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Learn how easy it is to make delicious Vegan Eggplant Meatballs from scratch! Serve as classic spaghetti and meatballs, or add them to your favorite hoagie and make an epic Vegan Meatball Sub. All you need is 10 simple ingredients plus spices!
When it comes to our favorite vegan eggplant recipes, these eggplant meatballs are easily in the top five! They’re a hearty, savory flavor explosion and a must-make recipe for weeknights, family dinners, or even entertaining during the holidays.
If you love our Vegan Eggplant Rollatini and Vegan Eggplant Parmesan, this eggplant meatball recipe is guaranteed to be a hit!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chia seeds: Acts as an egg replacer and helps to bind the vegan meatball mixture together. If desired, you can replace the chia seeds with an equal amount of ground flaxseeds to make a flax egg.
- Aromatics: A simple combination of white onion, celery, and a few cloves of fresh garlic create a flavorful base for the meatballs and infuse so much flavor!
- Eggplant: We used an Italian eggplant to make these meatballs. Italian eggplants are typically a bit smaller and denser than other varieties, making them perfect for chewy vegetarian meatballs! If you have one large eggplant, start with half and increase as needed to achieve the right texture.
- Garbanzo beans: Adds protein and addition texture to the meatballs that makes them extra hearty. We used canned chickpeas to make this recipe as quick as possible, but feel free to cook chickpeas from dry (you’ll need 1 cup).
- Panko breadcrumbs: We prefer panko breadcrumbs in these vegan eggplant meatballs because they have a lighter, more airy texture that creates more tender, juicy meatballs. With that being said, regular breadcrumbs are the next best option.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh parsley and fresh basil leaves add fresh Italian flavor that brings these meatballs ot life! We highly recommend using fresh herbs!
- Nutritional yeast: Adds a natural cheesiness and umami flavor that adds depth of flavor to the meatballs. If you’re buying nutritional yeast for the first time, look near the other spices in the grocery store.
- Spices: You’ll need a simple blend of salt, dried oregano, and freshly ground black pepper to round out the flavor in the nutritional yeast and fresh herbs. Feel free to swap the dried oregano with an Italian seasoning, if needed.
Equipment Needed
- Small bowl
- Large bowls (2)
- 2-3 large baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Spatula
- Medium pan
- Food processor
- 1-2 tablespoon cookie scoop
How to Make Eggplant Meatballs
- Prepare the chia egg. Combine the chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Set aside for about 15 minutes until the chia egg thickens.
- Preheat and prep. Preheat a convection oven to 375°F or 400°F if using a conventional oven. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the onions and celery and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Sauté the eggplant. In the same pan, add the diced eggplant and cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and has reduced by about half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add additional oil if needed to prevent burning or sticking.
- Combine the veggies and garbanzo beans. Remove the pan from heat and add the garbanzo beans. Mix until everything is uniform.
- Process in batches. Transfer half of the eggplant mixture to a large cup food processor and pulse until chopped and uniform (be careful not to puree!). Once chopped, transfer the mixture to a large bowl and repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
- Make the meatball mixture. Add the chia egg, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, spices, and optional liquid smoke to the bowl with the pulsed eggplant mixture. Using a spatula or clean hands, mix until well combined and uniform. Taste and add additional salt as needed.
- Form the meatballs. Using a cookie scooper, scoop the meatball mixture into uniform-sized meatballs (we make ours about 1.5 tablespoons large). Place them on the lined baking sheet as you go, leaving 1/2-1 inch of space between each. We yielded 34 meatballs that were about 1 inch in diameter.
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake until the eggplant meatballs are firm and golden brown, about 24-30 minutes.
- Serve. Allow the vegetarian eggplant meatballs to cool directly on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then serve as desired. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
In addition to making the perfect bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, these meatless meatballs can be used for so much more!
We personally love using them to make our Classic Vegan Meatball Sub Sandwich with Homemade Marinara Sauce, Vegan Parmesan Cheese, and Caramelized Onions.
They can also be used to make Vegan Meatball Mozzarella Hot Pockets, chop them up and sprinkle them on a Veggie Pizza or French Bread Pizza, or add them to your favorite pasta like our Instant Pot Pizza Pasta for a fun twist! You can even serve them as is drizzled with your favorite tomato sauce and a side of crusty bread. YUM.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe contains panko breadcrumbs and is not naturally gluten-free. However, it can easily be made gluten-free by swapping in your favorite gluten-free breadcrumbs.
