Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs (Vegetarian)
Directions
- 1Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- 2Place eggplant in a 13x9-inch baking dish; toss with 3 Tbsp. oil and salt.
- 3Bake for 30 minutes, tossing once once halfway through.
- 4Transfer eggplant to the fridge and chill for 20 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- 5Keep oven on and wipe pan clean.
- 6Place cooled eggplant in a food processor and pulse about 10 to 12 times, or until the eggplant is finely chopped/broken down.
- 7Transfer eggplant to a large bowl.
- 8Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, eggs, garlic, black pepper, and onion powder.
- 9Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until well-combined.
- 10Gently form into 20 mini meatballs (about 2 Tbsp. each).
- 11Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat.
- 12Once hot, add half the meatballs and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, turning to cook all sides, until browned.
- 13Repeat with second batch of eggplant meatballs.
- 14Spread marinara sauce in the same 13x9-inch baking pan you roasted the eggplant in.
- 15Add eggplant meatballs to the pan, and scatter small dollops of ricotta cheese throughout.
- 16Bake at 375ºF for 15 minutes, until the marinara is bubbly.
- 17Garnish with extra fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan, if desired.
- 18Serve warm with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs eggplant, cut into 1x1-inch pieces (about 2 medium globe eggplants)
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 0.5 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (sub plain breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning)
- 2 Tbsp. seasoned breadcrumbs (sub plain breadcrumbs mixed with 1 tsp. Italian seasoning)
- 0.33 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 0.25 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 0.5 tsp. black pepper
- 0.5 tsp. onion powder
- 24 oz. store-bought marinara sauce (I use Rao's brand)
- 0.5 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- Crusty bread for serving
Equipment
13x9-inch baking dishFood processorlarge skillet (preferably cast-iron)
Tips
- To make this recipe dairy free, swap the Parmesan for pine nut Parmesan or nutritional yeast. I also recommend Kite Hill's brand of almond-based ricotta.
- 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 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. If reheating the meatballs without sauce, either warm them gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, or in the toaster oven.
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