Tempeh Balls
- ½ cup lightly toasted cashews
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (flax meal)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, oregano, basil, or a combination
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1½ cups of your favorite marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions:
This recipe includes ground flaxseed as a binder to keep it vegan, but you could use a whole egg as an alternative.
- In a food processor, pulse the cashews until they form a coarse meal. Don’t overprocess the nuts or you might end up with cashew butter. In a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed with the water to form a thin paste. Add the paste to the processor along with the cashew meal. Crumble the tempeh and add it, the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, onion, herbs, fennel seeds, and salt to the food processor. Pulse a couple times to combine; the mix should remain a bit chunky. I hate to say this in a vegan recipe, but it should resemble the texture of ground beef. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and let rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes and up to a day in advance.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using your hands, gently roll the tempeh mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, thinly coat the top of each ball with olive oil. Bake until the tops of the tempeh balls are just toasted, 15 to 17 minutes.
- While they bake, combine the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes in a saucepan and warm over medium heat until the sauce comes to a bare simmer. When the tempeh balls are done, spear each with a cocktail pick, arrange them on a platter, and serve with the spicy marinara alongside for dipping.