Wrap the tofu with a dry absorbent towel and place it on a plate. Put something heavy on top, and leave it between 15 to 30 minutes. Some types of firm tofu only need 15 minutes and others 30.

If you didn’t have cooked quinoa ready or leftovers, it’s time to do it* while you are following the rest of the steps. You have to let it cool completely before using it.

Add the black beans to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake them for about 10-12 minutes, or until they look dry.

Add the cooked quinoa to a food processor, along with the sautéed veggies, baked black beans, tofu, dried basil, dried oregano, parsley, paprika, nutritional yeast, tamari, and salt and pepper. Process until a textured dough forms and all ingredients are well combined. Don’t overmix; it doesn’t have to look like a paste. Adjust flavor if it’s needed.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the oats, flaxseed meal, water, mix, and roll about 1 ½ tbsp of it into balls (or the amount you prefer) with wet hands (If the mix is a little dry, add 1 tbsp of water at a time, until you can form the balls). Place them on a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes (the more time, the better, for best flavor and texture)

Place them onto the prepared baking tray and bake the vegan meatballs for 40 minutes or until golden brown, flipping them halfway.

You can enjoy them as is or serve them topped with warmed marinara sauce (or tomato sauce of your choice), over rice, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, and more.