Teriyaki Tempeh Meatballs

4 from 1 vote

These tempeh meatballs are coated in a sweet and savory teriyaki glaze. Serve them up with veggies and rice for a hearty vegan main dish, or alone as a scrumptious party appetizer!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Entree

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings:

Calories: 345kcal

Author: Alissa

Ingredients

For the Tempeh Meatballs

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 8 ounce package tempeh, broken into 1 to 2 inch chunks
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unflavored soy or almond milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon liquid smoke

For the Teriyaki Sauce

¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sake, optinal, but very nice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
dash white pepper
6 tablespoons cold water, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch

For Serving

2 scallions, chopped
toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the Tempeh Meatballs

Preheat oven to 400° and lightly oil a baking sheet.
Place all ingredients into a food processor bowl and pulse, just until ingredients are chopped and well mixed. Don't overdo it.
Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs begin to brown, flipping once or twice during baking.

Make the Teriyaki Sauce

While the meatballs bake, place soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sake, garlic, ginger, white pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir a few times to mix the ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower heat and allow to simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce simmers, place the remaining 4 tablespoons of water into a small bowl. Stir in the cornstarch until fully dissolved.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and allow to simmer until it thickens up, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Finish and Serve

When the meatballs are done baking, add them to the saucepan and gently stir to coat with the sauce. Serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and scallions.

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