On Sunday I really got the chance to get a little experimental in the kitchen and managed to create two recipes as part of my Budget Busting Meals for the Big Budget Challenge.
I’ve already shared with you my Orange and Chia Seed Granola recipe earlier this week, so now it’s time to share the second offerings from my weekend cook up session.
I’ve wanted to make my own alternative to meatballs for a while as Alfie eats them quite often when we have pasta and I always have to go without, but I think I may have cracked my little problem.
*Tofu Meatballs*
Ingredients (vegan, makes 8 small meatballs)
-
1 pack of mori-nu tofu
- 1/2 a small onion diced
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- 2 tbsps of fresh basil
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1/2 tsp of dried mixed herbs
- 1 pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 slice of rye bread (or any bread of your choice)
- salt and black pepper
First mash the tofu before putting it into a food processor to help it break down and blend more easily. Add the chopped onion, garlic, basil and spices and blend together until all the ingredients are combined well. The mixture will appear too wet to make into meatballs, so add enough bread until the mixture becomes a little dryer and season the mixture to taste.
Next take the mixture and start rolling into meatball shapes. Allow the uncooked meatballs to chill in the fridge for a few hours so they can firm up. When they are firmed up cook them in a little oil until they become golden brown and use them to make a very tasty meal.
I served mine in a tomato sauce made from passata, garlic, onion, mushrooms and spinach with raw shredded courgettes, carrots and mushrooms. These really was one tasty meal and the meatballs are nice and firm on the outside, but lovely and soft on the inside, just bursting with flavour.
Tofu is such an adaptable ingredient and can take on any flavours. This is just a really basic but delicious recipe, but next time I want to try out this recipe with ground cashew nuts and maybe some lemon zest. I’ve even been thinking about trying to make my own sausages using tofu too, but I will leave that experiment for another time.
I hope you are all having a great week! 🙂
What is your favourite way to cook tofu?
How is your budget holding up this week?
These tofu meatballs sound delicious & I think I’m going to have to cook them!
Oooh, those tofu meatballs look great! I’ve made meatballs with lentils before but never thought to try tofu. Is the tofu that you used firm or silken?
My favourite way to cook (firm) tofu is simply to slice it, press it, marinate it and then grill it – about 6-8 minutes on each side makes it crispy on the outside, firm and slightly chewy on the inside…perfect! 🙂
What a great use for tofu! I love tofu is stir fries, panfried and as “ricotta”
My budget is doing okay this month, though the expenses keep appearing!
Ah these look amazing!! My boyfriend *loves* meatballs too and I always have to cook myself something completely different whenever he has them. You’ve solved this problem 🙂 I imagine they’re delicious in a traditional italian style meal (tomato sauce, noodles etc) but could also be adapted with some thai-style curry flavours? Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
I love tofu, as you say its so versatile I really don’t think I could chose a fave way to enjoy it! I love it baked, stir fried, scrambled and it desserts and as tofu yoghurt!
I’m very lazy and boring with tofu (I always freeze it beforehand, otherwise I hate the texture!) as I just leave it overnight in soy sauce/agave/ginger, then bake it to a crisp.
My budget isn’t doing too well at the moment – too many Olive and Bean salads and Starbucks coffees!
xxx
Those tofu meatballs look so savory and delicious!
This recipe sounds really good! I love tofu, so I’m definitely going to give this a go – thanks 🙂
I like tofu curried, with soy sauce, with peanut sauce, or with plum/hoisen sauce. YUMMO.
And my budget is pretty tight. Things are so expensive (save at Trader Joes!).
I usually bake my tofu then add it to a stirfry. When I cook it in the pan with the veggies, it just soaks up all the oil. Not good!
That meal looks so delish!! My family loves tofu and we eat it at least a couple of times a week. Our favourite ways of serving tofu is in oriental-style stir fries, scrambled tofu on toast, and tofu & hempseed burgers.
Glad to hear you’re doing well on the B.B.C. I think I’m doing okay, but I might be deluding myself. The truth will be revealed next week when the credit card bills hit the door mat 😉
I made some nice tofu birgers once, with pb, nutritional yeast and pesto – sounds weird but it worked… These sound lovely too, especially as I’ve got some tofu that needs a purpose!
I love tofu every which way its just so yummy!
That’s a great use of tofu! I LOVE tofu but I never prepare it in interesting ways.
Love the sound of this recipe! I love deep-fried tofu that you get in restaurants, not healthy but delicious! 🙂