls in the last few years. The mushrooms and potatoes inside give these balls a delicious meaty texture. And they will definitely fill you up without filling you out because they are low in fat but high in fiber. I find they are so quick and easy to make and these balls freeze up nicely if you’d like to make a double batch to save for later.
One perk I love about making Potato Spaghetti Balls is they are baked rather than fried. It’s an easy way to avoid adding unnecessary fat to this recipe, especially since you’ll be cooking them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. These spaghetti balls are also good to use in a sandwich, sub, inside a pita pocket or even as a side dish for breakfast! Kids love them and make a hearty lunch when served up with some energy-packed whole grain pasta.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make these gluten-free, substitute the wheat bread crumbs with a gluten-free variety or with ground up cornflakes that you have whizzed in your blender. I often will use 1 cup of gluten-free quick oats in place of the wheat bread crumbs. When using the oat variation, also add 3/4 to 1 cup of a gluten-free flour. This will help the mixture bind together more easily. Using soy flour or what is called a “flax egg” (2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 1/4 cup hot water, mixed together until a gel is formed) will also ensure that the mixture holds together.
Potato Spaghetti Balls
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw potatoes peeled and shredded
- 1 T soy flour or 2 T ground flaxseed in 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 medium onion chopped fine
- 1/4 cup rubbed sage
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup ground walnuts
- 1 ½ tsp salt or salt substitute
- 2 T nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 1/2 green or red pepper, diced
Instructions
- Grind the nuts in a blender, then add to a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Process the potatoes in a food processor or use a hand grater. Lightly saute' the celery and green pepper in a few tablespoons of water.
- Mix all remaining ingredients with the nuts. Add the potatoes. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Form into balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven (350 degrees).
- Cover with our Creamy Mushroom sauce or your favorite tomato sauce. Bake an additional 10-12 minutes, covered.
- CHEF'S NOTE: You can make this recipe gluten-free if you use gluten-free bread crumbs.
Buon appetito!
