Eggplant Meatballs

🧂 Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound eggplant

  peeled and cut into one inch cubes
• Salt & pepper to taste

  while sauteing
• 1 onion or shallot

  chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 tsp each Italian spices –

  Oregano, Basil, Thyme
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• Pinch red chili flakes

  optional
• 2 cups any Marinara/tomato/red sauce
• Chopped basil or chopped parsley for garnish
• Parmesan Cheese as desired for topping

Instructions

• 1 Pre-Heat the oven to 375°F.
• 2 Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
• 3 Put 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 4 Sauté the diced eggplant. Then, add water as needed to pan to avoid sticking to
  pan
• 5 Sprinkle eggplant with the Italian herbs, salt and pepper and cook, stirring
  occasionally, until the pieces shrivel a bit and are tender and beginning to
  color, 10 to 15 minutes.
• 6 Transfer the eggplant to the bowl of a food processor.
• 7 Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the onion and garlic
  and return to the heat.
• 8 Sauté onion & garlic, until they’re soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 9 Add the drained, rinsed beans and parsley to the food processor with the
  eggplant and pulse until well combined and chopped, but not pureed.
• 10 In a bowl, toss the eggplant/bean mixture with the onion and garlic,
• 11 Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan Cheese and red chili flakes
• 12 Roll the mixture into about a dozen “Meat”balls about 2 inches round
• 13 Transfer them to the prepared pan.
• 14 Turn meatballs halfway through cooking about 10 minutes
• 15 Bake until they are firm and well browned, 20-25 minutes.
• 16 While the meatballs bake in oven, warm the tomato sauce.
• 17 If serving pasta with the eggplant meatballs, cook pasta according to package
  directions, in a pan of boiling, salted water.
• 18 Serve the meatballs with the tomato sauce, over pasta

Nutrition Info