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4.56 from 34 votes

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian “Meatballs” with Tomato Sauce

These vegetarian meatballs will satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters! A fantastic option for meatless dinners.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Entrees
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Healthy Dinner Recipes, Meatless Monday, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 259.4kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cans 15 ounces each Bush's Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 roasted red bell pepper 2 halves, roughly chopped
  • ½ medium yellow onion grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup dried breadcrumbs see note
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups marinara sauce your favorite kind
  • Parmesan cheese for grating
  • cooked spaghetti

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans and roasted red peppers. Pulse until chopped, but not smoothly pureed.
  • Transfer the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and stir in grated onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper until well combined.
  • Using a rounded 2 tablespoon portion of the bean mixture, form “meatballs” by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the “meatballs” on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
  • Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and have developed a light golden brown coating, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • In a large saucepan, heat you favorite marinara sauce over medium heat until simmering. Add “meatballs” and stir to coat. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Serve over spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Video

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 5 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 7 (Points+)
Note: The amount of breadcrumbs required can change depending on the climate (dry vs. humid). If you find that the "meatballs" are not holding together firmly as you are shaping the first few, add more breadcrumbs, then reshape.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25of Meatballs & Sauce | Calories: 259.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.5g | Protein: 15.8g | Fat: 2.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 46.5mg | Sodium: 1002.1mg | Fiber: 12.9g | Sugar: 9.1g