Best 3 Eggplant Meatballs With Marinara Sauce Recipes

Eggplant meatballs with marinara sauce is a delicious and healthy dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a great way to use up leftover eggplant, and it is also a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The meatballs are made with a combination of eggplant, bread crumbs, eggs, and spices, and they are then fried or baked until golden brown. The marinara sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs, and it is simmered until thick and flavorful. This dish can be served over pasta, rice, or vegetables, and it is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!

EGGPLANT "MEATBALLS"

Eggplant

I love making a vegetarian version of a traditional meat recipe. I love it even more when my family and my students go crazy for it. Meatballs are such a familiar and popular food, I was a little unsure about how everyone would react when I subbed eggplant for ground beef. But sure enough, these eggplant "meatballs" were a huge hit! I honestly think these eggplant meatballs taste incredibly similar to regular ones, especially when covered with your favorite warm marinara sauce. They are tender enough to cut with a fork and are the perfect match with spaghetti squash for a serious veggie meal.

Provided by Food Network

Categories side-dish

Time 1h45m

Yield 24 "meatballs"

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (you should have about 8 cups)
1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 large eggs, beaten (you can use 2 to 4 eggs, but I like to use 4 for extra protein and to hold the meatballs together better)
1 1/2 cups regular or GF dried breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs (you can use as little as 1 cup, but the meatballs will be much softer)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
A few grinds of black pepper
3 cups marinara sauce

Steps:

Heat a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and saute the garlic in the hot oil until just fragrant and barely starting to lightly brown, about 30 seconds. Add the eggplant and 1/4 cup of water. Lower the heat to low and cover the skillet. Allow the eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, if you have time.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Place the eggplant mixture in a food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Or just do this on a cutting board with a knife.
Transfer the eggplant mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the cheese, parsley, basil, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture well to combine, using your hands or a wooden spoon. The mixture can be refrigerated at this point, covered for up to a day. It is easier to roll into meatballs when the mixture is cooled down. (If doing so, preheat the oven 30 minutes before baking the meatballs.)
Roll or scoop the mixture using a 1- to 1 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm on the outside and light brown underneath.
Meanwhile, heat the marinara sauce in a large saucepan over low heat until simmering. Transfer the meatballs to the saucepan with marinara sauce. Toss with the sauce and serve.

EGGPLANT MARINARA VEGGIE SAUCE

Eggplant Marinara Veggie Sauce image

This gluten-free, dairy-free recipe is a great way to eat pasta and get your vegetables too. Change up some of the optional ingredients or add meat for other delicious variations. Great way to use up vegetables before they go bad in your fridge. This recipe is very forgiving and hard to screw up. The amounts are just a guesstimate and do not have to be exact. I encourage you to play, eat, and enjoy!

Provided by WildVine

Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Spaghetti Recipes

Time 58m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package quinoa pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 eggplant - peeled, sliced 3/4-inch thick, and diced
2 small zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 ¼ cups tomato sauce, divided
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
½ small onion, diced
1 small tomato, diced

Steps:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 6 to 9 minutes. Drain.
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir eggplant and zucchini in the hot oil until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Season with garlic salt and oregano. Cover and simmer until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
Stir mushrooms and onion into the pot; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add remaining tomato sauce and diced tomato. Cover and simmer until tomato begins to break down, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until eggplant and zucchini soft, about 7 minutes.
Serve sauce over quinoa pasta.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 342.2 calories, Carbohydrate 58.7 g, Fat 8.4 g, Fiber 10 g, Protein 9.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.1 g, Sodium 525.2 mg, Sugar 8.4 g

EGGPLANT MEATBALLS

Eggplant Meatballs image

Yes, I made eggplant meatballs. If you know me, you know I love eggplant! I also love meatballs. Hence, I decided to make two of my favorites together, and it is delicious. I used ground turkey and almond meal, but I am giving you alternative suggestions below. This is a great paleo recipe and very addictive. I like using an ice cream scoop so they are all the same size! Perfect for entertaining. Yummy!

Provided by Cindy Anschutz Barbieri

Categories Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables Eggplant

Time 1h10m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil, or as needed
1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 pound ground turkey
1 carrot, shredded
½ small onion, diced
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 cloves garlic, or more to taste, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil (such as Simply Organic®)
1 teaspoon dried parsley (such as Simply Organic®)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (such as Simply Organic®)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
¾ cup almond flour
2 cups marinara sauce

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Grease foil with olive oil.
Arrange eggplant halves cut-sides-down onto the prepared baking sheet. Pierce skin of eggplant several times with a fork.
Roast eggplant in preheated oven until soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
Scoop the flesh from the eggplant halves onto a cutting board; chop into small chunks and put into a large mixing bowl.
Mix ground turkey, carrot, onion, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper with the eggplant chunks until ingredients are somewhat evenly mixed together. Gently mix almond flour into the eggplant mixture; scoop with an ice cream scoop onto the prepared baking sheet.
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake meatballs in oven for 15 minutes, flip the meatballs, and bake until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes more.
While the meatballs bake, heat marinara sauce in saucepan over medium-low heat until hot; add baked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 356.4 calories, Carbohydrate 23.7 g, Cholesterol 92.3 mg, Fat 19.6 g, Fiber 8.3 g, Protein 24 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 767.5 mg, Sugar 11.4 g

Tips:

To make the meatballs more flavorful, use a combination of ground beef and pork.
If you don't have any bread crumbs, you can use crushed crackers or oats.
Be careful not to overcook the meatballs, or they will become dry and tough.
The marinara sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Serve the meatballs with your favorite pasta, rice, or vegetables.

Conclusion:

These eggplant meatballs with marinara sauce are a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The meatballs are made with a combination of eggplant, ground beef, and pork, and they are flavored with garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. The marinara sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and basil. The meatballs are simmered in the marinara sauce until they are cooked through, and then they are served with your favorite pasta, rice, or vegetables.