Vegan Chickpea Meatball Subs

These subs with chickpea meatballs must be tried! Vegan “meatballs” that are created at home from vegetables, Chickpea, and Italian herbs are topped with vegan mozzarella cheese and placed between two warm rolls.

Ingredients for Chickpea Meatballs:

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Olive oil, for frying

Ingredients for Homemade Mozzarella:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients:

• 4 sub rolls
• 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
• Vegan Parmesan cheese, for topping
• Fresh basil leaves, for topping

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, pulse the chickpeas until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the rolled oats, panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, flaxseed mixture, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
3. Using your hands, form the mixture into 16 equal-sized meatballs.
4. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
5. To make the homemade mozzarella, drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Add them to a blender along with the water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until smooth.
6. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick and stretchy.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut the sub rolls in half and toast them in the oven for a few minutes until lightly crispy.
8. To assemble the subs, spoon some marinara sauce onto each sub roll, add 4 meatballs to each roll, and top with a generous amount of homemade mozzarella.
9. Place the subs back in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
10. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with vegan Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

• Calories: 647
• Total Fat: 18.3g
• Saturated Fat: 3.3g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 1724mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 95.5g
• Dietary Fiber: 17.2g
• Total Sugars: 13.6g
• Protein: 24.7g