Even though I haven’t eaten meat in for many years now, I still get a hankering for types of dishes. Often when this happens, I recreate the meal without meat and am happy. Sometimes, I work on an idea for years until I finally feel like I have it. In this case, the hankering was for meatballs smothered in tomato sauce.

My initial attempt included this nut-based meatballs and while I absolutely adore this recipe, it’s a bit on the heavy side. And so, when I saw this recipe for tofu meatballs on Bon Appetit’s site, I knew it was time to try something a bit different. These tofu meatballs are my now go-to for so many meals and I hope you’ll enjoy them as well.

Tofu Meatballs and Texture

The main reason to explore beyond my previous meatball recipe came down to texture-- I wanted something just a bit lighter. The bonus, with these tofu meatballs

These meatballs come together quickly and have, to me, a perfect texture. For this recipe, I use firm or extra-firm tofu, without pressing. Using this firmness allows the meatballs to hold their own, while the moisture retains a tender texture and prevents them from feeling dry. 

Flavor + Fat

The biggest thing I’m considering when making a recipe that riffs on a meat-based meal comes down to what parts of the thing do I want to create. For me it’s often chasing umami and richness. For meatballs, I’m looking for a bit of a fatty base with a savory finish. And luckily for us, there are a few ways to help achieve these vibes.

In the meatballs, I use nutritional yeast and doenjang. This Korean fermented soybean paste is a must whenever I'm making something that aims to replace meat—the process of making doenjang yields a rich, wonderfully funky, and umami flavor. Doenjang has a distinct profile compared to miso, despite both being made from soybeans. However, I've substituted red or the mellow-white miso in a pinch. 

Beyond flavor, I lean on oil to provide a bit of richness as well. The key here is to not let the meatballs dry out during baking by brushing oil midway through baking. Brushing oil over the meatballs helps keep the exterior from feeling overly crusty.

Sauce + Harissa

The tomato sauce for this recipe is one of my go-to base sauce recipes that is a bit more garlic-forward then dressed up a bit with the help of harissa paste.

The spices and chile peppers of this heat-forward North African chile paste are a lovely and easy addition to a base tomato sauce. There are several brands of harissa on the market, each with varying heat levels. Ensure you know the heat level and your heat tolerance before adding the amount to the sauce. And, if you're still unsure, start with a small amount and add or taste until you're satisfied. 

Cooking the Sauce

Finally, in the instructions I mention cooking the sauce to your desired marinara consistency. I prefer my sauce on the thicker side, cooking it a bit longer typically called for in more traditional recipes.

Cooking the sauce is all about cooking the tomatoes and reducing the water content. I like to keep the tomato sauce at a solid simmer, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce is thicker and no longer has a watery appearance, it's ready. This is a great time to add sugar. Canned tomatoes are harvested on the earlier side of being ripe, which also means the tomatoes tend to be a bit more acidic than sweet as sweetness develops as tomatoes ripen. A couple teaspoons of sugar can go a long way to rounding out the flavor of your sauce.

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Tofu 'Meat'balls with Harissa Tomato Sauce

4 servings

Harissa Tomato Sauce

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 28-ounce can (794 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa (see note)

Tofu Meatballs

• 10 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cups (64 g) panko
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) doenjang
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (for baking)
• Garlic bread (for serving)

1. To make the sauce: Heat a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, followed by the garlic cloves. Cook until just beginning to brown, then immediately add the crushed tomatoes along with the salt. Turn the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the sauce thickens into your preferred marinara consistency, mine is around 20 minutes for a slightly thick sauce.  Stir in the sugar and harissa. Taste and if the flavor is to you’re liking, remove from heat.
2. To make the meatballs: Preheat your oven to 400˚F. Drain but do not press the tofu. Using your hands, crumble the tofu into a medium bowl until there are no pieces of tofu larger than pea-size. Add the eggs and stir until eggs are mixed in with the tofu. Measure in the panko along with the minced garlic, doenjang, nutritional yeast, and salt. Stir until well combined, using the back of the spoon to mash any larger pieces of tofu as you go along.
3. Grab a sheet tray and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place in the preheated oven while you shape the meatballs.
4. Scoop out roughly a ping pong-size of the mixture and roll into a ball. Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining tofu mixture. Once you have formed all the meatballs, remove the preheated tray from the oven. Place the meatballs on the tray, then brush the meatballs with some of the olive oil.
5. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes then remove from the oven, brush the tops with residual oil and return to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the meatballs are browning and have a crispy exterior.
6. To serve: divide the meatballs into four bowls with the garlic bread and top with sauce.

Notes

Harissa: Just a reminder- know the heat strength of the paste you’re using and your own heat tolerance. Nothing like having a perfect sauce but too much heat for your liking.

Vegan: The egg provides binding and a bit of richness to the meatballs. However, a couple tablespoons of ground flax is a good alternative.

Storage: I’ve started batching the meatballs for weekly prep and even took them camping recently to use in a few meals. They store beautifully in the refrigerator for about a week. I’ve not tried to freeze them but I think it would work even though I have a feeling the texture would change. If you’ve ever frozen tofu, you know the difference between and I have a feeling that might be the case! Next time I make a batch, I’m trying and will add a note-- I’ve just been eating them before I have the chance!

Recipe Adapted this Bon Appétit version.

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