• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Live-In Kitchen logo

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Work Together
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Vegetarian Recipes

    Eggplant Meatballs

    Lindsay Moe

    81925 shares
    eggplant meatballs

    Eggplant Meatballs are a vegetarian version of an Italian favorite! Made with eggplant, mushrooms, and walnuts, this recipe is easily made vegan or gluten-free. Yes you can enjoy a meatless dinner and add more veggies to your plate by trying this recipe!

    two plates of eggplant meatballs with spaghetti
    Jump to Recipe

    Are we cool with calling something a meatball when it doesn’t actually have meat in it?

    You’re looking at meatless meatballs. Instead of meat I’m using a super savory combination of eggplant, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning.

    close up of meatless meatballs with spaghetti on a white plate

    This was actually a reader requested recipe, and I’m SO glad they did!  These are the perfect texture and flavor to go with marinara sauce and spaghetti, stuffed in a hoagie bun, or anything else your hungry brain can dream up.

    A lot of vegetarian meatballs I’ve tried fall apart easily, but not these! They’re also baked, which makes them perfectly cooked all the way around, not to mention you won’t need to stand over a splattering pan while you try to get all the sides evenly browned.

    Eggplant meatball ingredients

    • Olive oil
    • Eggplant
    • Water
    • Portobello mushrooms
    • Walnuts
    • Breadcrumbs
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Garlic
    • Egg
    • Italian seasoning
    • Salt & pepper
    eggplant meatballs in marinara sauce

    How to choose and store an eggplant

    When you’re at the grocery store or farmer’s market, choose an eggplant that is heavy for its size and has a smooth, shiny skin. There shouldn’t be any wrinkled or soft, sunken spots. The eggplant should be firm and medium in size.

    Just a heads up, I feel like eggplants spoil much quicker than other veggies I keep in the refrigerator. I generally only go to the grocery store once a week, and need to plan to cook my eggplant within three days max or it will have gone bad.

    You’ll know your eggplant has gone bad if it is dark and squishy on the inside. When cutting into a good eggplant it will have a light colored flesh and small seeds speckled throughout.

    I recommend buying two eggplants for this recipe just to be sure at least one will be good and to make sure you have enough eggplant to fill 7-8 cups once cut. If your meatballs are falling apart, make sure you have used enough eggplant since the size of the vegetables can vary greatly.

    How do you make eggplant meatballs?

    I like cooking the eggplant and mushrooms on the stove top to release any moisture, then combining them with breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese (use a vegetarian parmesan if concerned about rennet), an egg, and seasonings.

    unbaked eggplant meatballs on a baking sheet

    Roll the mixture into balls, bake, and drop into your favorite marinara sauce. The balls hold together beautifully while offering a tender bite once cut into. 

    baked vegetarian meatballs on a baking sheet

    Top questions

    Do I need to peel my eggplant for eggplant meatballs?

    This recipe works with or without peeling the eggplant, but I find I prefer the texture of peeled eggplant. You can prepare it whichever way you prefer.

    What can I substitute for the egg?

    I recommend substituting the egg for one flax egg.

    What can I substitute for the Parmesan cheese?

    Replace the Parmesan cheese with a vegan parmesan cheese, or try leaving it out entirely and adding a little more eggplant.

    What can I substitute for walnuts?

    You could try substituting another finely chopped nut such as almonds or cashews. If you prefer to avoid nuts altogether, I recommend using sunflower seeds.

    Can I make this without a food processor?

    You can make this recipe without a food processor, but be sure to chop everything very finely or your meatballs may fall apart.

    How do you make gluten-free eggplant meatballs?

    To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs, almond flour, or ground up gluten-free pretzels.

    Can this recipe be vegan?

    To make vegan eggplant meatballs, follow the instructions above for using a flax egg and vegan parmesan.

    Can I freeze eggplant meatballs?

    This recipe is great for making ahead and freezing. Bake and cool the meatballs completely, then transfer them to a freezer safe container.

    Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before adding to marinara sauce, or add frozen to marinara sauce and simmer slowly on the stove top until heated through.

