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Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs offer all there is to love about Eggplant Parmesan in a vegetarian meatball. These eggplant meatballs are best served with marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, and crusty bread for dunking.
This recipe is inspired by Ottolenghi.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love these Eggplant Meatballs
Fork-tender, filling, and filled with Parmesan and herbs, these eggplant meatballs are the unsung Italian heroes.
Eggplant Parmesan is just one of those Italian dishes that exudes comfort. It’s also one of the heartiest vegetarian dishes out there, and equally appealing to vegetarians and meat eaters alike.
These eggplant meatballs boast all the beloved qualities of the classic Italian dish in a two-bite treat.
They’re crispy, cheesy, herby, and extra delicious in marinara sauce. I love serving them with crusty Italian bread and a crisp side salad. However you can also enjoy them in a hoagie roll for a vegetarian riff on a meatball sub.
This recipe is also a fabulous way to enjoy multiple servings of veggies this time of year.
And while they’re impressive enough for entertaining, they’re make-ahead friendly for weeknight cooking, too.
If you love eggplant Parmesan as much as I do, also check out this Skillet Eggplant Parmesan recipe.
The Ingredients
- Eggplant: You need 1 1/2 lbs of eggplant for this recipe, which amounts to roughly 2 medium globe eggplants. Globe are the large, seedy eggplants with dark purple skin–the most common variety you’ll find in the produce section. Look for eggplants with shiny skin that are firm to the touch–both signs of ripeness and freshness.
- Breadcrumbs: The recipe calls for seasoned breadcrumbs, however you can also use plain and season them yourself. All you need to add is 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, or a mix of whichever dried herbs you have on hand. If making gluten free, use your favorite brand of gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan: For cheesy, nutty flavor. If making dairy free, use homemade pine nut Parmesan or nutritional yeast instead.
- Eggs: For binding the meatballs, you need one whole egg and one egg yolk. Unfortunately, plant-based egg alternatives such as chia or flax eggs don’t work great in this recipe.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds an aromatic backbone to the meatballs. If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use 1 tsp of granulated garlic instead.
- Parsley: Adds bright, herbaceous flavor. Alternatively, you can use chopped fresh basil leaves, however the flavor will be a little sharper.
- For Serving: I love serving these eggplant meatballs in marinara sauce with dollops of ricotta cheese. The ricotta adds creaminess and balances the acidity of the tomato sauce.
Dietary Swaps
To make this recipe gluten free, use your favorite brand of gluten free breadcrumbs. To make it dairy free, swap the Parmesan for “pine nut Parmesan” or nutritional yeast. You can also use a dairy-free ricotta cheese (such as Kite Hill brand) so you don’t miss out on the creaminess.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Roast the eggplant. Cut the eggplant into cubes and place it in a large baking dish. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast for 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Step 2: Pulse eggplant in a food processor until it’s finely chopped/broken down.
Step 3: Add remaining meatballs ingredients: breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, garlic, black pepper, and onion powder. Mix or blend until well-combined.
Step 4: Form into 20 mini meatballs (about 2 Tablespoons each).
Step 5: Sauté meatballs in a large skillet until golden and crisp, turning to brown on all sides.
Step 6: Spread marinara sauce in the same pan you used to roast the eggplant. Add eggplant meatballs to the pan, along with dollops of ricotta cheese.
Step 7: Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the marinara is bubbly. Garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Serving Suggestions:
- Pasta: For a real Italian feast, serve these meatballs over spaghetti or angel hair pasta. To pump up the protein, use a chickpea or lentil-based pasta. For a lighter option, serve over creamy polenta or mashed cauliflower.
- Crusty Bread: You simply can’t go wrong with a chunk of crusty Italian bread for dipping. It will also help round out the meal with a bit more sustenance.
- Hoagie Bun. Layer on some eggplant meatballs with melty mozzarella and fresh basil for the ultimate vegetarian meatball sub.
- Salad: Try my Cacio E Pepe-inspired Kale and Fennel Caesar, Roasted Artichoke Salad, or this reader-favorite Italian Pasta Salad.
- Roasted Veggies: Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower or this epic Roasted Broccoli Salad will pair beautifully.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips:
- Make-Ahead: Roast the eggplant up to two days ahead and keep refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also prepare the whole meatball mixture up to 1 day ahead, and remove from the fridge 20 minutes before forming into balls.
- Store: Store leftover meatballs (with or without sauce) in an airtight container refrigerated up to 4 days.
- Reheat: If reheating the meatballs in sauce, it’s best to warm them stovetop in a small saucepan OR in a 350ºF oven for 12 to 15 minutes. If reheating the meatballs without sauce, either warm them gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, or in the air fryer.
