I am always looking for new and delicious ways to make meat substitutes. This has become a favorite because of its multiple uses. You can easily make these and break them up as a meat crumble if you don’t want a couple days of meatballs. I use them as meatballs the first day on pasta, day two in a meatball sandwich, and day 3 break them up and add them to a “meatless” meat sauce.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Add tempeh and simmer on low for 10 min until soft. Drain and mash with a fork or potato masher until the bits are small crumbles.
Sauté mushrooms, onions, garlic, miso, liquid aminos, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke with a small amount of oil. I suggest covering and letting them steam over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Take off the lid, at this point there will be liquid in the pan. Raise the heat a little and continue cooking until the liquid cooks off and the veggies get some nice caramelized bits to them.
While the mushrooms and tempeh are doing their thing preheat the oven to 375 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Break up the toast and pulse it in a blender until crumbs. Set aside in a bowl with the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
In the blender pulse the nuts until finely crumbled. You will have to scrape the sides here and there to make sure its well mixed. Add to the bowl with the bread crumbs.
Once the mushrooms are cooked pulse them in the blender until fine. Add them to the bowl with the bread crumbs and nut mixture along with the tempeh and the egg. With a spatula or spoon combine all ingredients until a "meat loaf" like texture.
Working one handful at a time form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a golf ball and place them an inch apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes turning every 7 minutes, I recommend using tongs to make your life easier.
Serve with your favorite sauce on pasta or on their own. These last 3-4 days in the fridge.
Tip: I use them as meatballs the first day on pasta, day two in a meatball sandwich and day 3, break them up and add them to a "meatless" meat sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan. Add tempeh and simmer on low for 10 min until soft. Drain and mash with a fork or potato masher until the bits are small crumbles.
Sauté mushrooms, onions, garlic, miso, liquid aminos, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke with a small amount of oil. I suggest covering and letting them steam over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Take off the lid, at this point there will be liquid in the pan. Raise the heat a little and continue cooking until the liquid cooks off and the veggies get some nice caramelized bits to them.
While the mushrooms and tempeh are doing their thing preheat the oven to 375 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Break up the toast and pulse it in a blender until crumbs. Set aside in a bowl with the Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
In the blender pulse the nuts until finely crumbled. You will have to scrape the sides here and there to make sure its well mixed. Add to the bowl with the bread crumbs.
Once the mushrooms are cooked pulse them in the blender until fine. Add them to the bowl with the bread crumbs and nut mixture along with the tempeh and the egg. With a spatula or spoon combine all ingredients until a "meat loaf" like texture.
Working one handful at a time form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a golf ball and place them an inch apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes turning every 7 minutes, I recommend using tongs to make your life easier.
Serve with your favorite sauce on pasta or on their own. These last 3-4 days in the fridge.
Tip: I use them as meatballs the first day on pasta, day two in a meatball sandwich and day 3, break them up and add them to a "meatless" meat sauce.
