These Easy Tofu Meatballs Can Do No Wrong

I am a known fan of tofu and meatballs and test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin’s recipes. So it should surprise no one that I was immediately smitten with Kendra’s tofu meatballs.

Vegetarian meatballs come in all shapes and sizes, but there’s a theme among recipes: They tend to have a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps. This is annoying. And I say that as someone who looks forward to making dinner! But when a meal involves multiple components (say, meatballs in a sauce with a salad on the side), there’s only so much energy to go around.

That’s why I love this recipe. It asks next to nothing of me—and still delivers a wildly delicious result.

The ingredient list is to the point, leaning on tofu in the same way that a classic meatball leans on meat. The other additions are usual suspects: egg, garlic, panko, oregano, red pepper flakes, Parmesan, salt. If you want to swap in another dried herb, spice, or cheese, the recipe will bend graciously. I’ve even used smashed saltines in lieu of panko and no one was the wiser.

Likewise, the technique is deliberately low-fi. You smash a brick of tofu with your bare hands like it’s wronged you, then stir in everything else. Portion and shape the mixture (Kendra aims for golf balls; you can go smaller or bigger and adjust the cook time accordingly). Throw them in the oven and bake. Pat yourself on the back.

Tofu Meatballs in Burst Tomato Sauce

We paired these easy tofu meatballs with a simple, summery tomato sauce that cooks as they bake, but you can flavor them any way you like.

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They are satisfying in a chicken nugget sort of way: mild-tempered yet satisfyingly savory, crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle. The recipe pairs them with a burst cherry tomato sauce and this is a great place to start. But if you’re like me, once you make these tofu meatballs, you’ll need to make them again. Luckily, there are, give or take, a million things you can do with these. But for today, I’ll give you 10:

1. Pair them with tzatziki (or just salted yogurt), a Greek salad, and warm pitas.

2. Douse in chimichurri sauce and serve with the potato of your choice—perhaps crispy-smashed, hefty nuggets, or a giant bowl of tater tots.

3. Toss with a short pasta like rigatoni and garlicky sautéed greens (like kale, broccoli rabe, or chard). Finish with lots of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and pinch of chile flakes.

4. Line up on a sub roll, top with tomato sauce and mozzarella, and broil until the cheese melts. Serve with extra sauce for dunking, plus Calabrian chile paste if you’re into that.

5. Put toward this cozy Japanese curry, adjusting the veg to whatever you’re in the mood for. Maybe sweet potatoes and spinach, or zucchini and corn. Serve over rice or udon.

6. Turn into vegetarian banh mi with a crackly baguette, sriracha mayo, pickled carrot and daikon, sliced cucumber and jalapeño, and fresh cilantro.

7. Make Saag Paneer, But With Feta—but with tofu meatballs instead of feta. Pair with rice, naan, or if you want to go the extra mile, homemade roti.

8. Swap into this rice bowl with sesame green beans.

9. Build your own ssam-style lettuce wraps with Little Gem leaves, rice, kimchi, and whatever sauce strikes your fancy (this gochujang-tahini one would be great).

10. Toss in Buffalo sauce (equal parts hot sauce and butter, melted together). To go with: blue cheese or ranch dressing, plus celery and carrot sticks.