Eggplant and potato meatballs in tomato sauce, a recipe for delicious vegetarian meatballs in sauce that are easy to prepare. You can also find these tasty meatballs in our collection of Quick Eggplant Recipes or in our collection Potato Meatballs: Grandma’s Recipes; in fact they fit perfectly in both, and you’ll also find them in the collection of All the Best Potato Recipes made so far. The recipe for these super-soft vegetarian meatballs in sauce will surprise you: eggplant, potatoes, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, one egg and just a few more ingredients let you serve a light, flavorful summer main course suitable for the whole family, which you can prepare ahead and heat up shortly before serving. Ready to make them with me? Let’s head to the kitchen and I guarantee that with their sauce, besides being great for dipping, you can also sauce a good plate of pasta! As always, before we get started I remind you that if you want to stay updated on my recipes you can follow my Facebook page and my Instagram profile.
Take a look:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn
Ingredients to make eggplant and potato meatballs in tomato sauce
- 2.6 lbs eggplants
- 14 oz potatoes
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan
- 0.5 cup Pecorino
- 1 egg (medium)
- pinch black pepper
- to taste salt
- to taste parsley
- 1 onion (small)
- 2 cups tomato purée (rustic or homemade)
- to taste basil
Tools
- Pan
- Bowl
- Pot
- Microwave
Preparation
Rinse the eggplants, cut them in half and place them in a large baking dish with the cut side facing down.
Cover with microwave-safe cling film and cook for 20 minutes at 750W, then allow to cool before removing the skin. If you don’t have a microwave, cook them (without cling film, of course) in a conventional oven at 392°F for 30 minutes or until they are soft when pierced with a fork.
Once peeled, place them in a colander and let excess liquid drain, then chop them into very small pieces.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, add salt and cook for 35-40 minutes from boiling or until they are soft when pierced with a skewer. Drain them and let them cool slightly. Or do as I do: place them in a bowl after washing, pour in half a cup of water and cover tightly with cling film. Cook in the microwave at 750W for 20 minutes, then remove and let cool. Mash the potatoes and put them in the same bowl where you placed the well-drained eggplant.
Add the parsley and the cheeses, salt, pepper if desired, and a pinch of garlic powder for convenience.
Then add the breadcrumbs, mix and wait 10 minutes before adding the egg. Mix the mixture again; it should be firm and not too soft.
Then shape the meatballs, slightly larger than a walnut. Heat a generous splash of oil in a large pan, place the meatballs in the pan and let them brown on both sides, then remove them from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, soften and sweat the peeled, chopped onion. Add the tomato purée, adjust the salt and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Place the eggplant and potato meatballs in the sauce and add half a cup of water if necessary. Cook for 15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese, fresh basil and the cooking sauce.
Eggplant and potato meatballs in tomato sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2 days, well covered in an airtight container; I recommend reheating them before eating.
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