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Eggplant Meatballs

Eggplant Meatballs

Name: Eggplant Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Eggplants 1½ lbs; Breadcrumbs 1 ⅓ cup; All-purpose flour 3 tbsp; Pecorino ¼ cup; Parmesan cheese ⅓ cup; Eggs 1; Basil 2 tbsp; Parsley 2 tbsp; Garlic 3 cloves; Salt; Black pepper; Olive oil 1 tbsp; Olive oil 2 tbsp; Garlic 4 cloves; Tomatoes 28-oz can; Basil; Dried oregano pinch of; Salt

“meatballs” for Meat-Free Monday

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Like 3
1h 05m
Serves 6
Medium
375 °F
(1)

Ingredients

	For the meatballs
	1½ lbs Eggplants cubed into small pieces
	1 ⅓ cup Breadcrumbs italian seasoned
	3 tbsp All-purpose flour
	¼ cup Pecorino grated
	⅓ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
	1 Eggs
	2 tbsp Basil chopped
	2 tbsp Parsley chopped
	3 cloves Garlic minced
	Salt to taste
	Black pepper to taste
	1 tbsp Olive oil
	For the sauce:
	2 tbsp Olive oil
	4 cloves Garlic smashed but not chopped
	28-oz can Tomatoes of san marzano tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
	Basil to taste
	pinch of Dried oregano
	Salt to taste

Nutritional information

337

Calories

11g

Fat

31mg

Cholesterol

722mg

Sodium

52g

Carbohydrate

13g

Protein

Cuisine:

American Recipes

Ingredients

For the meatballs
1½ lbs Eggplants
cubed into small pieces
1 ⅓ cup Breadcrumbs
italian seasoned
3 tbsp All-purpose flour
¼ cup Pecorino
grated
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
freshly grated
1 Eggs
2 tbsp Basil
chopped
2 tbsp Parsley
chopped
3 cloves Garlic
minced
Salt
to taste
Black pepper
to taste
1 tbsp Olive oil
For the sauce:
2 tbsp Olive oil
4 cloves Garlic
smashed but not chopped
28-oz can Tomatoes
of san marzano tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
Basil
to taste
pinch of Dried oregano
Salt
to taste

Eggplant Meatballs

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:

Steps to make Eggplant Meatballs

1	Cook eggplant	20
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.
2	Make meatball mixture	10
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.
3	Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet	1
Heat oven to 375 °F and grease a baking sheet with oil and line with parchment paper.
4	Shape “meatballs”	10
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.
5	Cook “meatballs”	20
Place the meatballs in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.
6	Prepare sauce	20
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.
7	Add “meatballs” to sauce	5
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.
8	Serve	1
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!

Jeff O'connor

Jeff is a 38-year-old bachelor who prefers not to waste his time on salads and light meals. He’s a true carnivore who knows how to enjoy food to the max! Jeff will tell you how to cook rich and filling meals from scratch, bringing some real meaty decadence to your kitchen. His recipes are sure to satisfy every meat lover!