    Tips for customizing

    • Serve on a hoagie bun with mozzarella or provolone cheese similar to these eggplant parmesan sandwiches
    • Add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes with the seasonings
    • Add ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley to the meatball mixture before baking
    • Use whatever kind of mushrooms you have on hand or prefer
    • Toast the walnuts before chopping for extra flavor
    close up of eggplant meatballs cut open on spaghetti

    More vegetarian recipes

    • Easy Eggplant Parmesan
    • Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
    • Lentil Veggie Burgers
    • Walnut Burgers
    • Black Bean Burgers
    • Butter Bean Recipe

    More pasta recipes

    • Spaghetti with Vegetarian Meatballs
    • Olive Oil Alfredo
    • Penne al Pomodoro
    • Spaghetti Arrabbiata
    • Spaghetti Aglio Olio

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

    a plate of eggplant meatballs with spaghetti with a fork and spoon

    How will you serve your eggplant meatballs?

    sign up for our newsletter graphic

    Recipe

    eggplant meatballs on a plate of spaghetti

    Eggplant Meatballs

    Easy vegetarian meatballs made with eggplant, mushrooms, and breadcrumbs.
    4.11 from 78 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 160kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
    • 1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed (about 7-8 heaping cups)
    • ¼ cup water
    • 4 ounces portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
    • ¼ cup walnuts
    • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
    • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
    • 1 egg, beaten
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • Coarse kosher salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • Marinara sauce
    • Fresh chopped parsley, optional
    • Cooked spaghetti, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
    • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant has softened, about 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, in a another large skillet, cook mushrooms over medium heat. Add a bit of oil as needed and stir frequently until the mushrooms have released most of their moisture and turned dark and soft, about 10 minutes. If you only have one skillet it’s ok to cook the eggplant, then the mushrooms in the same skillet, but cooking them together will overcrowd the pan.
    • Add walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Add the cooked eggplant and mushrooms and process into a paste.
    • Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, beaten egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir completely to combine.
    • Roll the mixture into small balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until the balls are firm and lightly browned.
    • While the meatballs are baking, heat marinara sauce over medium low heat in the same skillet you cooked one of the vegetables in. Once the meatballs are done, carefully transfer them to the marinara sauce and gently spoon sauce over the meatballs to coat them completely.
    • Serve eggplant meatballs over spaghetti with fresh parsley if desired.

    Notes

    Nutritional information is an estimate for eggplant meatballs without marinara or spaghetti.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

    More Vegetarian Recipes

    • A baking dish full of meatless baked ziti on a linen striped napkin next to bunches of parsley.
      Meatless Baked Ziti
    • overhead photo of a mediterranean buddha bowl
      Mediterranean Inspired Bowl
    • topview image of biscuits topped vegetarian pot pie in a cast iron pan with spices in a bowl.
      Biscuit Topped Vegetarian Pot Pie
    • a greek chickpea wrap cut in half on a plate.
      Greek Chickpea Wraps

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Claudia says

      April 20, 2019 at 5:56 am

      4 stars
      This is a wonderful recipe for vegetarian meatballs! The flavor was awesome. My meatballs didn’t stay together very well so there must have been something I did wrong. Eggplant has a lot of moisture in them and I tried to cook them a while to release that moisture but they still didn’t hold firm. The kids loved the pasta dish though. I will be making this again and hopefully get it right.

      Reply
    2. Kim says

      December 24, 2019 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      Even my meat loving husband LOVED these! Simple to make and turned out perfectly

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        December 27, 2019 at 2:42 pm

        That’s great to hear! I’m glad you guys enjoyed it.

        Reply
      • Sandra says

        June 24, 2020 at 8:47 pm

        Have you tried to freeze these meatballs?

        Reply
        • Lindsay Moe says

          July 01, 2020 at 8:28 am

          I have not, but I think they would freeze well after baking, before putting in the sauce.

          Reply
          • Paula Moorer says

            October 08, 2020 at 9:21 am

            can I use something other than egg to hold it together

            Reply
            • Lindsay Moe says

              October 09, 2020 at 11:12 am

              I would recommend a flax egg. I have a recipe for flax egg on the site if you put it in the search box.

          • Colette Dineen says

            October 22, 2021 at 10:01 am

            I’m curious as to how many “small” meatballs your recipe would make as I’m trying to calculate nutritional information. I think I made 20. How many did you make?

            Reply
            • Colette Dineen says

              October 22, 2021 at 10:02 am

              5 stars
              Oh and btw, they are fantastic!!!

            • Lindsay Moe says

              October 22, 2021 at 2:41 pm

              I made about 30

    3. Karen says

      February 11, 2020 at 3:22 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious I will definitely make this recipe again. The best part is saying its a vegetarian meal. Who would’ve thought? I love it!

