Learn how to make Tofu Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce! This simple high-protein meal tosses baked tofu meatballs, stir-fried vegetables, and pineapple in a tangy sauce. Great for dinners or a party appetizer.
Looking for more vegan meatball recipes? Give my Vegan Grape Jelly Meatballs, my Easy Vegan Meatballs (perfect for spaghetti), and these Vegan Swedish Meatballs a try!
If you love my Sweet and Sour Tofu recipe as much as I do, then I know you’ll get a kick out of these Sweet and Sour Tofu Meatballs, too.
They put a fun twist on the original thanks to perfectly seasoned and baked tofu meatballs made in a food processor. They’re combined with stir-fried veggies and drenched in a homemade vegan sweet and sour sauce for a delicious high-protein meal that tastes like takeout! I love serving the baked tofu meatballs, veggies, and sauce over steamed white rice, but quinoa, rice noodles, or fried rice would be just as good.
Why you’ll love vegan sweet and sour meatballs
- Takeout with a twist – I swapped the crispy tofu for homemade tofu meatballs in this takeout-inspired recipe for extra protein and much more meatiness. As a bonus, they’re easier to pick up with toothpicks at parties!
- Surprisingly easy – The meatballs are easy to make in a food processor, baking them is a breeze, and the sauce takes seconds to prepare. Toss everything together in a frying pan, and then you’re ready to eat!
- Make-ahead friendly – Make the meatballs or sweet and sour sauce days ahead of time, then put them together for a quick and filling weeknight dinner or right before the party.
How to make sweet and sour tofu meatballs
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Start by making the baked tofu meatballs. Add the pressed and crumbled tofu to a food processor along with the rest of the meatball ingredients. Pulse to combine.
Roll portions of the meatball mixture into balls and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake the tofu meatballs for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Make the sweet and sour sauce. Whisk the sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
Next, stir-fry the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add the onion and bell peppers. After sautéing for a few minutes, add the pineapple and cook for another minute.
Whisk the sauce once more, then pour it into the pan. Stir constantly until it thickens, then reduce the heat.
Add the tofu meatballs to the pan and stir to coat them in the sauce. Cook until everything is warmed through.
Serve the sweet and sour meatballs and vegetables over cooked rice with green onions, then enjoy!
Serving ideas
You can serve sweet and sour meatballs over rice, quinoa, or noodles for a meal. When it’s your turn to host the party, serve them in a crockpot on warm and pierce the meatballs with toothpicks for easy snacking.
Frequently asked questions
I absolutely love drenching these meatballs in a tasty sauce and serving them over rice. They make a fantastic substitute for cooked tofu in most of my tofu-centered recipes, like Teriyaki Tofu, Sticky Sriracha Tofu, and General Tso’s Tofu.
You can absolutely use store-bought vegan meatballs when you want to save a little time (I like Beyond, Impossible, and Gardein vegan meatballs). Cook them according to the package directions, then combine them with the veggies and sauce as normal.
Not inherently, but it’s easy to make gluten-free. Simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of panko in the meatballs and tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce in the sauce.
Air frying the meatballs should be fine. Cook them in two batches in a 400ºF air fryer for 15 minutes or until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, flipping them halfway through.
I haven’t tried pan-frying the meatballs. They might fall apart in the pan, but give it a try and let me know in the comments if it works for you or not.
Absolutely! The baked and cooled tofu meatballs will freeze well for up to 3 months. Flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.
To reheat, warm them in a 350ºF oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they’re warmed through and slightly crisp on the outside again.
Pack the meatballs, veggies, and sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The leftovers reheat well in the microwave.
Sweet and Sour Tofu Meatballs
Ingredients
Tofu Meatballs
- 14.5 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley or 1/4 cup fresh
The Rest
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced into 1-inch chunks
- 2 bell peppers, any color seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks or canned
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 3-4 cups cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with oil).
- Press the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels (or a clean dry tea towel). Place a heavy pan on top of the wrapped tofu. Let the tofu press for 30 minutes.
- Crumble the tofu with your hands into a food processor, then add all the remaining meatball ingredients. Pulse until well combined and you can easily form the mixture into balls.
- Form into 1.5 tablespoon balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, flipping them over about halfway through. Remove from the oven.
- In a small bowl, add the sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, pineapple juice, soy sauce and cornstarch. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
- In a large pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook for another minute. Whisk the sauce in the bowl one more time before adding to the pan. Stir constantly as it thickens, then lower the heat to low.
- Add the tofu meatballs to the pan and stir to coat in the sauce. Cook for 3-4 more minutes, then remove from heat.
- Serve warm over cooked rice with green onions.
Notes
- Gluten free – Substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs and use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- If you just want the meatballs and sauce, double the tofu meatballs and leave out the peppers and onions. You can serve them with toothpicks as an appetizer.
This recipe is actually 2 bowls good. Actually it’s delicious 👍🏻 Thank you, Nora, for your amazing recipes. I have been folowing you for several years and each recipe I make, I am never disappointed. Finding great vegan recipes can be challenging, so I am very grateful I found your site.
PS: I served this recipe to my husband and daughter who are not vegan and they loved it. They said I definately have to make it again.
Denise
I’m so glad you enjoyed the sweet and sour tofu meatballs, thank you! I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy on my website.
Hi Nora! I made this today, more or less to your recipe but to the food processor I also added lentils along with the tofu, for the added nutritional benefits.
I cooked them in the air fryer and they turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
Hello! Love your recipes! When you say add the rest you’re not adding the rice correct? The rice is for the tofu to go on top of correct?
I might be missing something but reading over the recipe instructions I don’t see anywhere that I say to “add the rest”, but no the rice is separate and for serving. Thank you for loving my recipes!
If I’m not wanting to use sugar or honey is there a better way to sweeten without so much sugar?
You can just use less if you want, adjust it to your own needs and tastes. It’s quite flexible.