Ingredients
Scale
For the meatless zucchini “meatballs”:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 – 4 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
- 1 1/4 lbs. grated zucchini
- 2 Tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 oz. Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
For the sauce:
- 2 – 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 medium onion, peeled & roughly chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled & roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1 pint tomatoes or 1 15-oz. can of tomatoes (or 1 lb. fresh tomatoes, peeled & chopped)
- 1/4 cup frozen roasted Hatch green chile, with juices (or 1 4 oz. can)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato powder (or tomato paste)
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig each: rosemary, oregano & tarragon leaves, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with a silicon baking mat.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. Swirl the oil around with a spatula, add the garlic and zucchini and saute for 5 – 10 minutes or until the liquid is mostly gone from the pan. Pour into a colander over the sink to let excess moisture drain out. Let drain for 15 – 20 minutes, mashing it with a spatula several times to help squeeze out the moisture.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the zucchini and the basil, breadcrumbs, seasonings, egg and cheese until well mixed. (If the mixture is too soupy, add a bit more breadcrumbs.)
- Use your hands to form 1 inch balls of this mixture, setting each ball on the prepared baking sheet and leaving a little space between the veggie balls. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes or until firm and lightly browned.
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce. Put hte garlic, onion and carrot in a mini chopper or food processor and pulse to chop into small bits. (Or hand chop.)
- Rinse out your frying pan and again heat it over medium heat, add the oil and swirl it around with your spatula. Add the garlic/onion/carrot mixture and saute until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the zucchini and saute for several more minutes or until the zucchini is crisp tender. Stir in the tomatoes, green chile, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, tomato powder and red wine and stir to mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the fresh herbs.
- When the meatballs are done, take them out of the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Then use a spatula to move them from the baking sheet to the sauce. Heat over medium heat until steaming hot, then serve with fresh herbs for garnish and a little shredded cheese on top.
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/
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