      Reply
    4. Amy Jo McCord says

      February 23, 2020 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      These are, seriously, one of the best “meatballs” I’ve had! Got a batch flash freezing right now. Then into a Food Saver bag for future use. My mind is already conjuring up ideas on how I will use these. One idea that comes to mind is a great “meatball” sub sandwich with marinara and melted mozzarella…I can’t wait!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        February 23, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        I’m so glad you liked the recipe! I have done the meatball sandwich and can say yes DO IT! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Natalie says

      March 24, 2020 at 5:39 am

      These look delish and I can’t wait to try them! I just wanted to check if the walnuts are replaceable with almonds, just cos I have almonds on hand. Or can the nuts be left out completely? Thanks

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        March 25, 2020 at 2:50 pm

        I think you could replace the walnuts with almonds, but the meatballs might be a little more crumbly. If you want to avoid nuts altogether I think you could substitute an equal amount of mushrooms, breadcrumbs, sunflower seeds, or oatmeal.

        Reply
    6. Lori says

      April 08, 2020 at 5:34 pm

      These meatballs are delicious. Mine did not stay together well. I may try roasting the eggplant next time. Maybe they are too wet? Otherwise great.

      Reply
    7. Brenda says

      June 26, 2020 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe! It was so delicious and easy to follow. I really loved it. 🙂

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        July 01, 2020 at 8:27 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice review. 😊

        Reply
    8. Barbie Rosen baum says

      August 11, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      I think I should have taken the moisture out of my mushrooms and zucchini because my mixture was very runny and I had to almost triple the breadcrumbs to form a ball and so far I’ve tried baking one in the middle is raw and the outside is a hard crust. What do you think?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        August 12, 2020 at 11:54 am

        There is no zucchini in this recipe, and I would not recommend using any. Hopefully this helps!

        Reply
    9. Linda June says

      August 25, 2020 at 9:21 pm

      What can I substitute for the parmesan cheese?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        September 02, 2020 at 2:29 pm

        You can pick up a vegan version of parmesan at many grocery stores. If you can’t find that I would just try omitting it entirely.

        Reply
    10. Christy says

      September 10, 2020 at 9:02 pm

      5 stars
      Wowsers! This recipe was a real winner! The meatballs even look like meat! I did use pine nuts instead of walnuts, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. I have always loved eggplant because it takes on the other flavors, but this is seriously tasty.

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        September 14, 2020 at 9:38 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I agree, it’s one of my favorite recipes!

        Reply
    11. Cami says

      October 19, 2020 at 8:31 pm

      Made this for the second time tonight. The texture is spot on and it is so easy and delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        October 21, 2020 at 10:56 am

        I’m so glad you enjoy it!

        Reply
    12. Rosemarie Bugenis says

      October 20, 2020 at 10:33 pm

      Hi! I love your recipe, Lindsay! Thank you so much for posting this and all of them. So happy to be a subscriber.

      Reading the comments, I noticed one person asking what to use for parmesan cheese. I have found a recipe for vegan parmesan cheese on https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/, if you and your readers are interested. At the bottom of the recipe, it is stated that a vegan blogger shared it with The Minimalist Baker. I tried the recipe and the texture and flavor were good enough to keep me away from real Parmesan.

      Thank you so much for your great recipes and articles and explanations. You are so helpful, Lindsay!

      With appreciation,
      Rosemarie 🙂

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        October 21, 2020 at 10:57 am

        That is a lovely recipe for vegan parm, however since the parmesan works partially as a binder in this recipe that might just make the “meatballs” more crumbly. It’s probably worth a try, if you do let me know!

        Reply
        • Rachelle says

          December 02, 2020 at 5:46 am

          5 stars
          This is one of my favorite recipes, I use it all the . I add them to recipes and to pasta and make subs out of them ! Love it

          Reply
    13. Celeste says

      October 21, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      Is this doable without a food processor?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        October 22, 2020 at 4:08 pm

        I think so, just make sure everything is very finely chopped or the balls may fall apart.

        Reply
      • Rachelle says

        December 02, 2020 at 5:47 am

        I always use a food processor to make them.

        Reply
    14. Ellie says

      November 06, 2020 at 2:54 am

      5 stars
      Wow this was so tasty , I had to make a vegetarian meal for my daughter in law and she loves eggplant. Not really my top choice , I tasted one and couldn’t stop they were so tasty. I used almond meal as I didn’t have any breadcrumbs. I highly recommend even if you aren’t a eggplant lover !

