Eggplant ‘Meatballs’ in Tomato Sauce

1 week ago 8

Democracy Dies successful Darkness

4.5 (2)

By Joe Yonan

These meatballs, successful keeping with Italian tradition, bushed immoderate of those mock meats that travel retired of a package. As cookbook writer Domenica Marchetti notes, nutrient was scarce successful astir Italian homes until reasonably recently, meaning that cooks determination person been creating meatlike dishes from vegetables for hundreds of years.

It's champion to person a thermometer connected manus for the frying oil.

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 4-5

1 ample (16 ounces) shiny purple eggplant
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
28 ounces canned, no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 spoon good oversea salt
3 ample caller basil leaves, shredded oregon torn, positive 1 tablespoonful minced caller basil
3 rounded cups caller breadcrumbs
2 ample eggs, lightly beaten
2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
1 tablespoonful minced caller flat-leaf parsley
1 cupful flour, for coating, oregon much arsenic needed
Vegetable oil, for frying
Water (optional)
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving (optional)

Nutritional Facts

Per serving (based connected 5)

Calories
280
Fat
14 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Carbohydrates
29 g
Sodium
800 mg
Cholesterol
95 mg
Protein
11 g
Fiber
5 g
Sugar
8 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from Domenica Marchetti's "The Glorious Vegetables of Italy" (Chronicle, 2013).

Tested by Joe Yonan.

Published August 20, 2013

Updated March 14, 2026