Tofu Meatballs
These tofu meatballs are crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and packed with savory, umami flavor thanks to tomato paste and nutritional yeast. Pan-searing first locks in that golden crust before a quick bake finishes them off, so you get all the texture without babysitting the oven the whole time.
Servings: 15 meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 block extra-firm tofu pressed
- 1 small white onion finely diced
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Optional add-ins:
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh herbs
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1-2 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon base
- 1 egg if not keeping it vegan and want extra binding
For the sweet and sour sauce (optional)
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Crumble the tofu with your hands right into a large bowl until the pieces are about the size of grains of rice.
- Add the onion, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (plus any optional add-ins). Mix well until everything is evenly combined. Roll the mixture into golf ball sized balls, about 15 total.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 10 minutes, tossing every few minutes, until deeply browned on a few sides.
- Transfer the seared meatballs to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until firm and cooked through.
- To make the optional sauce: Whisk the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Add the remaining sauce ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the slurry and cook for 2-3 minutes, until thickened and coating the back of a spoon.
Notes
Storage - Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet or air fryer to bring back the crispy edges.
Nutritional info - nutritional info is ONLY for the meatballs and does not include an optional add ins OR the sauce.
Marinara sauce - serve these instead with my homemade 20 minute marinara sauce!
Nutrition
Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 33IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
