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Crispy baked vegan meatballs with creamy orzo packed with spinach, sun dried tomatoes and lots of delicious flavour | Recipe on thecookandhim.com #veganmeatballs #veganpasta #vegandinner #veganmealidea #orzopasta #thecookandhim

Sage and Black Garlic Meatballs with Creamy Orzo

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 35 mins | Total: 55 mins | Quantity: 2 servings

Ingredients

Meatballs:
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
3 tablespoons water
1 x 400g can chickpeas – drained and rinsed
6 cloves black garlic
20 leaves fresh sage – or sub with 1 + 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
large pinch each of salt and pepper

Creamy orzo:
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon (15g) vegan butter
1 red onion – peeled and finely diced
4 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
1/3 cup (80g) sun dried tomatoes – roughly diced
1 cup (200g) orzo pasta
1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
1 lemon – juice
2 handfuls fresh spinach
1/2 cup (125ml) vegan cream
3/4 cup (20g) grated vegan parmesan (grated weight)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 Fan / 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6 and line a small tray with parchment or a silicon mat
  2. Begin with the meatballs - mix the flax with the water and leave to stand while you prepare the rest of the meatball ingredients
  3. Put the remainder of the meatball ingredients into a food processor then add the flax and water mixture. Whizz until well chopped
  4. Roll the mixture into balls - the mix makes around 14 balls around the size of a golf ball - and place onto your prepared tray
  5. Once they're all rolled bake for 35 minutes
  6. While the meatballs are cooking make the orzo
  7. Melt the oil and butter together in a medium/large skillet or frying pan then saute the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until softened
  8. Add the sun dried tomatoes and cook for a further minute then add the orzo, wine, stock and lemon juice and leave the pan to bubble for 8-10 minutes. Give the pan a stir once or twice just to make sure the orzo isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan
  9. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed and the orzo is soft and plump wilt in the spinach then stir in the cream and parmesan. Season to taste
  10. Remove the meatballs from the oven and nestle into the orzo, stirring to coat them
  11. Serve immediately
  12. Chill any leftovers then store in the fridge. Reheat in a microwave making sure everything is piping hot

Recipe by The Cook & Him at https://thecookandhim.com/recipes/sage-and-black-garlic-meatballs-with-creamy-orzo/