No meat? No problem! These vegan eggplant meatballs are gluten free + oil-free + nut-free + packed with authentic Italian flavors! The hearty roasted eggplant is the star of this dish.Β Perfect for vegans, vegetarians, and even meat-eaters will LOVE these!
Eggpant! YUM!
I absolutely love eggplant.Β I think eggplant is so underappreciated.Β Typically doused in breadcrumbs and deep fried in oil destined to be drowned in sauce and cheese.Β The hearty, flavorful, colorful eggplant hardly every gets to let its authentic flavors shine (slight dramatization π€£).Β On a serious note, its so true! Not any more! If you don’t eat meat you might have an occasional longing for the traditional spaghetti + meatballs.Β I hear you.Β In my Italian household growing up.Β As a result, you would think meatballs were considered a kitchen staple. In other words, we never had a shortage of meatballs π or pasta or marinara sauce for sure.
Certainly, these vegan eggplant meatballs satisfy the craving for a meatball.Β No joke.Β Coming from this Italian girl who spent many Sundays in the kitchen with lots of Italians cooking, I would not steer you wrong here.Β Andiamo! Let’s cooks some meatless meatballs!
Tara’s Tips for Perfect Vegan Eggplant Meatballs:
Don’t eat eggs? Me either!
- I replaced the egg with 2 flax eggs.Β You can either use a store-bought vegan egg replacement or do what I did and combine flax and water.Β This is a perfect way to get the stickiness you need from a regular egg that is the glue that holds meatballs together.
- If you eat eggs, use a regular egg here if you like.
- How did I make these vegan eggplant meatballs gluten free? Great question! I swapped out the breadcrumbs for 1/4 cup rice flour and 1 cup oats.Β Works PERFECTLY! No need for all that excess bread when you can sub in rice + oats.Β YES!! Save the bread to dunk into your sauce!
- Alternatively, if you choose to use breadcrumbs instead, simply use 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs instead of the oats + rice flour.
- Give the eggplant time to roast.Β Don’t rush the process.Β Allow yourself time to get the eggplant nice and soft.
- I leave the skin on the eggplant for these.Β However, you can certainly peel the eggplant first.Β In my opinion, it gives these little cuties a pop of color and texture.Β Not to mention, the added fiber and vitamins that are housed in that pretty purple skin!
- Most importantly, let your mixture rest.Β Anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours will do.Β After you roll them into balls, they need a little time to absorb the excess water and thicken.
How to Serve Meatless Meatballs:
- You need a good sauce! Try my 3-Ingredient Marinara or My Traditional Meatless Marinara. Both equally fabulous sauces to accompany this dish.
- I love to layer these into a sandwich or serve over zoodles or spaghetti squash.Β In addition, you can even bake them with some vegan or dairy mozzarella shredded over the top.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight glass container in the freezer (cooked or uncooked) for up to 3 months.Β Alternatively, you can refrigerate them for up to 7 days. Perfect for meal prep!
Let’s Get Cookin’ Some Eggplant Meatballs!
Vegan Eggplant Meatballs
Meatless meatballs? Yes, please! These are perfect for vegans, vegetarians, and even meat-eaters!
Ingredients
- 2 eggplant (washed, stems removed, cut into 1 inch cubes)
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (GF)
- 1/4 cup rice flour (brown or white)
- 2 flax eggs ( 2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water) or sub 2 eggs if not vegan
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- 4 tbsp Nutritional yeast (sub Parmesan cheese if not vegan)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder + onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Step 2 First, place cubed eggplant on a baking sheet + bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring once.
- Step 3 Second, while eggplant roasts, make flax egg by combining the flax + water, set aside.
- Step 4 Third, pulse oats in a food processor or blender until you achieve a course flour consistency.
- Step 5 Next, transfer oats to a bowl + add the rest of the dry ingredients, stir until combined.
- Step 6 When eggplant is done roasting, allow to cool to room temperature + transfer to food processor or blender. Process until the eggplant turns into a puree. Donβt overdo it, you want some texture.
- Step 7 Add the eggplant + the flax egg to the dry ingredients. Gently stir. Do not use food processor for this step.
- Step 8 Roll the eggplant mixture into evenly sized balls. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure to ensure they are not too big. Place on parchment paper or silicone lined baking sheet.
- Step 9 Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning them once at the halfway point. Cut one open after 20 minutes, if they are wet/sticky inside, cook for 5 more minutes. After that, simply layer them into a sandwich, serve over pasta, bake with cheese on top. Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months or in refrigerator for 7 days.Β
β€Did you make these Vegan Eggplant Meatballs? Leave a rating + a comment below!Β
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