Best 4 Tempeh Meatballs Recipes

SIMPLE VEGAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and prepare flax egg in a small dish by mixing flaxseed meal and water and let it rest for a few minutes.
• In a large, deep skillet, sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) over medium heat until soft and translucent - about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Add tempeh to food processor and pulse to break down. Then add sautéed garlic, onion, and remaining ingredients (except olive oil) and mix, scraping down sides as needed. You want it to form into a moldable "dough."
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The tempeh will come across as a little bitter, but once coated, baked and served with marinara it's not nearly as apparent.
• NOTE: Depending on how salty your vegan parmesan cheese is, you may need to add a little salt and pepper at this point. However, I didn't find it necessary.
• Scoop out 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and roll into balls. At this time, heat the same skillet you used earlier to medium heat.
• Mix remaining bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. Add tempeh balls one or two at a time and roll to coat.
• Add enough olive oil to form a thin layer on the bottom of your hot skillet, then add your coated tempeh balls in two batches, as to not crowd the pan. Brown for about 5 minutes total, shaking the pan to roll them around to brown all sides.
• Add browned meatballs to a baking sheet and add to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, or longer if desired for a crispier result.
• At this time, prep any pasta your want to serve with your meatballs, as well as your favorite marinara sauce (I love this pizza sauce).
• Once meatballs are deep golden brown and fairly firm to the touch, remove from oven.
• To serve, top cooked pasta with meatballs and pour over marinara sauce. Top with another sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a few days, though best when fresh.

TANDOORI TEMPEH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl whisk together the 8 ingredients that make up the spice blend. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a food processor to pulse the bread into large crumbs. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
• Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil, and cook the onion and tempeh 5 to 7 minutes or until the tempeh is golden. Reduce heat to medium-low. Slide tempeh and onion to one side of pan, and add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to other side of pan. Add the garlic and 2 ½ teaspoons of the spice blend directly to the oil. Stir, then combine with the tempeh and onion. Stirring frequently, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat.
• Transfer tempeh mixture to a food processor. Pulse 5 or 6 times or until mostly chopped and uniform. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, and yogurt, and process until well combined.
• Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to portion out meatballs (about 1 1/2 tablespoon per ball). Roll between palms, and place on lined baking sheet. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, flipping at the halfway point.
• To make the yogurt dipping sauce, either use the food processor (rinse first), or combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk by hand (make sure cilantro and mint are finely chopped). Transfer to a serving bowl.
• If making the tandoori-yogurt sauce, preheat a saute pan over medium-low heat. In a bowl whisk together the yogurt, remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons spice blend, turmeric, water, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt. Add to the pan, and immediately add the meatballs. Toss to coat. When the sauce is hot, remove from heat and serve.

SIMPLE TEMPEH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Place the tempeh into a wide, deep skillet or frying pan. Add the broth and tamari. Bring the liquid to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the tempeh crumbles until they've absorbed all of the liquid, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat.
• In a food processor fitted with the S blade, process the walnuts, fennel, oregano, and nutritional yeast till the mixture is a fine meal. Add the crumbled tempeh. Pulse to combine all of the ingredients well. The mixture should be dense and a bit sticky.
• Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. You should have 22-24 total. Place the balls onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes. Flip them over, then continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until they're lightly browned.
• If you have the time, allow the meatballs to cool for at least 1-2 hours before using. To simmer the meatballs in marinara sauce, bring 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce to a simmer in a sauce pot. Add the tempeh meatballs and simmer for 5 minutes. Otherwise, serve the tempeh meatballs with pasta, in vegan subs, in grain or pasta bowls, or pop one or two as a savory snack!

TEMPEH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
• Crumble tempeh into small bits and place in a medium pot, along with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the oil. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated, then set aside for a few minutes to cool.
• Pour enough oil into a rimmed baking dish (like a quarter-sheet pan) to generously coat the bottom - about 1/4 cup.
• Form the tempeh mixture into golf ball-sized balls with your hands, and place on the baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart.
• Bake for about 10 minutes. Then rotate the balls - either by shaking the pan or flipping with tongs - and continue baking for another 15 minutes or so, rotating the balls every 5 to 7 minutes, until they're brown all over.