Italian Tofu Meatballs

Rating: 4.7 stars
10 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 7
  • 4 star values: 3
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0

They're the same as Italian meatballs but with tofu. I had to go through many recipes and cobble pieces together to get something that tasted normal. Olive oil helps them crisp up in the oven. I ate these with basic marinara and they were delicious.

By orb205

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Recipe Summary

prep:
30 mins
cook:
25 mins
additional:
15 mins
total:
1 hr 10 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
16 meatballs
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

4
Original recipe yields 4 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

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  • Place tofu onto a plate and place another plate on top. Set a 3- to 5-pound weight on top. Press tofu for 15 minutes to drain excess water. Break tofu into small pieces and squeeze again to remove as much water as possible.

  • Place tofu in a large bowl. Add onion, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, basil, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, hot sauce, and garlic; mix well with your hands until thoroughly combined.

  • Drizzle some olive oil on the lined baking sheet. Form tablespoonfuls of tofu mixture into balls and arrange in rows on the baking sheet. Drizzle remaining olive oil over meatballs.

  • Bake in the preheated oven until browned and firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cook's Notes:

The ratio of Italian herbs should be equal to each other and everything should be chopped very small so it mixes together better. Use dried herbs if you prefer.

Substitute soy sauce for the Worcestershire sauce if desired.

The hot sauce can be any brand you like (Frank's Red Hot(R), Tabasco(R), or Cholula(R)).

Substitute garlic powder for the fresh garlic if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
339 calories; protein 15.9g; carbohydrates 19g; fat 23.2g; cholesterol 55.3mg; sodium 917.4mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (7)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

CJCooks
Rating: 5 stars
01/14/2019
So I hit done too soon! My biggest changes were to speed up the process to get under my 45 minute mark. First - I pull the tofu out of the fridge open and drain. I squeeze out the water real quick then wrap in a tea towel and really pat it down. Then turn it out into a large mixing bowl. Then - I mash it using a wire potato masher just enough that it resembles cooked ground beef. Lastly I press my tea towel down on it stir the tofu and do it again? And again and again. Whole process takes 5 minutes. Another speedy tip is to use dried herbs (a rounded 1/4 tsp a piece). I then used my #50 portion scoop (1 1/2 Tbsp) to quickly make 30 meatballs (I rolled them in my palms before setting them on foil-lined baking tray). Lastly I saved time by zapping each meatball with canola oil cooking spray. My last comment was that since I used whole-wheat Panko I added an extra egg. I have been trying to find a decent meat-free meatball recipe for years and this was finally it! After I popped them in the oven for 25 minutes I made spaghetti heated some sauce and steamed some broccoli. Dinner in 45;). Can t wait to make meatball sandwiches with the leftovers Read More
Helpful
(4)
10 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 7
  • 4 star values: 3
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
CJCooks
Rating: 5 stars
01/14/2019
So I hit done too soon! My biggest changes were to speed up the process to get under my 45 minute mark. First - I pull the tofu out of the fridge open and drain. I squeeze out the water real quick then wrap in a tea towel and really pat it down. Then turn it out into a large mixing bowl. Then - I mash it using a wire potato masher just enough that it resembles cooked ground beef. Lastly I press my tea towel down on it stir the tofu and do it again? And again and again. Whole process takes 5 minutes. Another speedy tip is to use dried herbs (a rounded 1/4 tsp a piece). I then used my #50 portion scoop (1 1/2 Tbsp) to quickly make 30 meatballs (I rolled them in my palms before setting them on foil-lined baking tray). Lastly I saved time by zapping each meatball with canola oil cooking spray. My last comment was that since I used whole-wheat Panko I added an extra egg. I have been trying to find a decent meat-free meatball recipe for years and this was finally it! After I popped them in the oven for 25 minutes I made spaghetti heated some sauce and steamed some broccoli. Dinner in 45;). Can t wait to make meatball sandwiches with the leftovers Read More
Helpful
(4)
StinkySweet
Rating: 5 stars
02/27/2018
so good! I didn't have any parmesan so I used mozzarella. Read More
Helpful
(2)
Krista
Rating: 5 stars
11/12/2018
These are so tasty! Next time I make them I'll do a double batch. I freeze them after baking then just pull them out as I want them. Read More
Helpful
(2)
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Sandy
Rating: 5 stars
07/15/2018
This is an awesome tofu recipe. For those afraid of tofu I recommend recipes where the tofu is mixed with flavorful ingredients. I've tried cooking tofu sliced and diced. I don't like it. Tofu has no flavor and will take on the favor of the ingredients. That's why this recipe is perfect for tofu. The only thing I would do different for me personally is cut the red pepper flakes and hot sauce in half. If you like spicy food don't change a thing you will love it as is. I cooked mine and added tomato sauce before refrigerating. This made them too mushy. I would cook them as directed and use tomato sauce as a dip. Read More
Helpful
(2)
ellvee
Rating: 5 stars
05/26/2020
Very tasty! I made them like thick patties on a pan on the stove with a little avocado oil… Cook them for a long time so they don’t fall apart… I did not have Parmesan cheese so I added some adobo… The end result was very delicious! It tasted like the best meatloaf you ever had weirdly enough Read More
Helpful
(1)
Birdie
Rating: 4 stars
08/05/2020
I tried this exactly as the recipe stated, and the meatballs turned out great! They had a great texture and great flavor that really surprised me (because of previous bad cooking experiences with tofu). One thing that I didn't like was that I felt like the amount of onion suggested was a little too much. The onion was way too prominent in the meatball for me. Next time, I think I'll chop it finer and use less. Read More
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george klingbeil
Rating: 5 stars
12/06/2018
Worstershire Sauce contains anchovies. You might as well use beef and pork. Read More
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