Eggplant Parm Meatballs
I love it when I get to be on The Wendy Williams Show!
Today I showed everyone how to make one of my favorites—Eggplant Parm Meatballs!
They're an amazing add to your favorite pasta dish, but also pretty delicious all on their own!
Eggplant Parm Meatballs
servings: Thirty 1½-inch meatballs
Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces ground beef
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs*
- ½ cup grated parmesan (about 2 ounces)
- ½ cup marinara sauce + more for serving
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Mozzarella cheese, grated
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place the halves cut-side-up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them lightly with 1 teaspoon of the oil and then sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper over them. Bake the eggplants until they are very soft—about 30 minutes.
- When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scrape the flesh of the eggplant into a food processor or blender; discard the skin. Process until everything is completely pureed; this should give you about ¾ cups of eggplant puree. Note: If your marinara sauce is very chunky, puree it with the eggplant.
- Transfer the puree to a large bowl, then add the beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, marinara sauce, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix to combine well and then form the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls by hand.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Place the meatballs in the pan and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary, cooking until the center is no longer pink—5-7 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler to high. Place the meatballs in a serving dish and cover with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, then place under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
- If you wish, you can bake the meatballs at 400°F for about 30 minutes.
- *Depending on the amount of moisture in your eggplant and sauce you may need more breadcrumbs to ensure your meatballs hold together nicely.
