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    Chef Cindy » Recipes » Dinner » Eggplant Meatballs over Pasta Recipe

    Eggplant Meatballs over Pasta Recipe

    Published: Feb 6, 2020 | Modified: Feb 13, 2020 by Chef Cindy | Leave a Comment

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    Plate of eggplant meatballs over pasta

    A stroll down memory lane of making meatballs ….

    I can remember as a kid, standing in the kitchen with my mother – mixing, rolling and then frying the meatballs for our big family gatherings. I have vivid memories of digging my hands into a huge bowl, filled with a ground meat mixture. My mother would gradually add in the eggs, breadcrumbs and spices as I was mixing. We would then proceed to roll the meatballs, for what seemed like an eternity at times, before I would reach the bottom of the bowl. As I look back though, we had some of our best conversations while we were rolling meatballs!

    We would then proceed to fry them in a big pan. The oil in the pan would splatter all over, especially on me. I would rotate the meatballs with a spoon and carefully plop them into a big pot of homemade tomato sauce. We aren’t Italian, but my mother sure knew how to make a great Italian pasta sauce!

    Although I have very fond memories of those times, my taste buds have changed quite a bit over the years. I still enjoy making meatballs, and with my kids, but they are “meatless” meatballs. My favorite being eggplant meatballs.

    I first tried eggplant meatballs at a restaurant in NYC (that sadly is no longer around) tossed over roasted spaghetti squash. It was so delicious, that within days I was trying to replicate the recipe at home.

    Side view of eggplant meatballs over pasta
    Eggplant Meatballs over Spaghetti Squash

    I have made many versions of it, and I will share one of them in this post, but I’m sure that won’t be the last of it, since I’m continually trying to make a different version of a meatball. For some reason, you can’t go wrong if you get the right texture and mix of ingredients and just shape it into a ball. People just seem to love it! So get adventurous and create beyond my recipe and please share if it turns out great!!

    Baking tray of eggplant meatballs
    Eggplant meatballs fresh out of the oven
    Closeup of eggplant meatballs over pasta
    Eggplant Meatballs over Pasta with fresh basil
    Print
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    Eggplant Meatballs over Pasta

    • Author: Cindy
    • Prep Time: 25
    • Cook Time: 55
    • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    • Yield: 2 – 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Baked
    • Cuisine: Italian, Vegan
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    Description

    This is a vegan version of meatballs made with eggplant, cannellini beans, breadcrumbs and spices blended together, then baked in an oven.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    1 Italian eggplant – peeled and cubed

    1 shallot diced

    2 garlic cloves minced

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    ½ cup water

    1 cup cannellini beans, drained & rinsed

    1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tablespoons water

    2 teaspoons salt

    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    ½ cup plain (or Italian) breadcrumbs

    Jar of Marinara Sauce (or homemade)

    2 teaspoons vegan parmesan cheese 


    Instructions

    1. Prep the eggplant, shallot, garlic and flax seed. 
    2. Heat a non stick pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add shallot and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and eggplant and cook for 10 minutes. Add ½ cup water and let cook until soaked through and tender for ten minutes.
    3. Remove from pan (strain if still liquid) and place in food processor. Blend until pureed. Add cannellini beans and pulse until blended well.
    4. Pour mixture into a bowl and add flaxseed, salt, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon vegan parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs. Stir well until blended and firm to form meatballs. If more breadcrumbs are needed, simply add more to firm up the mixture. 
    5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil. Use a small ice cream scooper (approximately 2 tablespoons) to form each meatball and place on baking sheet. When done spray with olive oil for a crisper meatball.
    6. Heat oven to 375° and cook for approximately 30 minutes turning halfway thru.
    7. Remove from oven and place on top of pasta with your favorite marinara sauce and chopped fresh basil. A sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese is also recommended for a finishing touch.

    Notes

    Equipment needed: food processor or blender

    Keywords: eggplant meatballs, vegan meatballs, vegan eggplant meatballs

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    Hi, I'm Cindy! Vegan chef with a flexitarian palate and a passion for inspiring new ideas in the kitchen! 

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