Tempeh is a great alternative to tofu and packs in more nutrients per serving. These Tempeh Vegan 'Meatballs' are a great way to add protein to salads, but they also go well in more hearty dishes such as spaghetti or sandwiches.
1tbspfresh herbs of your choice such as sage, thyme, oregano, or 1 tsp dried
1/8tspsea salt
1/8tspblack pepperground
1/2tbspolive oilextra-virgin (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. This can take up to 3 minutes depending on the quality of your food processor. If the mixture is too thick, add an additional 1 tablespoon of water (for 2 tablespoons total).
When the mixture is well blended, take small amounts of the mixture and roll it in your palms to create 10 golfball sized tempeh balls.
Line a baking tray with baking paper, or grease with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the 10 formed meatballs on the tray and space the meatballs evenly out.
Cook for a total of 20 minutes, rolling the tempeh meatballs once halfway through the cooking process to ensure even browning.
Once they are finished cooking, serve them with your favourite salad, or with a delicious tomato sauce on pasta!
Notes
Nut Variations
Instead of almonds, you can use any nuts that you have on hand. Try using pecans or cashews.
Using Dried Herbs and Flavour Enhancers
If you don't have onion and garlic on hand you can use the powdered version. Start with 1 tablespoon of onion powder and 1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder. You can flavour these meatballs with any dried herbs and spices you have on hand, try oregano and thyme for an Italian inspired meatball, or 1 tablespoon of curry powder for an Indian inspired meatball.
Freezing These Vegan Meatballs
You can make a bigger batch of these meatballs and freeze for later. After you have rolled the meatballs, place in a container in a single layer then freeze for up to 6 months. When you are ready to use them, let them defrost and then bake them as per recipe directions.
Making Them Nut-Free
Omit the almonds and use the same amount of sunflower seeds. You can also use sunflower seed butter if you have that on hand.Nutrition Analysis Done Per 'Meatball'