Baked tempeh meatballs are the “meatiest”, most delicious vegan meatballs you’ll ever make. Less than 40 minutes from start to finish.
In the realm of traditional-to-vegan recipe conversions, meatballs are one of the most challenging. Between textural missteps and out-of-left-field ingredient additions like quinoa (why?), a truly satisfying vegan meatball is hard to come by. Luckily for us, Lisa Dawn Angerame, author of Wait, That’s Vegan?!, was up for the challenge.
Lisa’s debut cookbook is a collection of vegan versions of classic comfort foods – from pancakes and lasagna, to burgers and cupcakes, and everything in between. I got acquainted with Lisa and her recipes in the summer of 2019, when I had the privilege of photographing them. During a seven-day marathon, we shot all 75 recipes in her Manhattan apartment. The tempeh meatballs were one of the best things I tasted during the shoot and I’m so psyched they made the cover!
These ‘balls have a chewy interior and a satisfying caramelized crust, just like traditional meatballs. The combo of miso, tomato paste, and nutritional yeast lends a rich salty-savory flavor, and parsley gives them an earthy freshness.
What’s In These Tempeh Meatballs
This recipe features some of the usual suspects you’d find in traditional meatballs – except instead of ground meat, you use crumbled tempeh. In the flavorings department, we’ve got miso, tomato paste (or ketchup!), nutritional yeast, dried oregano, garlic powder, and fennel seeds. Store-bought breadcrumbs bind it all together.
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
- Miso: This Japanese fermented soybean paste adds savoriness (“umami”). Look for it in the refrigerated section (next to tofu, kimchi, etc.) or in the international foods aisle. Don’t hesitate to buy it if it’s your first time! Miso lasts forever in the fridge (like, a whole year) and there’s hundreds of ways to use it in vegan cooking.
- Tomato Paste: Lisa’s recipe calls for it, but I almost never use this ingredient myself because I can never use up the whole can on time. The good news: you can sub with ketchup!
- Breadcrumbs: Plain store-bought ‘crumbs are best here. I recommend Whole Foods’ 365 brand – it’s vegan and has minimal ingredients.
- Nutritional Yeast: A “cheesy”-tasting seasoning sold in most supermarkets. Look for Bragg or Bob’s Red Mill brands. Also lasts forever [in the pantry].
- Fennel Seeds: You may recognize this unique flavor from traditional Italian sausage. Hence, adding the seeds to vegan meatballs gives them a “meatier” vibe.
- Oil: I know 1/4 cup oil seems like a lot, but it’s necessary for browning these ‘balls and preventing sticking. Don’t worry – most of it will stay behind in the pan.
How to Make Tempeh Meatballs
Simmer the Tempeh: First, crumble a block of tempeh with your fingers until it is roughly the size of chickpeas. Place in a pot, then add 1/2 cup water and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the water’s evaporated, about 10 minutes. This step softens the tempeh, seasons it throughout, and eliminates its inherent bitterness.
Make the Meatball Mixture: Transfer the tempeh to a large bowl. Add all the seasonings and the breadcrumbs, and stir to incorporate everything evenly. Set aside for a few minutes – just until the mixture is cool enough to handle.
Form the ‘balls: Pour enough oil on a rimmed baking dish to generously coat the bottom (I recommend a quarter-sheet pan). Pinch off bits of the tempeh mixture and form into golf ball-sized balls with your hands. Place on the baking sheet, spacing the balls about an inch apart.
Bake the Meatballs: Place in a preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Then rotate the balls – either by shaking the pan or using tongs to flip – and continue baking for another ~15 minutes, rotating the balls every 5-7 minutes, until they’re brown all over.
Serving Suggestions
Besides the obvious, tempeh meatballs are great with creamy polenta, roasted spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles. You can also tuck them into a meatball sub with melty vegan cheese! They are ideal for meal prep since they last all week in the fridge. To freeze, underbake the meatballs slightly, let them cool, then freeze; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a skillet to revive the crispy exteriors.
