TVP Meatballs

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I talked about the benefits of TVP in the TVP Sloppy Joes, but here’s just another one, the fact that you don’t have to give up a simple family friendly dinner like meatballs, whether on a hoagie or spaghetti, to be a vegetarian. My husband, who is a “home vegetarian”, loves Wawa meatball parm hoagies and still thought these were excellent and both my babies loved them too. Annnndddd they only took 30 minutes to put together.

TVP absorbs liquid almost instantly, so the first step is to combine 2 cups of TVP with 2 cups of vegetable broth in a medium pot. Turn the heat on high and combine until the TVP has absorbed all the liquid and warmed through. Transfer the TVP to a large bowl and add all the seasonings: 1/2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or liquid aminos if vegan), 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 tbsp parmesan, 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast (or 1 tbsp nutritional yeast if vegan), and 1 egg (flax option, if vegan).

Combine the TVP, egg and seasonings well. Take handfuls of the mix and create meatballs. I made mine pretty big knowing we were having them as hoagies, but if I was making them for spaghetti I would have made them a bit smaller. Mine made 14, but it could easily make 20 if made smaller.

Preheat your oven to 400 and cook for 20 minutes flipping halfway through. While you are waiting on the meatballs to cook, make a quicky marinara sauce. In the pot you used to combine the TVP and broth, pour in a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, . Place this on medium heat and let it simmer until the meatballs are finished, stirring occasionally. If it’s popping, drop the temp to low and place a lid on top.

Once the meatballs are finished cooking, serve as you desire.

TVP Meatballs

Ingredients for TVP Meatballs:

• 2 cups TVP
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce or liquid aminos
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 tbsp parmesan
• 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Ingredients for quicky marinara sauce:

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a medium pot, combine 2 cups TVP with 2 cups vegetable broth over medium/high heat. Let this heat for a few minutes until the broth has absorbed and TVP is heated through.
2. Transfer the TVP to a large bowl and add the seasonings: 1/2 tsp garlic, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 tbsp parmesan, 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast, and 1 egg. Mix well until all seasonings and the egg are combine with the TVP.
3. Preheat oven to 400. Using medium handfuls, create meatballs and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping half way through.
4. While waiting on the meatballs, make a quicky marinara sauce. In the same sauce pan from earlier combine 28 oz of crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Let this sit on low/medium heat until ready to serve.
5. Serve on rolls as a hoagie with mozzarella or over spaghetti.