Serves 2 to 4

Photo By VK Rees

So many of my best memories revolve around a big juicy meatball, and lots of slurpy, garlicky marinara. My grandma?s dinner table with a big platter of her meatballs right in the center of it, always featuring a few burnt ones that everyone in the family tried to grab before anyone else could. My best friend?s mom, a beautiful Italian woman with jet black hair and catlike blue eyes, feeding me almost every night of the week. And later, when I went vegetarian, cooking tofu balls and spaghetti with my mom and sis. Even decades later, when I lived in a loft with no heat, every Sunday night my roommates and I would watch Sopranos and eat spaghetti and meatballs, made from some storebought soy sausage stuff. 

Well, this recipe is none of those exactly, but it?s a mishmash of all those experiences. I love the texture of tempeh in meatballs, it?s succulent and satisfying. A few condiments and pantry spices give me the childhood flavors that I crave. Definitely double this recipe if you feel like it, and don?t forget to burn a few…those are always the best loved. 
The method of simmering tempeh here is one that is so useful when you want a more neutral flavor! Learn it, live it. This recipe is from Isa Does It.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
16 ounces tempeh
1 cup water
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried ...