Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs

Name: Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 680 g eggplant; 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 4.5 g kosher salt; 135 g seasoned breadcrumbs; 40 g Parmesan; 15 g fresh parsley; 2 ea eggs; 3 ea garlic cloves; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tsp onion powder; 680 g marinara sauce; 125 g whole-milk ricotta; 1 ea loaf crusty bread

Recipe from Jamie Vespa MS, RD · original post · full recipe on dishingouthealth.com

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.

Serves 5 60 min 13g proteinKid-friendly

VegetarianItalian

Ingredients

eggplant — cut into 2.5 cm cubes680 g
extra-virgin olive oil — divided90 ml
kosher salt — ¾ tsp4.5 g
seasoned breadcrumbs135 g
Parmesan — grated, plus more to garnish40 g
fresh parsley — chopped15 g
eggs — 1 whole egg plus 1 yolk2 ea
garlic cloves — thinly sliced3 ea
black pepper0.5 tsp
onion powder0.5 tsp
marinara sauce680 g

Cooking for a different diet?

Swaps that keep this dish what it is. The prices on this page are for the recipe as written.

Gluten-free
- 135 g Gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of seasoned breadcrumbs
- 400 g Gluten-free bread instead of loaf crusty bread
Gluten-free breadcrumbs soak up more moisture, so chill the mixture for 10 minutes if it feels soft before rolling; frying and baking times are unchanged.
Dairy-free
- 40 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of Parmesan
- Leave out the whole-milk ricotta
Pulse in the dairy-free parmesan as written and skip the ricotta dollops; timings are unchanged.

Swaps are suggestions — check labels if you are cooking for an allergy.

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eggplant · 680 g
extra-virgin olive oil · 90 ml
kosher salt · 4.5 g
seasoned breadcrumbs · 135 g
Parmesan · 40 g
fresh parsley · 15 g
eggs · 2 items
garlic cloves · 3 items
black pepper · 0.5 tsp
onion powder · 0.5 tsp
marinara sauce · 680 g
whole-milk ricotta · 125 g
loaf crusty bread · 1 item

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place eggplant in a 13x9-inch baking dish; toss with 3 Tbsp. olive oil and salt. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Let chill for 15 to 20 minutes, until cool enough to handle. (Keep the oven at 375°F (190°C).)
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. 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 375°F (190°C) for 15 to 18 minutes, until the marinara is bubbly. Garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve warm with crusty bread.