Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Chop the eggplant into 1" pieces. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add eggplant along with ¼ cups water. Sauté for 10 minutes until eggplant is slightly brown and tender.
Transfer it to a food processor along with all the other ingredients for your eggplant meatballs. Process until you have a uniform batter. Be careful not to overprocess or the meatballs will become gummy. Some texture is desirable. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Roll the meatball mixture into balls 2 heaping tablespoons in size and place on the prepared parchment paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until meatballs are browned and crispy on the outside.
When the meatballs are done, add them to a saucepot with marinara sauce until the marinara sauce is heated all the way through. Toss with zucchini noodles and serve with fresh parsley and vegan parmesan.
Serving and Storing - Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, these meatballs can be cooked in marinara sauce directly from the freezer.
Variations - Don't like eggplant? Try out these Tempeh Meatballs instead!
Recipe Tips
- Thoroughly sauté your eggplant to bring out the rich flavors.
- Do not over-mix your eggplant mixture or you’ll end up with a gummy paste.
- Adjust the spices/herbs as you desire. The flavors in this recipe are highly flexible.
Uses - Serve meatballs with pasta with a homemade marinara sauce for a classic spaghetti and meatballs dish, stuff them in a baguette for a delicious meatball sub, or serve them as an appetizer at your next holiday party.
Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg