Garlic Lovers Vegan Pasta

Prepare the garlic by finely dicing it or using a garlic press. Heat olive oil in a pot over low heat. Add the garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook on low, stirring regularly, until the garlic begins to caramelize - 10ish minutes. Be sure not to let it burn!
While the garlic is cooking, prepare the vegan sausage. Break it apart in a bowl and then roll it into grape-sized mini-meatballs.** Set aside.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste to the pot and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add the marinara sauce to the pot and stir to combine. Rinse the marinara jar with about a 1/4 cup of water and add it to the pot - this will clean the jar and add water to the sauce at the same time.
Drop the vegan meatballs into the sauce and gently press them down with a wooden spoon. Partially cover the pot and cook the sauce for at least 1 hour. Be sure to keep an eye on the sauce and keep the heat on low. Stir the sauce as needed. Taste and add salt if needed.
When you are ready to eat, prepare the penne according to the package instructions. Drain the penne and add it back to the empty pan. Add some chopped basil to the sauce and stir to combine.
Ladle the sauce over the penne, leaving some sauce in the pot. Divide the penne over 4 plates and top with the remaining sauce, vegan parm and more fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread to soak up any extra sauce.