Sweet And Sour Tofu Meatballs Recipe

These delicious and tender sweet and sour tofu meatballs with an Asian twist and have so much flavor to offer! They are filled with cucumber, carrots, scallion, and cilantro and smothered in homemade sweet and sour sauce. Perfectly served with rice or enjoy as they are. They make the best party appetizer!

These tofu meatballs are vegetarian and gluten-free friendly. It is pack with good for your nutrient and high in protein, so you can feel good about eating them! As someone who loves sneaking extra vegetables into my diet, I love I was able to add some carrot and cucumber into the meatballs while adding a great crunch to them.

How To Make Tofu Balls

To make these juicy and tender tofu meatball is pretty straight forward. You will need a food processor or a Vitamix.

Place carrot and cucumber in the food processor or a Vitamix. Then mix with chopped cilantro, green onion, an egg, salt, and firm tofu. Mix well, and it is ready to be shaped.

To make the tofu meatballs tender and juicier than ever, I steamed them on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes and then baked them in the oven with the sauce to firm up.

By steaming, it helps to keep your tofu meatball juicy on the inside. And by baking on high heat helps form a firmer outer layer and give you that traditional meatball experience.

Why You Will Love My Sweet And Sour Tofu Balls

•  Vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free. You may be able to turn them into vegan meatballs if you use an egg substitute.
• It is juicy on the inside and firm on the outside, just like a traditional meatball.
• To make this recipe, you only need a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients You Will Need 

Carrot

You only need one medium-size carrot stick. Adding a carrot to your meatball will add a sweet, fruity, and a bit of an earthiness while adding a crunch.

Cucumber

Adding cucumber to the meatball adds a refreshing and crisp texture. When steamed, it adds excellent moisture to the balls.

Extra-firm tofu

To form the ball shape, I like to use extra firm tofu because it will shape better. Silken or soft will leave you with a pile of mush. Extra-firm tofu can be found at any grocery store, and make sure it is labeled extra firm on the packaging. When removing your tofu from the packaging, make sure to drain the excess liquid. If needed, pad it dry with a paper towel.

Ingredients

1 Package 16 oz Extra firm tofu
1 Cup Fresh Cilantro Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Coconut Aminos or soy sauce
1 Whole Medium Carrot
1 Whole Small cucumber
1 Green Onion Chopped
1 Egg (or egg substitute for vegan option)
salt and Pepper

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 Cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
pinch of salt

Directions

1. Set up your steamer and leave it on medium heat. And also, pre-heat your oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the cucumber and carrot in your food processor or Vitamix blender, and then pour it into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add chopped cilantro, firm tofu, salt, pepper, egg, and chopped green onion into the mixing bowl. Before you place tofu in, make sure you drain out any excess water in the tray. You can also use paper towels to pad try. Mix well.
4. Use an ice cream scooper or use your hand and turn the mixture into a ball shape. Place the tofu veggie meatballs into the steam bowl or dish. Once your steam dish is filled up, place it in the steamer and steam on medium heat for about 6-8 minutes.
5. While you wait for the tofu meatballs to steam, make your sweet and sour sauce.
6. Once your tofu veggie tofu meatballs are done steaming, remove from the steamer and pour your sweet and sour sauce on top. Stick it into the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

To make the sweet and sour sauce

1. In a small to a medium saucepan, add in your ingredients and whisk.
2. Heat the ingredients over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Then reduces heat and lets it simmer until it thickens.

Recipe notes

• By steaming the dish first, it allows the meatball to be juicy and tender on the inside. And by baking, it gives a firm texture out on the outside.
• To make vegan meatballs, you can substitute the egg with other ingredients that can help the mixture bind better. I have personally never tried with egg replacement.
• If sweet and sour is not your thing, you can substitute it with marinara sauce, alfredo, or other sauces.

Nutritional (For Meatballs Only)

Serving size: 6

Amount per serving: Calories: 264 calories. Total Fat: 12.8g, Saturated Fat: 1.6g. Cholesterol: 27mg. Sodium: 74mg. Total Carbohydrate: 3.3g. Dietary fiber: 0.6g. Total Sugar: 1.5g. Protein: 30.8g.

Nutritional (Sweet And Sour Sauce Only)

Serving size: 1

Amount per serving: Calories: 218  calories. Total Fat: 0.4g, Saturated Fat 0g. Cholesterol: 0mg. Sodium: 465mg. Total Carbohydrate: 65.5g. Dietary fiber: 1.1g. Total Sugar: 38.3g. Protein: 1.7g.

**The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.**

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