When I was in college I lived in a shady apartment complex in Wichita. The laundry room was in a separate building, which meant I had to lug my clothes back and forth in the rain or shine to ensure I didn’t run out of presentable clothing for work and school.

Society, why do you impose such harsh rules on us?

Well, that lasted about a month. Before long I was trucking it back to my dad’s house just 20 minutes away where he’d often cook me dinner while I was folding my socks.

(Just kidding. Who folds their socks? Ugh, Rhonda. You would.)

If your dad is anything like mine, he’s all about simple, hearty meals.

Spaghetti was one of his specialties. A little pasta, a lotta sauce, and a considerable amount of meatiness.

In fact, one evening (whilst doing laundry), I had two platefuls then promptly passed out on his couch from sheer exhaustion. My father proceeded to fold all of my clothes for me and wake me up with a kiss on the forehead reminding me it was time to go home.

Aren’t dads the best? Mine is.

I still love spaghetti and crave it almost weekly.

And the good news is, meatless meatballs can taste just as delicious and are even healthier than their meaty counterparts. Who knew?

Origin of Meatballs

These days, meatballs are enjoyed all over the world and come in many different forms. But it’s believed that the idea originated from Persian meatballs known as kofta.

Our plant-based take on meatballs most closely resembles the flavors of Italian-American meatballs which are made with breadcrumbs and herbs. The story of Italian-American meatballs says that Italian immigrants served them with spaghetti and tomato sauce to make the dish more filling without much additional cost.

How to Make Tempeh Meatballs

These meatballs are based with tempeh, which is made from fermented soy beans.

I know, sounds suspicious. But think of nutritious soy beans processed in a way that makes it like tofu, but less processed. (More info here.) This not only means it’s firmer to work with, but also more nutritionally dense! One 4 ounce serving contains ~20 grams of protein.

WHAT? Now that’s a meatball.

Plus, this recipe is simple with just 10 ingredients and roughly ~45 minutes total prep and cook time. That’s manageable, right? Even for the busy cook.

And the important part: What do they taste like? They’re

Warm

Savory

Tender on the inside

Firm with a crust on the outside

Italian herb-infused

Fresh

Simple

Satisfying

& PERFECT with marinara and pasta

This recipe would be the perfect special weeknight meal. Though it takes a little more time to prepare, it’s still simple in nature and yields an incredibly satisfying meal that’s wonderfully healthy and nutritionally dense. What more could you ask for?

While I can’t offer you laundry service while you enjoy this meal (thanks, dad), I can say it’s worth the effort and is sure to satisfy the whole family.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! If you give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment, Pin it, or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We genuinely love seeing what you cook up. Cheers!

