This Eggplant Meatballs recipe is one of my favorite meatless meals to make. I often think that eggplant has a slightly meaty texture anyway, so that got me thinking that it could be a good alternative to beef or pork when making spaghetti and meatballs.
To make these “meatballs”, start by cooking and cooling eggplant. Make the meatball recipe by mixing cooled eggplant with breadcrumbs, flour, Pecorino and Parmesan cheeses, an egg, basil, parsley, garlic and salt. Freeze for 10 minutes to solidify the mixture. Shape into meatballs and bake in the oven. As the balls bake, make a tomato sauce. Heat the meatballs in the sauce before serving. Do not leave them in the sauce for too long or they will fall apart. Serve with spaghetti.
To make the Eggplant Meatballs, you will need the following ingredients:
Place one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and add the chopped eggplant. Stir the contents of the pan around to coat the eggplant with oil. Add a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Stir well and cover. Simmer and stir occasionally for about 20 minutes until the eggplant is very soft. Transfer to a shallow bowl and leave to cool.
Once the eggplant has cooled, place it in a large bowl with 1 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of grated Pecorino, ⅓ cup of freshly grated Parmesan, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons each of chopped basil and parsley, 3 minced cloves of garlic, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Cover the bowl and place it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 375 °F and grease a baking sheet with oil and line with parchment paper.
Fill a bowl with water and use it to wet your hands as you roll the "meatballs". Brush the eggplant balls with a little olive oil and place them on the baking sheet.
Place the meatballs in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 smashed cloves of garlic in a large nonstick skillet. Sizzle for one minute, before adding the tomatoes with a splash of water. Add the basil, oregano, and a generous pinch of salt and bring it to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 4-5 more minutes. Do not cook for more than 5 minutes or they will fall apart in the sauce.
Serve with spaghetti, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
These Eggplant Meatballs are such a delicious alternative to meaty meatballs. If you try this dish, please come back to leave a review below with your thoughts!
Superb meatless option!
So tasty, wow!
Tasty and fun!
Deliciosos. Hice estas albóndigas de berenjena para una cena familiar y todos disfrutaron. La textura es tan buena y fácil de hacer. Mis hijos nunca supieron que eran vegetarianas. Definitivamente las haré de nuevo.
Superb! Simply delicious!
OMG, these eggplant meatballs are a game changer! I made em for my friends and they couldn’t believe they were meatless. The texture is so on point! I usually struggle with cooking, but this recipe was super easy and totally impressed everyone. Can’t wait to make it again for my next dinner party.
Tried these meatballs last Sunday. Super easy and delish.
I tried the eggplant meatballs yesterday and they were simply great. I didn’t expect eggplant to taste so meaty. My husband loved them with spaghetti; they made for a delightful dinner. Will definitely make these again soon.
I tried the Eggplant Meatballs for a dinner party, and they were a hit. I love how eggplant can be so versatile. I prepared them earlier in the day and just heated them up with the sauce later. So easy and so yummy. Definitely making these again.
Increíble
I tried the Eggplant Meatballs for a family dinner and everyone loved them. The texture is superb, and they are very simple to make. Much better than I expected for a meatless meal.
Simply great recipe
OMG, these Eggplant Meatballs are a game changer! I whipped them up for my fam last night, and they thought they were eating the real deal! So easy and delish. Eggplant repppresennttt! 🤩🍝
Delicious! I made these eggplant meatballs for a family dinner, and everyone loved them. My kids couldn’t believe they were eating eggplant! It was a fun way to sneak in veggies. I will definitely make them again, maybe next week!
I tried these Eggplant Meatballs last weekend. I was hosting a small dinner for friends, and they were a hit. I love how the eggplant mimics meat textures, and it felt good to have a meatless option. They paired perfectly with my homemade tomato sauce. Definitely making these again soon.
