Beanball (Sandwich)

3 cups kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2/3 cup plain bread crumbs (panko)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

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1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mash the kidney bean in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left. A potato masher and fork work best. You don't want them to be completely smooth- you should still be able to recognize that they are kidney beans.

3. Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, bread crumbs, and herbs, and use a fork to mix everything together until everything is well combined and firm.

4. Roll the bean mixture into walnut-sized balls (12-15). Be careful not to roll them too big; smaller makes for the best texture.

5. Put them in a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, tossing them often, until browned on both sides. Transfer the beanballs to a baking sheet and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Toss with marinara sauce and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

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The recipe I used suggested that these beanballs be served with pasta, but I decided to build a beanball sandwich. My husband is always nervous when I completely replace meat in a dish with something like tofu or beans, so he was very unsure about the beanball sandwich. After the beanballs were done baking in the oven, I cut a beautiful baguette in half and dug out some of the bread, so that the beanballs and cheese would have a place to rest. I placed the bread, crust-side down on a baking sheet. On the bottom of each half, I placed 4-5 beanballs with extra marinara on top. On the top halves, I placed some mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (without the cheese, this would be a great vegan meal). Then I broiled in the oven until the cheese melted and the bread toasted (about 5 minutes). After broiling, assemble the sandwich.

These sandwiches were YUMMY. My husband was scared to take a bite, but at the end of our meal, his plate was empty.

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Recipe from Veganomicon

Image from limsakdakul.com