Fleischbällchen? Nö! Tempehbällchen! Yeah! 🙌🏻

Never cooked with tempeh before? Then it's about time, and this recipe is perfect for you. After all, everyone loves pasta with tomato sauce and meatballs! We simply crumble the tempeh to resemble ground meat! #ad Be sure to try the tempeh from @tempehmanufaktur. Not just the plain variety, but also their many delicious marinated options. Check them out! ... ############# RECIPE ## ############## ----------------------- Tempeh Balls with Pasta and Tomato Sauce (3 servings) ----------------------- Tempeh Balls: 200g Tempeh (plain) 100g Chickpeas (drained weight) 30-40g Breadcrumbs (e.g., whole wheat) 1 small onion (50g, peeled) 2 cloves of garlic 1 tbsp ground flaxseed 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tsp tomato paste 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried marjoram 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp chili flakes 1/2 tsp salt Pasta with Tomato Sauce: 300g spaghetti 800g diced Tomatoes 500ml vegetable broth 1 small onion (50g, peeled) 2 cloves garlic 30g tomato paste 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp chili flakes ----------------------- Mix flax seeds with 2 tbsp warm water and let them soak for 10 minutes. Crumble the tempeh coarsely and fry it in a little oil for a few minutes until golden brown. Finely dice the onion and garlic, remove the tempeh from the pan, and sauté the onion, garlic, and chili flakes for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, paprika, oregano, and thyme and sauté briefly. Coarsely chop the tempeh and chickpeas in a food processor. Add the onion mixture, flax seeds, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and salt, and pulse briefly until a malleable, slightly grainy mixture forms. Stir in 30g of breadcrumbs. If the mixture is still too moist, gradually add more breadcrumbs. With moistened hands, form 18 balls, place them on a baking sheet, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes, turning them carefully halfway through. The balls should be golden brown on the outside and firm on the inside. For the sauce, finely dice the onion and garlic and sauté them in a large, deep pan or pot with a little oil and the chili flakes for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, toast for 1-2 minutes, and deglaze with soy sauce and maple syrup. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, and thyme. Place the spaghetti in the pot and press it down into the liquid. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently until the spaghetti is al dente. Stir regularly to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. Stir in the balsamic vinegar at the end. Optionally, place the cooked meatballs on top of the pasta and heat through for another 1-2 minutes. ----------------------