Chimichurri Meatballs With Tagliatelle

Are you stumped on what to make for dinner tonight? Well I got you! This budget friendly dinner is the perfect recipe that is super fresh, zesty, somewhat spicy and will keep you satisfied all evening long. Lately I’ve been on the hunt to find the right vegan meat substitute that will not only be better for you, but also better for your wallet. After lots of trial and error, I found my new fav meat substitute, and it happens to come from Beyond Meat, the vegan meat company that has taken the whole world by storm.

As of recently they have a fourth generation of vegan beyond beef that is hitting the shelves this spring and it’s their cleanest plant protein yet. Now made with avocado oil and simplified ingredient list derived from peas, brown rice, red lentils and faba beans, they reduced the saturated fat by 60% (just 2g per serving - which is 75% less saturated fat than 80/20 beef) and 20% less sodium than the previous beyond meat version. It’s an excellent source of protein with 21g per serving too (more protein than 80/20 beef). It’s a huge step in the right direction of creating healthier plant based meat alternatives, and I’m all for it.

Recently one of my meal prep clients was leaning into his obsession of chimichurri and beyond meat, and I took their idea and ran with it. Something that screamed out springtime and packed with anti-inflammatory herbs and spices. Enter chimichurri stage left. Chimichurri sauce hails from Uruguay and Argentina and is commonly a raw sauce/marinade made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, and oregano. In this recipe I decided to add in fresh dill and fresh cilantro, and used coconut milk instead of olive oil, and boy does it still pack a punch of flavor for your tastebuds while being the perfect sauce for pasta and meatballs, baby!

This recipe is:

• fresh and vibrant

• dairy free and cholesterol free

• plantbased

• budget friendly

• a simple and easy dinner idea

• packed with micronutrients

I love making chimichurri because it has a boatload of health promoting properties from all the fresh cilantro, dill, and parsley. Cilantro and parsley are both high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, and even contains high levels of iron for those trying to get more into their diet. Dill has good amounts of vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin A too. All of these nutrients are relatively small when you only use a small part of the herb in certain dishes, but in chimichurri you use the whole bunch (if not more) which boosts all the levels of all these powerful micronutrients through the roof! You can thank me later.

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Makes about 20-22 meatballs and serves 3-4 people:

The Goods:

For the Italian meatballs:

• 3 flax seeds eggs (3 tbsp flax seed meal + 4 tbsp water mixed into a bowl and rested for 2 minutes)

• 1 package beyond beef with avocado oil

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp granulated garlic

• 1/2 tsp salt + extra if needed

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 cup oat flour

For the creamy chimichurri sauce:

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro

• 1 bunch fresh parsley

• 1/2 bunch fresh dill

• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1/2 jalapeño, seeds removed

• 1/2 shallot, peeled

• 1 large lime, juiced

• 1 large lemon, juiced

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (or 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk of choice)

For the pasta:

• tagliatelle pasta noodles, cooked to package instructions

• dried red pepper flakes

The Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 and get your salted water boiling for your noodles.

2. Grab a large mixing bowl and add everything for the meatballs into it and mix everything together with a spoon or spatula. Set aside.

3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Take a one inch ice cream scooper and scoop out 20-22 meatballs onto the parchment paper. Bake at 400 for 16-18 minutes, until they are fully cooked and firm. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

4. As the meatballs are baking, you can make your chimichurri pasta sauce. Add all the ingredients for the creamy chimichurri into a high powered blender and blending on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Taste for salt and set the blender aside.

5. By now your water should be boiling. Cook your pasta noodles to package instructions. When they are done, drain and add a dash of saved pasta water or olive oil to the noodles to keep them from sticking to each other. Set the noodles aside.

6. When the meat balls are finished baking, grab a large cast iron skillet and pour the chimichurri sauce from the blender into the pan. Heat the sauce on medium high heat and add in the cooked meatballs. Cook the meatballs in the sauce for 2-4 minutes or until everything is bubbling and hot.

7. To serve, grab your serving bowls and add a handful of pasta noodles to each bowl, and then ladle about 2-4 ladles of sauce and 3-5 meatballs over the top. Garnish with red pepper flakes and serve immediately while everything is still warm.

8. Pair with something light and bubbly like a mocktail (virgin paloma), or a dry white wine.

Thanks so much for checking out our recipes! I hope you find something here that satisfies your cravings or encourages you to try something new. Make sure to check back every week to see our new recipes!

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