Blended chickpea and lamb meatballs are baked with spaghetti, red sauce, and melty slices of fresh mozzarella in this Mediterranean-inspired main dish.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 40 minutesminutes
Total Time 55 minutesminutes
Servings 4people
Author Stephanie McKercher, RDN
Ingredients
Baked Spaghetti:
8ouncesdry spaghetti
4ouncesfresh mozzarella,sliced (see note)
Meatballs:
2cupscooked chickpeas(drain and rinse if canned)
½poundground lamb(see note)
½cuppanko breadcrumbs
¼cupgrated parmesan
¼cupchopped fresh parsley
1large egg
½teaspoononion powder
½teaspoongarlic powder
Salt and pepper
1tablespoongrapeseed oil
Tomato Sauce:
½cupdiced onion
3clovesgarlic,minced
1(28-ounccan whole peeled tomatoes
2teaspoonsdry oregano
Salt and pepper
2cupsbaby spinach
¼cupfresh basil
Optional Garnish:
Fresh basil
Grated parmesan cheese
Crushed red pepper
Instructions
Prepare spaghetti:
Add dry spaghetti to large pot of boiling water and cook 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain (do not rinsand set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare meatballs:
Mash cooked chickpeas in a large bowl. Stir in ground lamb, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until they are uniformly incorporated. Form into 1 ½-inch balls.
Add grapeseed oil to a Dutch oven or large oven-safe skillet with raised edges over medium-high heat. Spread meatballs on Dutch oven or skillet and cook 3 minutes each side, or until browned on edges and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer meatballs to a plate and set aside.
Prepare sauce:
Add more oil to Dutch oven or skillet if needed. Stir in diced onion and cook 5 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in garlic. Stir in whole peeled tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper. Use wooden spoon to break open whole tomatoes as they soften. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until tomatoes are broken into small pieces and a chunky red sauce forms.
Stir in baby spinach and fresh basil. Turn off heat.
Bake:
Carefully stir in cooked spaghetti and meatballs with sauce in the Dutch oven or skillet.
Spread sliced fresh mozzarella on top of the spaghetti mixture and bake uncovered on the center rack 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Garnish with fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper if desired.
Notes
Substitute shredded mozzarella for sliced fresh mozzarella if desired.Substitute ground beef or ground turkey for ground lamb if desired.Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.