More ways with tempeh…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
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Tempeh Meatballs
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12–15 meatballs 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These baked tempeh meatballs are the “meatiest”, easiest, most delicious vegan meatballs you’ll ever make. Adapted from Wait, That’s Vegan?! by Lisa Dawn Angerame (Page Street Publishing, 2020).
Ingredients
- One 8-ounce package tempeh
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup plain store-bought breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon white miso
- 1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste or ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- About 1/4 cup avocado, refined coconut, or organic canola oil
Instructions
- 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. (Tip: you may have to squeeze the mixture a bit more intensely than you’d think to get it to form into balls.)
- Bake until the balls are golden brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Then rotate the balls – either by gently nudging them with a butter knife or just shaking the pan – and continue baking for another 12 minutes or so, rotating the balls every 5 to 7 minutes, until they’re brown all over.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 240 calories
- Carbohydrates: 18.9 g
- Fiber: 6.9 g
- Protein: 14.1 g
Gail Mc says
Lovely flavours, but alas, they fell apart..
Alexandra Shytsman says
I’m sorry to hear that, Gail! I wonder why that happened. Did you make any ingredient substitutions? How did you serve them?
Laura says
Can I use parchment paper instead of the oil? Thank you.
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Laura. Parchment paper will prevent sticking, but the meatballs won’t have that crispy, toothsome exterior without oil. I would suggest at least spraying them with avocado oil before baking. Either way, it’s worth a try! Let me know how it goes 😀
Emma says
Yep, always on the lookout for a good veg meatball. I tested this recipe while husband was away as he doesn’t love tempeh. But I think he will love these! They don’t fall apart, have some “chew” and are delightfully crispy on the outside!! And they taste fantastic. I let them cool for later and tried one – actually really enjoyed them at room temperature. I squeezed some Siracha mayo on another and it was like a lovely appetizer!! I followed the recipe using Australian sized tempeh pack (slightly larger) and was feeling lazy so used the food processor to pulse the tempeh and they worked out fine. This will be my favourite meatball go-to recipe from now on. Thankyou!!
Alexandra says
Hi Emma! Thank you for this feedback – I always wonder about the sizing of ingredient packages in other countries. So glad you enjoyed this recipe. I hope your husband will love them too!
Barbara says
I’m guessing it wld be ok to sub gluten free rolled oats in place of breadcrumbs, yes?
Thks
Alexandra says
Hi Barbara! It would be okay to use oat flour (or rolled oats blitzed in a food processor/blender). Whole oats would not provide the necessary binding power. Let me know how it works out!
Laura says
Great recipe – added Aleppo pepper to the spice blend as well as some ground dried porcini mushrooms. Recipe written perfectly. Caveat, tried to let the meatballs sit in my house made marinara about 15 minutes before serving to soak some extra flavor and it softened the balls up so they broke – my bad. If I had just topped them with hot sauce, they would have stayed perfectly round! Will make again- thanks!
Alexandra says
Hi Laura! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for that helpful feedback 😀
Kathleen says
How about freezing theses meatballs?
Alexandra says
Hi Kathleen! You definitely can freeze them. I’d suggest reheating them in a skillet (after thawing, of course) to revive the crispy exterior.
Jennifer G Hutzel says
Love these! just had some last night served on top of polenta!
Alexandra says
Awesome idea 😀
Jenn Dazey, ND, RH (AHG) says
I LOVED these so much, I’m choosing to use your recipe in my cooking class (Herbs & Food) at Bastyr U. My students need to know how to apply functional foods in ways that people can (literally) live with – Thank you!
Alexandra says
Wow, that’s amazing! Thank you for sharing, Jenn 🙂 I hope the class loves the recipe too.
Chante says
Very good. I served these as meatball subs. My partner cried because they tasted so good!
(My preference is to flatten the balls so they look like little pucks. This increases the toast-able surface area.)
Alexandra says
Love that idea! I’m gonna have to try it 🙂
JOSIE says
eXCELLENT RECIPE!! Firm & tasty. Even my husband who doesn’t usually like tempeh enjoyed them.
Alexandra says
So glad to hear it! We make these all the time 🤗