      Reply
    15. Nellie says

      December 04, 2020 at 7:22 am

      What could I replace mushroom as I’m allergic

      Reply
    16. April Feray says

      January 15, 2021 at 10:38 am

      5 stars
      This is an EXCELLENT veggie “meat”ball recipe!! SOOOO scrumptious!!! Will be making it again and again. I do have a nut allergy in my house so we swapped the walnuts out for roasted pumpkin seeds, which came out great! In my opinion that’s a good substitute for any nut-free folks since it doesn’t impart too much of its own “flavor”, works similarly to the walnuts, and has great nutritional benefits as an added plus 🤓 Thanks for this one, Lindsay!

      Reply
    17. Lori Rey says

      February 02, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      These meatballs were excellent! Very moist and tasty, and so easy to make! Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    18. Phyllis Krasnoff says

      February 17, 2021 at 9:20 am

      This recipe is a winner! My husband at 74 yr old decided after researching that he wanted to try a mostly plant based diet and eliminate even chicken, pork and fish as much as possible. These meatballs came out perfectly and held their shape even when cutting through. I pulsed the two veggies and nuts separately and then used my hands to mix with beaconed egg and Panko. . I love eggplant parm and they gave that flavor even through the consistency was like stuffing. Served over homemade marinara and spaghetti fir me and brown rice for him. He loved it!!

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        February 18, 2021 at 7:56 am

        Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice review! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoy this recipe.

        Reply
    19. Anne says

      April 16, 2021 at 10:20 am

      How many “meatballs” are in a serving?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        April 21, 2021 at 7:45 am

        3-4 depending on how big you roll them

        Reply
    20. Amanda says

      April 19, 2021 at 6:40 am

      The recipe says peeled and cubed egg plant, but in the video it looks like the purple skin is still on the egg plant. How should I prepare it?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        April 21, 2021 at 7:42 am

        You can actually make it either way, I just prefer it without the skin. I have updated the post to make this more clear, thank you for pointing it out!

        Reply
    21. Ann Roberts says

      May 05, 2021 at 2:22 am

      5 stars
      Loved the flavour, will make again, family not keen on the texture of egg plant so this recipe is great. My mixture was a bit wet and sticky, difficult to form into balls and they broke up a bit in the sauce. Next time I’ll add more breadcrumb. Any tricks and tips on how to form the ‘meatballs’, I got in a mess with it !

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        May 05, 2021 at 12:29 pm

        Definitely add a little extra breadcrumbs if they aren’t holding together, vegetables can hold a varied amount of water in them. If you’re having trouble rolling into balls, get your hands a bit wet to prevent it from sticking or spray a cookie scoop with cooking spray to form balls. I prefer to roll by hand because it packs them together more, a scoop might not give enough pressure to keep them from falling apart. Hope this helps and so glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    22. Hazel Rosetti says

      May 05, 2021 at 11:52 am

      Yes I have just finished making these I’ve rolled them out and put them on a cookie sheet was super super easy but my question is I don’t want to cook until tomorrow can I cover them over and put them in the fridge till then

      Reply
    23. Hazel Rosetti says

      May 05, 2021 at 11:54 am

      Sorry I’ve got another question should I just go ahead and bake them let them cool then put them in the fridge

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        May 05, 2021 at 12:26 pm

        Either way should work. Enjoy!

        Reply
    24. Alexa Rosenberry says

      June 16, 2021 at 11:28 am

      How many portobello mushrooms is 4 oz?

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        June 30, 2021 at 4:19 pm

        It really depends on the size. I usually buy an 8oz package and just use half of it.

        Reply
    25. Samantha says

      December 01, 2021 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely love this recipe! We have made this MANY times now and I feel like it’s about time I leave a comment saying how much we enjoy them. It’s a complete hit with our 3 kids (ages 8, 4, & 2) who request these all the time! We have made them with spaghetti and we even once did “meat”ball sandwiches. Delicious every way! Thank you

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • single serving vegan cookie dough on a spoon
      Vegan Cookie Dough for One
    • featured image of two shot glasses with buttery nipple shot
      Buttery Nipple Shot
    • zesty cream cheese stuffed mini peppers close up
      Zesty Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
    • single serving lemonade in a glass with lemons
      Single Serving Lemonade

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Lindsay
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Extras

    • Newsletter
    • Resources
    • On the Side

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Wild Flour Media

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Live-In Kitchen

    Please read my Privacy Policy.
    81925 shares