An Extra Nutritious Spin on Marinara Sauce
When it comes to cooking, I often play a mental game of “how nutritious can I make this recipe?” This is a fun way to think. It spins the narrative of our cooking from the often restrictive, or fearful mindset — such as “I shouldn’t be eating carbs!” — to instead something more like “how can I add some extra veggies? Do I have healthy fats? Is there enough lean protein?” The food story that unfolds thereafter is one of abundance. This not only supports our nutrition but it also helps us have joy and peace with our food. This is exactly how this recipe unfolded, and I just love this Chicken Meatballs with Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce dish.
I recently wanted to play around with some marinara sauce-based dishes but I craved a boost. This led me to pump the sauce with gorgeous roasted vegetables, like the eggplant and mushrooms, and create a delicious, fennel-infused lean chicken meatball. To finish it off, I employed some chickpea flour orzo-shaped pasta, burrata, and bunches of fresh basil. The flavor was just so warm, earthy, and rich. It feels like a true comfort meal.
Is Chickpea Flour Pasta Better than Regular Pasta?
One of the most common questions I get is “Erin, can pasta be a part of a healthy diet?” or sometimes, “Erin, I can’t believe you eat pasta or put it in recipes!” But remember, when we have a mindset of abundance we can focus on how to get more nutrition into our meals. We can apply this to pasta! Classic white flour-based pastas are indeed more refined grains — in some people, this can cause spikes in their blood sugars, or cause them to over-consume at mealtimes which contributes to excessive calorie intake. But when we swap out that refined grain for something like chickpea flour pasta, we get a new nutrition profile. Chickpea and other bean-based pastas and rices are a nice alternative because they have much higher fiber content and slightly more protein. This can help curb blood sugar spikes because the carbohydrate is digested more slowly, and it will help our appetite regulatory systems sense the fullness more appropriately.
Combining this carbohydrate option with lean protein and healthy fat helps the entire meal remain more blood sugar-friendly and more satiating. The key with bean-based pasta and rices is to cook them truly al dente — or, very firm — by stirring frequently and not over-cooking them. The biggest mistake people make is over-cooking these products and then hating the mushy texture. But when they’re under-cooked by about a minute or so, they’re fantastic!
Roasting Vegetables Brings Out Their Flavor
One of the simple yet powerful tricks to this recipe is simply roasted the vegetables. The eggplant and mushrooms really bloom when we develop their flavor in the oven through caramelization and dehydration. It helps each vegetable shine, which holds up well alongside the San Marzano tomatoes, fresh spinach, and basil. Roasting is a wonderful cooking strategy that adds a little time to recipes, but very little labor. I tend to find that its totally worth it.
I hope you love these delicious Chicken Meatballs with Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce and Chickpea Orzo as much as we did. This recipe is added sugar-free, gluten-free, and nut-free. If you’d like to skip the chickpea pasta, you can definitely try it with spaghetti squash or baked zucchini noodles. Enjoy!
Chicken Meatballs with Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce and Chickpea Orzo
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup puffed brown rice
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs lean ground chicken
For the Sauce
- 1 medium eggplant, cubed
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
- 1 medium onion, minced
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp white wine or chicken stock
- 2 28-oz cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 2-3 oz baby spinach (about 2-3 big handfuls or more, if desired)
To Assemble
- 1 bunch fresh basil, sliced into ribbons
- 7 oz chickpea flour "rice" or orzo shaped pasta (I use Banza brand often)
- 1 large ball of burrata, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2-3 tbsp parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. Spray or drizzle the pan with olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Stir thoroughly. Roll into 2-inch thick meatballs and place them 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they're golden-brown and cooked-through.
For the Sauce
- While the meatballs are cooking, prepare the sauce. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. Add the sliced eggplant and mushrooms. Drizzle with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. The eggplant and mushrooms should be caramelized when done. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.
- In a large pot over medium-heat, drizzle 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the sliced onion and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-8 minutes to sweat the onions out. Once they're getting translucent, add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more or until fragrant.
- To the pan, add the roasted eggplant and mushrooms. Add the tomato paste and stir thoroughly. Add the white wine or chicken stock while stirring with a wooden spoon to release the fond (the brown sticky crumbs) from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and the baby spinach. Stir thoroughly.
- Once the tomato sauce is starting to gently bubble, add the meatballs. Reduce heat to low and let the meatballs cook in the sauce for 15-30 minutes.
To Assemble
- While meatballs are finishing, prepare the chickpea pasta/rice.
- Once the sauce is ready and the pasta is cooked, turn on the oven broiler. Add a spoonful of the marinara sauce to the bottom of an oven-safe skillet.
- To the skillet, add the chickpea pasta. Then top the pasta with large scoops of the tomato sauce so that it is saturated with sauce. Place meatballs on top of the saucy pasta. Once the skillet is full (leave about 1-2 inches of space around the rim), top the meatballs with the chunks of burrata.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the burrata melts and starts to bubble and turn golden- brown.
- Remove skillet from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped basil and fresh parmesan. Serve hot and enjoy!