These Vegan Tofu Meatballs with Tomato Sauce (Xíu Mại Chay) are comforting and delicious lunch or dinner options. These juicy vegan meatballs are cooked in a drool-worthy tomato sauce and served with fresh herbs and baguette!
Having grown up in Northern Vietnam, my encounters with Xíu Mại in the South were truly memorable. The dish's comforting, flavorful nature left a lasting impression. Whether enjoyed with rice or nestled in a bánh mì, the taste is simply divine.
In Vietnam, Xíu Mại is everyone's favorite, typically paired with crispy baguettes. This vegan recipe is not only delicious but also super easy to prepare! It is ideal for meal prepping, as you can make a big batch, freeze the meatballs and cook them later!
For similar Vietnamese recipes, check out my Tofu Meatball Banh Mi, Vietnamese Tofu with Tomato Sauce, and Vegan Vietnamese Curry!
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What are Vietnamese Meatballs?
Vietnamese Meatballs (Xíu Mại) are a traditional Southern Vietnamese dish featuring succulent pork meatballs immersed in a delectable tomato sauce. Typically enjoyed alongside bánh mì (Vietnamese baguette), this recipe offers a vegan twist on the classic, crafting meatballs from tofu, wood-ear mushrooms, and a medley of flavorful sauces.
In Vietnam, Xíu Mại is a breakfast staple, served with crispy baguettes both at home and in restaurants. This dish holds a special place for its delightful taste and comforting warmth, making it particularly satisfying during cooler weather.
Ingredients
The tofu meatballs are made of 9 ingredients:
- Firm tofu
- Wood-ear mushroom
- Onion
- Garlic
- Sriracha
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce
- Black pepper
- Corn starch
Tomato Sauce:
- Shallot
- Canned tomato
- Mushroom seasoning
- Ketchup
- Sriracha
- Black pepper
Instructions
Make the tofu meatballs
Crumble the tofu and squeeze out most of the water.
Pour a generous amount of hot water over the dried mushroom. Let it sit and expand for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop and thinly slice the onion and garlic.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Line a baking paper on your baking dish.
- To a mixing bowl, add the crumbled tofu. Drain and thinly cut the mushroom then put it in the bowl. Add the minced onion, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, sriracha, corn starch and black pepper to the mixture. Mix well to combine.
- Spoon and shape the mixture into balls, this recipe makes about 12 - 16 tofu balls.
- Put the balls on the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the outside is golden and crispy.
Make the tomato sauce base
- On a pan on medium heat, add the canned tomatoes, season with salt, ketchup and sriracha. Add in the meatballs and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Garnish with green onions, coriander, and enjoy with rice or a few slices of baguette.
Different ways to cook the Vietnam meatballs
There are different methods you can choose to cook the meatballs:
- Bake: this is the easiest and healthiest method, just line the tofu meatballs on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 200°C (392°F). The tofu meatballs become crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside.
- Fry: you can also choose to shallow or deep fry the tofu for a more crunchy texture.
- Air fry: you can spray some oil (optional) and air-fry the tofu meatballs in the air fryer for 10 minutes.
- Steam: you can steam the tofu meatballs on a steaming basket for 10-15 minutes.
Which mushrooms to use for this Vietnamese Meatball recipe?
For the recipe, I used dried shredded wood ear mushrooms, which you can find in the Asian supermarkets or the Asian section of some big supermarkets. If you don't have access to them, you can choose to rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms or chop up fresh shiitake mushrooms or other types of mushroom.
How to serve the Vegan Vietnamese Meatballs?
You can enjoy these Vegan Meatballs with rice, rice noodles or with a crispy baguette. To eat with baguette, just take a piece of the baguette and dip it with the sauce. The bite is flavorful and has a nice texture!
If you have tried my recipe, please let me know what you think by leaving me a review on this page or tagging me on Instagram @veggieanh. I would love to see your creations!
Print📖 Recipe
Vietnamese Tofu Meatballs in Tomato sauce (Vegan)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
These Vegan Tofu Meatballs with Tomato Sauce (Xíu Mại Chay) are super comforting and delicious. These juicy tofu meatballs are cooked in a drool-worthy tomato sauce and served with fresh herbs and baguette!
Ingredients
Tofu Meatballs
- 400 g firm or extra-firm tofu
- 3 dried wood ear mushrooms
- hot water
- ½ an onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha (or other hot sauce)
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 6 tbsp corn starch
- ½ tsp black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 400 g canned tomato
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp sriracha (or other hot sauce)
Serve with:
- Baguette or rice
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- A bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
Make the tofu meatballs
- Crumble the tofu and squeeze out most of the water.
- Pour a generous amount of hot water over the dried mushroom. Let it sit and expand for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop and thinly slice the onion and garlic.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Line a baking paper on your baking dish.
- To a mixing bowl, add the crumbled tofu. Drain and thinly cut the mushroom then put it in the bowl. Add the minced onion, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, sriracha, corn starch and black pepper to the mixture. Mix well to combine.
- Spoon and shape the mixture into balls, this recipe makes about 12 - 16 tofu balls. Transfer the tofu balls into the fridge for 15-20 minutes to harden.
- Put the balls on the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the outside is golden and crispy.
Make the tomato sauce base
- On a pan on medium heat, add the canned tomatoes, season with salt, ketchup and sriracha. Add in the meatballs and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Garnish with green onions, coriander, and enjoy with rice or a few slices of baguette.
Notes
The recipe lasts in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat in the microwave or on the pan.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: vietnamese
Ming says
I made this today! Thank you for the simple recipe 🙂
Veggie Anh says
Thanks for your nice words!