Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
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 dipping.
Servings: 5
Equipment
- 13x9-inch baking dish
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. eggplant, cut into 1x1-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 13x9-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 13x9-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
Serving: 4meatballs | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 900mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g