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 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.
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!
Find the full printable recipe here: Vegan Eggplant Meatballs
