Meat and eggplant meatballs, tender and tasty, cook in the pan in a few minutes and are always loved by everyone. The recipe is very easy, prepared like classic minced meatballs, with the addition of eggplants, cut into cubes and cooked in the pan. They are excellent in summer, when we have plenty of eggplants available, and they can also be served at room temperature, paired with a creamy sauce, like chickpea hummus. Try the recipe, it’s truly delicious!
If you love meatballs, here are other ideas for you:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 18Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Energy 390.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.90 (g) of which sugars 3.72 (g)
- Proteins 16.61 (g)
- Fat 23.44 (g) of which saturated 8.42 (g)of which unsaturated 13.77 (g)
- Fibers 3.86 (g)
- Sodium 1,136.52 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 180 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 round eggplant (about 300 g (10.5 oz))
- 250 g mixed ground meat (8.8 oz)
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 tablespoon grated Grana Padano cheese
- 100 g white sandwich bread (3.5 oz)
- 1 clove garlic
- parsley
- breadcrumbs
- peanut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
- salt
Tools
- Bowl
- Pan
- Food Processor
- Paper Towel
Preparation
Wash the eggplant, remove the ends, and cut it into small cubes. Cook it in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt until tender. To prevent it from drying out, moisten the bottom with a little water (1).
When it’s ready, turn off the heat and let it cool.
Meanwhile, finely chop the sandwich bread in a food processor with the garlic clove and a sprig of parsley.
Place the mixture in a bowl, add the ground meat, grated Grana, and the egg (2). Mix, then add the eggplants and adjust the salt (3).
Mix well until combined, then form balls with your palms and roll them in breadcrumbs (4).
With these amounts, I made 18 meatballs, but you can make them bigger if you prefer.
Heat a pan with a generous amount of peanut oil and fry the meatballs over moderate heat, turning them a couple of times.
When they are browned on the outside and well cooked inside, remove them from the pan and let them drain on paper towels.
The meat and eggplant meatballs are ready to be served… enjoy your meal!
Tips and Notes
You can use mixed ground meat of pork and beef (as I did), or ground meat of veal, pork, or adult beef only.
You can flavor the mixture with aromatic herbs or spices to taste.
You can peel the eggplant before cooking it if you prefer.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I bake the meatballs in the oven?
Sure, just place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil them on the surface. Then you can bake them at 375°F for about 20-25 minutes.
