Instructions

• If baking, preheat the oven to 390°F (199°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil a baking sheet if not using parchment.
• Drain the 4 oz firm tofu and squeeze out as much liquid as you can (use your hands, a towel, or a tofu press) so it is as dry as possible.
• Crumble the drained tofu into small pieces using a food processor (pulse) or by breaking it up with your hands; transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Finely chop the ½ onion and 2 cloves garlic.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook on medium-low to medium until softened and translucent (about 4–6 minutes); do not brown. Remove from heat.
• Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to a bowl and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Let cool slightly, then blend with a hand blender or finely mash/very finely chop until a smooth paste forms.
• To the bowl with crumbled tofu add ½ cup breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp cornstarch, ¼ cup dairy-free milk, the onion‑garlic paste, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. If you plan to bake, add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to the mixture now. If you plan to pan-fry, reserve that 1 Tbsp olive oil for frying instead of adding it to the mixture.
• Mix everything thoroughly with a spatula or your hands until the mixture holds together when pressed.
• Form the mixture into small balls about 1 Tbsp each and place them on the prepared baking sheet or a plate.
• Baking method: bake the meatballs at 390°F (199°C) for 15–20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until they are set and lightly browned.
• Pan-fry method: heat the reserved 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer (do not crowd) and fry 2–3 minutes per side, turning until browned and heated through.
• Serve the tofu meatballs with one of the listed sauces (Healthy Vegan Marinara Sauce, Caramelized Carrot Sauce, Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce, or Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce).