Aubergine and Quinoa 'Meatballs' with Tomato Sauce

Name: Aubergine and Quinoa 'Meatballs' with Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, Italian
Ingredients: 100g quinoa; olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed; 2 medium–large aubergines chopped into small pieces; 75g breadcrumbs; 50g parmesan cheese or vegetarian equivalent, plus extra to serve; 50g pitted black olives, finely chopped; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 4tbsp chia seeds; small handful basil leaves; cooked spaghetti or other pasta, to serve; flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes; 185ml red wine; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed; 2tbsp olive oil; 1tsp balsamic vinegar; 1tsp caster (superfine) sugar

6 steps

Prep:1hCook:1h

You can swap out the spaghetti with courgetti to make it low carb/keto friendly

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:45:21 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories367.2 kcal (18%)

Total Fat16.3 g (23%)

Carbs40.2 g (15%)

Sugars11.7 g (13%)

Protein12.2 g (24%)

Sodium502.9 mg (25%)

Fiber9.5 g (34%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Instructions

Step 1

To cook the quinoa, heat a medium saucepan over a high heat. Add the quinoa and shake around in the pan for about 30 seconds to start to toast it. Pour in 250ml water and allow to boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and leave to cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes before taking off the lid and running a fork through the quinoa to separate the grains.

Step 2

Heat a glug of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until it is starting to soften but not colour. Add the garlic and aubergine. Sauté for about 10-12 minutes until the aubergine is completely softened. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Put the aubergine and onion mixture, quinoa, breadcrumbs, parmesan, olives, egg, chia seeds and basil into a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse until the mixture holds together. Firmly shape into golf ball-sized balls, making approximately 30 in total. Sit on a parchment or cling film lined tray or plate and chill in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Step 4

To make the sauce, put all of the ingredients in a saucepan, season and bring to a simmer. Cook over a low heat for 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes have thickened.

Step 5

Heat a glug of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the ‘meatballs’ and cook over a medium-high heat, gently turning/rolling frequently, until lightly golden. You may need to do a couple of batches depending on the size of your pan.

Step 6

Gently stir in the tomato sauce, spoon over cooked spaghetti and scatter with parmesan.