If you haven’t cooked with Tempeh before, give this recipe a try! Tempeh is a fermented product most often made with soybeans but can also be made with other beans and grains. Tempeh is great for bumping up the protein content in your diet and easily digested. These balls are the perfect topping to your favourite pasta and sauce and can also be shaped into burgers. If making burgers, fry them in a few tablespoons of avocado or olive oil until browned before dressing with your favourite condiments! Depending on the size of your family, there may be enough for two meals. Uncooked balls freeze beautifully or alternatively form the leftovers into burger patties to freeze for another meal.
Prep time: 15 min. Baking time: 25 min. Makes 24 balls.
Ingredients:
Pre-heat your oven to 400 F.
- 2 tbsp. of avocado oil
- 2 cups of brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 pkg. of tempeh (340g.) chopped into 1 cm. cubes. I like to use the Indonesian flavoured one!
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. tahini
- 1 Tbsp. tamari
- 2 tsp. arrowroot powder
- 4 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
- salt and lots of freshly ground pepper to taste
Drizzle a generous amount of avocado or olive oil over a large cookie sheet. (about 3 tbsp.)
Heat two tbsp. of avocado oil in a large fry pan. Add the chopped mushrooms and tempeh to the pan. Fry over medium heat for about 10 min. or until the mushrooms are cooked. Stir frequently.
Add the chopped garlic and white part of the chopped green onion to the tempeh and mushroom mixture. Reserve the chopped green part of the onion to add in the next step.
Transfer the tempeh, mushroom, garlic and onion mixture to your food processor. Process until combined but a bit chunky.
Transfer the mixture to a medium sized bowl. Add the tahini, tamari, arrowroot powder, oregano, chopped green onion, and chopped nuts. Mix together well with your hands to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to set up.
Form into golf ball sized balls. Place on your oiled cookie sheet. Roll them around in the oil to coat evenly.
If making burgers, form into patties and fry in a few tablespoons of avocado or olive oil.
Bake for 25 min. Tossing them a few times as they cook to ensure that they are evenly browned on all sides.
Serve over your favourite gluten-free pasta with tomato sauce!