Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce

Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce

By KENDRA VACULIN
Total time 50 minutes
Serves 4

Think of this recipe as a crash course in making tofu meatballs. While most meatless meatballs require lots of chopping, a food processor, or precooked grains, these come together in a flash in just one bowl—and you don’t even need a tofu press to make them. That said, your first step should be to drain your tofu and then pat it dry to avoid excess moisture.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp. Curio Spice Co. Greek Oregano

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more

1 14-oz. package extra-firm tofu,
drained, patted dry
1 large egg

7 garlic cloves, 3 finely grated,
4 thinly sliced
1 cup panko
1⁄4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated
(about 1⁄2 cup), plus more for serving
21⁄2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 11⁄2 tsp.
Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
1 large shallot, halved, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
Freshly ground black pepper

11⁄2 lb. cherry tomatoes (about 3 pints),
halved if large

Preparation

STEP 1

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat
to 400°. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet
with oil. Place tofu in a large bowl. Using
your hands, squish into a coarse meal
(like the consistency of ground meat). Add
egg, grated garlic, panko, oregano, red
pepper flakes, 1 oz. Parmesan, and 11⁄2 tsp.
Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher
salt. Mash and mix with your hands,
breaking up tofu more, until combined (no
need to worry about tofu getting tough).

STEP 2

Roll into golf-ball-size balls (you should
have about 16); place on prepared baking
sheet. Drizzle with oil; turn to coat.
Bake tofu balls, turning once, until lightly
browned and crisp, about 30 minutes.

STEP 3

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil
in a medium heavy pot over medium-
high. Cook shallot, stirring occasionally,
until softened, about 3 minutes. Add
thinly sliced garlic; cook, stirring often,
until slightly softened, about 1 minute.
Add tomato paste and remaining 1 tsp.
Diamond Crystal or 1⁄2 tsp. Morton kosher salt; season generously with black pepper.
Cook, stirring often, until tomato paste
is darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and 2 cups water to pot and
cook, stirring occasionally and pressing
down on tomatoes with a potato masher
or wooden spoon to help burst, until sauce
is thickened, 15–20 minutes. Remove pot from heat if meatballs aren’t done yet. Season sauce with salt and black pepper.

STEP 4

Add tofu balls to sauce; reduce heat
to medium-low (or return sauce to
heat). Bring to a bare simmer, stirring
occasionally and cook just until
heated through. Ladle into shallow
bowls and top with more Parmesan.

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