Tofu Meatballs
These Baked Tofu Meatballs are hearty, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. Made with tofu, breadcrumbs, and simple seasonings, they bake until golden and work well with pasta, sandwiches, or your favorite sauce.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 14-ounce block Extra-Firm Tofu drained and pressed
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 cup minced Yellow Onion
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt see note
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 cup Panko-Breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Start by pressing your tofu to remove excess moisture. You don't need to press it long, about 15 minutes. Once pressed, crumble it into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small pan, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute.
- Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the crumbled tofu along with the soy sauce and all the spices and seasonings. Mix until well incorporated.
- Add in the breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, and nutritional yeast and mix thoroughly until everything is well incorporated and the mixture holds together. Use your hands!
- Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Arrange the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Makes 20-22 meatballs.
- Brush or drizzle each meatball with a little bit of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway so they get nice and golden.
- Pop these onto spaghetti, into a sandwich, or tossed in your favorite sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
The more moisture you remove, the better the texture. Use a tofu press or wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and place something heavy on top for at least 15 minutes.
Use your hands! Once everything is added to the bowl, mixing with clean hands helps everything come together and gives you a better feel for the texture. It should hold together like a meatball mixture.
Important Note about Salt: Not all salts are made equal and cannot be substituted 1:1. If you are substituting table salt for kosher salt, you will need to cut the amount called for in the recipe by at least half.
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