It can be made oil-free– simply cook the vegetables with water instead of oil.
A convection oven is very similar to an air fryer, just on a larger scale. We have tested this recipe in the oven, in an air fryer, and on the stovetop and found that the oven yields the best results. We prefer to use a convection oven for these, but they still work well if you have a regular oven!
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Leftover homemade meatballs will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
To refrigerate, allow the meatballs to cool completely to room temperature, then layer in an airtight container. Seal tightly, then store in the refrigerator until ready to reheat and serve.
To freeze, let the meatballs cool completely, then place the baking sheet in the freezer. Allow the meatballs to freeze for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid.
Once frozen, transfer the meatballs to a freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a convection oven.
More Delicious Eggplant Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag me on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan or twitter @sweetsimpleveg and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of my recipes, I love to see your photos!
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Vegan Eggplant Meatballs Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 34 meatballs
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how easy it is to make delicious Vegan Eggplant Meatballs from scratch! Serve as classic spaghetti and meatballs, or add them to your favorite hoagie and make an epic Vegan Meatball Sub. All you need is 10 simple ingredients, plus spices!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (or flaxseed meal)
- 3 tablespoons water
- Oil, for cooking
- 1 cup white onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 unpeeled Italian eggplant, diced
- 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley, packed
- 1/4 cup finely chopped basil, packed
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- Optional: 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the chia egg. Combine the chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Set aside for about 15 minutes until the chia egg thickens.
- Preheat and prep. Preheat a convection oven to 375°F or 400°F if using a conventional oven. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the onions and celery, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Sauté the eggplant. In the same pan, add the diced eggplant and cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and has reduced by about half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add additional oil if needed to prevent burning or sticking.
- Combine the veggies and garbanzo beans. Remove the pan from heat and add the garbanzo beans. Mix until everything is uniform.
- Process in batches. Transfer half of the eggplant mixture to a large cup food processor and pulse until chopped and uniform (be careful not to puree!). Once chopped, transfer the mixture to a large bowl and repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
- Make the meatball mixture. Add the chia egg, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, spices, and optional liquid smoke to the bowl with the pulsed eggplant mixture. Using a spatula or clean hands, mix until well combined and uniform. Taste and add additional salt as needed.
- Form the meatballs. Using a cookie scooper, scoop the meatball mixture into uniform-sized meatballs (we make ours about 1.5 tablespoons large). Place them on the lined baking sheet as you go, leaving 1/2-1 inch of space between each. We yielded 34 meatballs that were about 1 inch in diameter.
- Bake. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake until the eggplant meatballs are firm and golden brown, about 24-30 minutes.
- Serve. Allow the vegetarian eggplant meatballs to cool directly on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then serve as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten-free: This can be made gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Oil: You can cook the vegetables with water instead of oil if desired.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To refrigerate, cool completely and then layer in an airtight container. Seal tightly, then store in the refrigerator until ready to reheat and serve.
- To freeze, cool completely, then place the baking sheet in the freezer. Allow the meatballs to freeze for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid. Once frozen, transfer the meatballs to a freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a convection oven.
- We have also tested this recipe in an air fryer and stovetop and found that the oven yields the best results. We prefer to use a convection oven for these, but they still work well if you have a regular oven!
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
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These came out okay, but I regret using the liquid smoke. It gave the “meatballs” a somewhat unpleasant aftertaste. I love eggplant, so will make these again without the smoky element.
I must be brain-dead. Nowhere in the recipe, either ingredients or directions, did I see tempeh bacon, nor did it see it in any of the rest of the descriptions prior to the recipe. There isn’t even a picture of it in the picture of the other ingredients. The only place I see it mentioned is in Comments. Am I simply missing it? Obviously it’s not crucial to the recipe, you even address the issue in the comments section. If it’s an accidental omission on your part, you might want to correct it. If it’s not, please, please, please tell me where to find it. I’m tearing my hair out looking.
By the way, out of curiosity, how much tempeh bacon do you recommend using?
Hey Dawn,
Sorry for the confusion! The recipe used to have tempeh bacon in it, but we recently updated it. I don’t see anywhere in the recipe where it mentions tempeh bacon though. Could you point it out for us, thank you!