One-Pot Vegan Meatball Spaghetti Bake

 An easy one-pot vegan meatball spaghetti bake. No need to pre-cook the pasta, just cook it in with the vegan 'meatballs' and sauce.

One-Pot Vegan 'Meatball' Spaghetti Bake

In my continuing quest to make simple vegan dinners that are packed with flavour, I bring you my latest pasta bake.

Vegetables and vegan 'meatballs' are roasted before spaghetti and sauce ingredients are added, then it's baked until the sauce is rich and the pasta is cooked.

Then just scoop it into pasta bowls, top with some vegan cheese and enjoy!

What you need to make vegan meatball spaghetti bake

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this one-pot vegan 'meatball casserole.

• Vegan 'meatballs'
• Red onions
• Red pepper
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Spaghetti
• Chopped tomatoes
• Tomato puree
• Balsamic vinegar
• Vegetable stock

How does pasta cook in a bake?

Pasta is usually cooked in a deep pan of salted water but it is possible to cook it in a pan with the sauce either in a pot or in the oven.

The secret is to have enough liquid to cook the pasta while making a tasty sauce.

If you've not tried it before, try my one-pot mushroom and cherry tomato pasta or my vegan one-pot sausage pasta with broccoli,

Top tip for one-pot pasta

Make sure you stir the pasta once or twice during cooking to make sure it's well coated and not sticking.

Giving the pasta a stir will also give you a chance to check on the sauce to make sure there is enough liquid.

What is the best type of pasta to use in one-pot pasta bakes

Spgahetti works well in a one-pot pasta, but you can use other types of pasta.

Pasta bows, shells, macaroni and penne work well too.

Have a try and see what you think.

For this oven-bake, I use short spaghetti.

Short Spaghetti

You may be surprised, but short spaghetti is actually a thing.

You can buy it in supermarkets.

But why the heck would you?

Just hold your spaghetti firmly and break it in half.  

Easy to do, but beware of flying strands of pasta.

Best to do it in batches.

It's actually quite fun!

Shop-bought vegan 'meatballs'

One-pot spaghetti bake can be made with shop-bought or homemade vegan 'meatballs.

There's lots of choice in the freezer section in supermarkets if you want an easy meal.

I do love fuss-free dinners after a long-busy day at work.

We really enjoyed these Goodlife Protein Balls with Spinach and Kale, so I'm happy to recommend them (no, I'm not working with them, I just like to pre-empt any questions you may have and share our favourites).

They were perfect as I wanted to try this dish as a quick mid-week dinner.

Homemade vegan 'meatballs'

Homemade vegan' meatballs are rather fabulous in this dish too, if you have the time.

Vegan 'meatballs' are a regular in this house and they are super tasty.

Here are a few easy vegan 'meatball' recipes:

1. Aubergine 'meatballs'
2. Chickpea 'meatballs'
3. Kidney bean beanballs

Love this? Also try my Vegan Vegetable Bake with Meatballs on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

Where do meatballs come from originally?

History books point towards meatballs originating in Persia where leftover beef was rolled into balls with spices and cooked. 

They called them koftas and they are still popular today.

The recipe moved through the Middle East and across the world.

We may be more familar with the Italian version served with spaghetti and a tasty marinara sauce.

Italian spaghetti and meatballs is actually an Italian American dish, created by Italian immigrants who settled in the US.

In Italy you are more likely to be served as smaller meatballs served without sauce called polpettes.

Other countries have their own versions too.

• China - Lion's Head Meatballs
• Germany - Sauerkraut Balls
• Greece - Keftedes
• Middle East - Koftas
• Spain - Albondigas
• Sweden - Swedish Meatballs (Kottbullar)

All of these recipes can be made vegetarian or vegan of course.

Which sauce is best for 'meatballs'?

Marinara sauce is the one generally served with 'meatballs' when they are served with spaghetti.

Homemade marinara sauce is absolutely delicious and easy to make too. Here is my recipe for marinara sauce.

For this recipe I used the flavours of marinara sauce but add them individually to the pan instead of making the sauce ahead of the dish.

It also has stock added to help with the cooking liquid.

It was very tasty.

Making sure there's enough liquid

This recipe has been tested, but a different size pan, a different shelf in the oven or the variation in oven temperatures can determine how much liquid is needed.

Check the pan and stir the pasta near the end of cooking time.

If it seems a little dry, you can add some extra stock and stir it in.

