- 1 (14 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 medium celery stalk, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
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Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly oil five cups of a standard-size muffin tin.
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Place the chickpeas, panko, celery, carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, flaxseed, basil, oregano, thyme and black pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
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Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped and well mixed.
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Divide the mixture among the oiled muffin cups, forming a dome at the top of each muffin.
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Bake the muffins for 25 minutes.
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While the muffins bake, stir all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
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After 25 minutes of baking, remove the muffins from the oven and cover the tops with a few spoonfuls of sauce. Reserve any excess sauce for serving.
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Return the muffins to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is set and the muffins pull away from the sides of the tins slightly.
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Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes.
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Gently run a knife along the edges of each muffin to loosen it from the tin before removing.
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If you have any leftover sauce, heat it up for a few minutes and serve it with the muffins.