Eggplant Meatballs

I am always looking for new and interesting ways to incorporate vegetables into our diet. I’ll admit that sometimes I get stuck in a rut. Recently I found this recipe online and added my own tweaks to it to suit my tastes. I will also admit that I was a little skeptical at first but after forming these into little balls (they held together perfectly) then tasting them, I’m hooked! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family has!

Eggplant Meatballs

 

Ingredients:

  • cooking spray
  • 1/2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/4 lbs peeled or unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (your choice whether to peel or not)
  • 1 T sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp chopped basil, plus leaves for garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • Egg Replacer equal to 1 egg
  • 1/2 C Vegan Parmesan Cheese
  • Jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Preparation:

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot add the onions and sauté about 5 minutes, then add eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.
  3. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add bread crumbs, egg replacer, Parmesan cheese, garlic and chopped basil into the eggplant. Season with sea salt and pepper.
  4. Form the eggplant mixture into 24 balls about 1 1/8 oz each, rolling tightly and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm and browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  5. In the meantime, heat the sauce in a large deep skillet to warm the sauce. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish the meatballs with basil leaves and top with parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy in pasta or a meatball sub!

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