Vegetarian House Meatballs Recipe

Prepare tofu

Drain the tofu and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Press under a heavy skillet or tofu press for 15–20 minutes to remove excess moisture.

Make mixture

Crumble the pressed tofu into a large bowl. Add rolled oats, panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, egg, minced garlic, grated onion, chopped basil, chopped parsley, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined; mixture should hold together when pressed. If too wet, add up to 2 tbs panko; if too dry, add a splash (1–2 tbs) of milk.

Shape meatballs

With lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into 18–20 golf-ball-sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches / 35–40 g each). Place formed balls on a parchment-lined tray.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and cook, turning gently, until browned on all sides, about 8–10 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through; just nicely browned. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels.

Sauté aromatics

In a heavy saucepan or deep skillet, heat 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute until fragrant but not brown.

Build sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add sugar if using, salt, and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the sauce reduces slightly and flavors meld.

Finish sauce with basil

Add torn fresh basil and simmer 2–3 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Combine meatballs and sauce

Gently add the browned vegetarian meatballs into the simmering marinara, spooning sauce over them. Cover and simmer on low 10 minutes to let flavors meld and meatballs cook through. If sauce becomes too thick, add 2–4 tbs water.

Make a slurry

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into 2 tbs of the milk until smooth to make a slurry.

Warm milk and cheese

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the remaining milk until just steaming (do not boil). Stir in cream cheese until melted and smooth. Add shredded mozzarella in small handfuls, stirring constantly to create a smooth, glossy sauce. When cheese is mostly melted, whisk in the cornstarch slurry to thicken slightly.

Season fondue

Stir in grated parmesan, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg if using. Keep fondue warm on the lowest heat or transfer to a small serving pot; stir occasionally to prevent skin from forming.

Preheat oven broiler to high (optional). Spoon a few spoonfuls of marinara into an ovenproof dish or individual shallow bowls. Arrange meatballs over the sauce, spoon additional sauce over them, then ladle warm mozzarella fondue over each meatball or the whole dish so they are nicely coated.

Broil briefly (optional) just to bubble and color the top: place dish under broiler 1–2 minutes watching carefully so the cheese browns slightly but does not burn. Alternatively, serve as-is with the warm fondue.

Drizzle with 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle torn fresh basil and grated parmesan over the top. Serve immediately with crusty bread, pasta, or over polenta.