Eggplant Meatballs (Vegan)

veganeggplantmeatballs These meatless Italian eggplant balls are made without breadcrumbs. They're full of flavour and have a similar texture to real meatballs.

1 Tbsp. milled flaxseed
4 cups eggplant, peeled and diced (1 very large or 2 medium eggplant)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups rolled oats, ground into flour via a blender or food processor
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
4 cloves garlic, minced
25 oz marinara sauce

To Serve:
spaghetti, veggie noodles, or hoagie rolls
chopped fresh parsley or basil

Whisk together the 1 Tbsp. milled flaxseed with 3 Tbsp. of water to make a flax "egg". Set aside and let thicken for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5). Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil (you can put parchment paper on top of the baking sheet before spraying with cooking oil if you want).

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant cubes and ¼ cup of water. Let the eggplant cook down for 10-12 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the cooked eggplant to a mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to mash it into a paste. Alternatively, you can use a food processor or blender to do this step. Let the eggplant cool for a few minutes before completing the next step. Prep the ground oats and other ingredients while it cools.

Add the thickened flax "egg," ground oats, Italian seasoning (see notes for a sub if you don't have Italian seasoning), salt, red pepper flakes and garlic to the bowl. Mix well.

Use your hands to form the mixture into 12 balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet in an evenly spaced, single layer. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes.

A few minutes before the eggplant meatballs are finished baking, prepare your pasta of choice according to package instructions. Pour a jar of tomato sauce in a large skillet or saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. When the meatballs are finished, place them in the skillet and let them simmer in the tomato sauce for a few minutes.

Serve the meatballs and tomato sauce over your pasta of choice or veggie noodles (try zucchini or kohlrabi noodles.). You can also stuff them into hoagie rolls to make "meatball" subs. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs if desired and Parmesan cheese (if you do not need it to be vegan).

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Makes 12 balls.

Cook's Notes:

My San Marzano Tomato Sauce works really well in this recipe.
If you don't have Italian seasoning, use 2 tsp. dried oregano, 2 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. dried thyme and 1 tsp. dried rosemary.
If you need this recipe to be fully gluten-free, use oats that are labeled as gluten-free and serve with gluten-free or legume-based pasta or rolls.
For some extra protein, add a can of white beans to the tomato sauce while it simmers.
Store leftover eggplant meatballs in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, let them cool completely after baking and transfer to a plate. Put the plate in a flat area in the freezer. Leave it in there for a couple hours until the meatballs are frozen solid, then transfer them to a labeled bag. Store for up to 3 months.
Reheat the meatballs in tomato sauce in a skillet or saucepan with a lid for several minutes until warmed through. You can reheat the meatballs straight from frozen if needed, but you can speed up the process by letting frozen meatballs thaw in the fridge overnight.

Serving Ideas:

Vegan eggplant meatballs taste delicious simmered in tomato sauce and tossed with spaghetti. I love using Cucina Antica Garlic Marinara sauce or my homemade San Marzano Tomato Sauce.
Use gluten-free or legume-based pasta if you avoid gluten. For a little extra protein, consider adding a can of white beans to the mix.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil if desired. If you do not follow a strict vegan diet, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is a delicious addition.
These meatballs also pair really well with zucchini noodles or kohlrabi noodles. If you don’t usually cook with veggie “noodles,” they are a great way to eat more vegetables. Here is the spiralizer I use to make veggie noodles if you are interested.
Finally, you can also use eggplant meatballs to make a vegetarian meatball sub.