Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
Les, this one’s got your name written all over it! Sorry, needed to shout out my favorite pescatarian!
These Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs were a huge hit when I made them for what will certainly be the first of many times. As a matter of fact, I think my mother and I may start storing them in our freezers. While the cubed eggplant roasted in the oven, I combined all of the other meatball ingredients. Once the eggplant was ready, a quick couple of pulses in the food processor turns the vegetable into “ground meat.” If you don’t have a food processor, or didn’t want to dirty yours, you could easily chop the eggplant until it is pretty much mush.
Feel free to make your own tomato sauce or use your favorite jarred brand. And we served the meatballs, sauce and ricotta over pasta but you could also do as the original recipe suggests and serve them with crusty bread. An Italian salad rounds out the meal. Enjoy!
Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb eggplant, cut into 1×1-inch pieces about 2 medium globe eggplants
- 6 Tbls olive oil divided
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 c seasoned Italian breadcrumbs plus 2 Tbls
- 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 eggs–1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tso black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 24-oz jar store-bought marinara sauce
- 1/2 c whole-milk ricotta cheese
- Crusty bread for serving (optional)
- cooked pasta for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place cubed eggplant in a 13×9-inch baking dish; toss with 3 Tbsp. oil and salt. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once once halfway through. Allow eggplant to chill for 20 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Keep oven on and wipe pan clean. Place cooled eggplant in a food processor and pulse about 10 to 12 times, or until the eggplant is finely chopped/broken down. Transfer eggplant to a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, eggs, garlic, black pepper, and onion powder. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until well-combined. (The mixture should still feel moist.) Gently form into 15-20 meatballs (about 2 Tbsp. each).
- Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron or non-stick) 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.
- Spread marinara sauce in the same 13×9-inch baking pan you roasted the eggplant in. Add eggplant meatballs to the pan, and scatter small dollops of ricotta cheese throughout. Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes, until the marinara is bubbly. Garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan, if desired. Serve warm with crusty bread or cooked pasta.