By now, anyone familiar with my cooking knows that when I prepare meatballs or croquettes, I rarely use meat as the main ingredient! I prefer vegetarian versions, much tastier and more versatile, like these that I want to offer today! These are delicious croquettes made with eggplant, Greek feta cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes! How can I even describe them? They are incredibly delicious! Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, with this tasty filling thanks to the saltiness of the feta and sun-dried tomatoes. And the best part is that you just put everything in a processor, and you’re done! They will be perfect for an informal dinner as finger food appetizers or as a main course for a summer lunch by the sea! Baking is certainly recommended for a healthier option, but nothing prevents you from frying them for an even more out-of-this-world version! I paired them with a truly exquisite caper and hard-boiled egg sauce, but that’s another story that I’ll tell you later! Prepare them and let me know, please!
If you, like me, love meatballs and enjoy serving tasty and healthy vegetarian dishes, try these other ideas too:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 55 Minutes
- Portions: About 20
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, and it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 2 eggplants
- 3.5 oz feta cheese (Greek)
- 2.8 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil (cherry)
- 2 potatoes, peeled, boiled
- 3.5 oz breadcrumbs (+ as needed for coating)
- 1 egg
- A few leaves mint
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Melon baller
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Mixing bowl
Preparation
Wash and dry the eggplants. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 392°F for 45 minutes.
Once cooked, remove the skin and stalk, then extract the pulp using a melon baller.
Drain the eggplants in a sieve to remove all their water and transfer them to a food processor.
Also crumble in the Greek feta and add a few leaves of mint.
Start processing until you get a smooth mixture, then add the drained sun-dried tomatoes (fig. 5).
Blend again, add the parsley, just a pinch of salt, and pepper.
Incorporate the egg and oregano and blend again.
Add the breadcrumbs little by little to adjust the consistency.
And finally, the boiled potatoes cut into pieces.
Adjust the salt and blend until you get a firm and smooth mixture.
Let it firm up in the fridge for half an hour, then take a spoonful of this mixture at a time and, with always wet hands, create your croquettes.
Roll them in breadcrumbs, preferably homemade, coarser, and crunchier.
As you go, place the croquettes on a tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle with a bit of oil, and bake at 392°F for 25 minutes, then turn them and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on the oven. They should be well browned.
Serve while still warm with dipping sauces or on a fresh salad.
And voilà… the eggplant, Greek feta, and sun-dried tomato croquettes are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Try them with my Salento-style melon, caper, and hard-boiled egg sauce. A delight!
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣* If your food processor is not powerful enough, I recommend chopping the tomatoes with a knife before adding them to the mixture.
🟣You can also cook the eggplant and Greek feta croquettes in an air fryer at 392°F for about 15 minutes, ensuring you check them halfway through. Times may vary slightly depending on the fryer and the size of the croquettes, so assess the browning, and once they are golden, they will be ready.
Storage
👉Store in the fridge for 2/3 days, reheating them just before serving. Freezing is not recommended.
