Gluten Free Italian Tofu Meatballs in Marinara
Tofu might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you're craving a hearty Italian-style meatball, but pressed, crumbled, and seasoned right, it delivers a surprisingly satisfying bite with a golden, pan-seared crust. The key is getting as much moisture out of the tofu as possible before mixing — that extra step is what gives these meatballs their firm, rollable texture and helps them hold together beautifully in the skillet. Gluten free breadcrumbs stand in seamlessly for the traditional variety, binding everything together alongside eggs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, and a classic Italian herb blend of oregano and basil. Each meatball gets seared until deeply golden before being nestled into a simple from-scratch marinara built right in the same pan, so the flavors meld together as everything simmers low and slow. The result is a rich, saucy skillet dish that serves four and feels genuinely indulgent — no one at the table needs to know it started with a block of tofu. Finish with torn fresh basil and a little extra Parmesan, and you've got a weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like it took far more effort than it did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu
- ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the marinara
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Wrap the pressed tofu block in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze firmly over the sink, then press under a heavy skillet for 10 minutes, until as much moisture as possible has been removed. Crumble the dried tofu into a large mixing bowl into pieces no larger than a pea.
- 2
Add the gluten free breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, Parmesan, minced garlic (for the meatballs), dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper to the bowl with the crumbled tofu. Mix with your hands or a fork until the mixture holds together when pressed — it should feel firm and slightly tacky, not wet or crumbly.
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