- Freeze: Unfortunately eggplant is a very high moisture vegetable and does not freeze well. I do not suggest freezing this recipe.
More Vegetarian Meatball Recipes
Moroccan Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs with Yogurt Ranch
Chili-Soy Mushroom Meatballs with Ginger-Scallion Rice
Chickpea Meatballs
If you give these Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs a try, I’d love for you to leave a rating and review. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!
Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
Equipment
- 13×9-inch baking dish
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. eggplant, cut into 1×1-inch cubes (about 2 medium globe eggplants)
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. seasoned breadcrumbs (sub plain breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 whole egg, plus 1 egg yolk, whisked
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 (24-oz.) jar marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.Place eggplant in a 13×9-inch baking dish; toss with 3 Tbsp. olive oil and salt. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once once halfway through. Let chill for 15 to 20 minutes, until cool enough to handle. (Keep the oven at 375ºF.)
- Place eggplant in a food processor and pulse about 10 to 12 times, or until the eggplant is finely chopped/broken down. Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, eggs, garlic, black pepper, and onion powder. Continue pulsing until the mixture is well-combined. (Alternatively, you can mix in remaining ingredients by hand.) Form into 20 mini meatballs (about 2 Tbsp. each).
- Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add half the meatballs and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, turning to cook all sides, until browned. Repeat with second batch of eggplant meatballs, adding another 1 Tbsp. oil as needed to the pan.
- Spread marinara sauce in the same 13×9-inch baking pan you roasted the eggplant in. Arrange eggplant meatballs in the pan, along with dollops of ricotta cheese throughout.
- Bake at 375ºF for 15 to 18 minutes, until the marinara is bubbly. Garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve warm with crusty bread.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Roast the eggplant up to two days ahead and keep refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also prepare the whole meatball mixture up to 1 day ahead, and remove from the fridge 20 minutes before forming into balls.
- Store: Store leftover meatballs (with or without sauce) in an airtight container refrigerated up to 4 days.
- Reheat: If reheating the meatballs in sauce, it’s best to warm them stovetop in a small saucepan OR in a 350ºF oven for 12 to 15 minutes. If reheating the meatballs without sauce, either warm them gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, or in the air fryer.
- Freeze: Since eggplant is a very high moisture vegetable, it does not tend to freeze/reheat well. Therefore, I do not suggest freezing this recipe.
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
So, so, so good!! Hubby didn’t believe these were meatless!!
I have not made this yet… But I have a silly question. Do you peel the eggplants?
I peeled mine and it worked out great they were a little softer without the peel but the taste was so much better no bitter peel taste. they were more patty shaped then ball LOL but just as good. My husband is a chef and he said this was the best thing I have ever made
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. Sautéed eggplant and garlic on stove instead of roasting. Did not use extra egg yolk since some commented that mixture did not come together. Used panko instead of breadcrumbs because that’s what I had on hand. They came out perfect. Will be making again. Thanks for sharing this super tasty recipe!
Wow! I’m not a vegetarian but I made this dish for a guest who is and I decided to try a bit— it was delicious! I decided to keep this recipe for my family and I. It is a bit more involved compared to beef/pork meatballs (since there’s the added step of roasting) but it’s a great way to get more veggies in the diet. Speaking of guests with dietary restrictions, I wonder if there is a good way to make this gluten-free and not sacrifice on flavor?.. Just one thing I did find a bit confusing, the recipe did not specify Italian parsley so I accidentally picked up standard (curly leaf) parsley. I did notice until later that one of the instruction photos appeared to show Italian parsley…
Hi! How cooked should the eggplant be before it goes in the food processor? Is it supposed to be fully cooked or a little al dente?
Thanks!
Hi Jamie,
I’d love to try this recipe but wanted to know if the meatballs can be frozen after they are formed and then taken out as needed for smaller portions over the course of a few weeks. Please advise. Thanks!
Can you freeze these after frying? They are delicious!!!!
One of my favorites! The only mods I make is that I add a little onion very finely chopped in the food processor and lots of fresh parskley and basil. I also always whip my ricotta in the food processor with a little garlic, lemon zest and salt. This is a top tier recipe that I always double as they taste even better the next day!
This excellent. Highly recommend this dish. This is the second time I’ve made it and it’s a hit
My husband loves it. Reminds me of me of being a kid when my mom would make veal cutlets then take the leftover breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and eggs and make egg balls
Roasting the eggplant gives such depth and such flavor. I also use Raos, can’t go wrong
It s a keeper recipe