More tasty vegan pasta recipes to try

Here are a few more fabulously easy pasta recipes to try:

• Creamy Cauliflower Macaroni Cheese
• Mushroom Pesto Spaghetti
• One-Pot Vegan Mac & Cheese
• Quick Red Pepper & Olive Spaghetti
• Rich Mushroom & Lentil Ragu
• Roasted Vegetable & Cherry Tomato Ratatouille
• Slow Cooker Spinach & Cream Cheese Stuffed Shells

Also try my other vegan sheet pan bakes:

1. One-Pot Vegan Hot Dog Bake
2. One-Pot Vegan Burger Bake

WANT NEW RECIPES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ?

Sign up for my Tinned Tomatoes newsletter for a selection of recipes delivered to your inbox each week or sign up for my email updates and don't miss out on the latest recipe. Check your spam folder they don't arrive.

Sign up for my Vegan Lunch Box newsletter for lunch ideas and recipes straight to your inbox when they are published.

pin it for later

Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Also, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg. It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting to group members.

Remember and say hi. I'm always happy to chat and answer questions.

How to Make One-Pot Vegan 'Meatball' Spaghetti Bake

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a full printable recipe. If you don't have a printer, hit print then save as a PDF.

 

Step 1

• This tasty pasta dish is cooked in a sheet pan or roasting pan. You can use two if you don't have one that is big enough to spread the ingredients in a single layer.
• Add the vegan meatballs, red onions and red pepper in a single layer.
• Add a drizzle of oil and season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder.
• You could add chilli flakes at this point too.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven (full ingredient list and oven temperature in printable recipe below).

Step 2

• Now break your spaghetti in half (in batches).
• Then make up your stock. You may need to divide it into 2 fairly large jugs or a mixing bowl, as you are adding chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and balsamic vinegar to the stock.
• Mix it all well together.

Step 3

• Add oregano to the tomato stock and set aside.
• Now check on your vegan 'meatballs and veg. They should be cooked and started to get golden at the edges but not charred.
• Push them to the sides to make room for the spaghetti in the middle.

Step 4

• Add the spaghetti, then pour in the tomato stock and  move the spaghetti around to coat it. You want it covered in sauce.
• Cover with foil and pop in the oven to bake.
• Take out a couple of times during cooking to stir and make sure there is enough stock. You can add a little extra.
• Once the pasta is cooked, give everything a good mix to combine.
• Serve and enjoy!

one-pot spaghetti, one-pot pasta, pasta bake, spaghetti bake, vegan spaghetti and meatballs, pasta, vegan pasta bake

dinner

Italian, vegan

Yield: 4-6 portions

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

One-Pot Vegan Meatball Spaghetti Bake

An easy one-pot vegan meatball spaghetti bake. No need to pre-cook the pasta, just cook it in with the vegan 'meatballs' and sauce.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Ingredients

• 600g (21 oz) vegan meatballs
• 2 red onions, halved and sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded, sliced and cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• a good grinding of salt and pepper
• 400g (14 oz) spaghetti, broken in half
• 2 x 400g (14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
• 800ml (3 1/3 cups) vegetable stock (I made up a litre/4 1/4 cups,so I had some reserved if I needed it)
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180 c fan/400f/gas mark 6.
2. In one large (or two medium) sheet pan or roasting dish, add the vegan meatballs, onions and pepper and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano, then spread in an even layer and roast for 20 minutes.
3. While the 'meatballs' are cooking make up the stock. You may need two large jugs to a mixing bowl for this.
4. Make up the vegetable stock with stock cubes and boiling water (I used two stock cubes). As I said in the ingredient list, I made up a bit more than I needed, just in case.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar and oregano to the stock and mix.
6. Now break your spaghetti in half in batches. You could leave it whole. but I find it fits better in the pan.
7. Check on the vegan 'meatballs' and veg. If they are cooked and starting to get golden (not charred).
8. Remove the pan and push the balls and veg to the edges of the dish, add the spaghetti, then pour the tomato stock over everything. Move around the spaghetti in the stock to make sure it is coated and level out as much as you can, then pop in the oven covered with foil.
9. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Give it a stir a couple of times to check on the pasta and to see if it needs a bit more stock.
10. Once the pasta is cooked, mix everything together (tongs are good for this) and serve topped with your favourite grated cheese.
11. Enjoy!

Notes:

• You can add chilli flakes when roasting the balls and veg for a little bit of heat.
• You can use another pasta instead, like bow tie pasta, shell pasta or macaroni.
• When you are mixing the pasta during the cooking, you can add a little more stock if you think it needs it.

Calories

4 large portions = 563 calories per portion

5 regular portions = 450 calories per portion

6 smaller portions = 375 calories per portion

Nutrition Facts

Calories

562.90

Fat (grams)

18.23

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.86

Carbs (grams)

61.21

Fiber (grams)

12.21

Net carbs

49.00

Sugar (grams)

14.13

Protein (grams)

40.22

Sodium (milligrams)

1484.70

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

All Rights Reserved tinnedtomatoes.com