"I was shocked how meaty these tasted (and sounded when you dig into them with a fork! A very satisfying squelch)...Definitely falls into the comfort food category, but the kind you can shamelessly gorge yourself on without feeling bad."
Vegan Eggplant Meatballs with Chickpea Pasta
5
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
- ★★
Jump to Section
- Recipe Card
Prep time 15mins
Cook time 35mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 pinch lemon pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tablespoons flax meal
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoons parsley
- 1 tablespoons oregano
- 2 tablespoons basil
- 1 can your favorite marinara
- 1 box Banza chickpea cavatappi or preferred pasta
Method
Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When sufficiently hot, add the cubed eggplant and 1/4 cup of water. Season with lemon pepper, salt, and garlic, while stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer eggplant to a food processor or blender and pulse a few times until evenly chopped.
Step 3
Mix the flax meal and 3 Tbsp water, whisking until gelatinous.
Step 4
Scrape the blended eggplant mixture into a bowl and add the panko, flax 'egg,' nutritional yeast, parsley, and chopped basil to the eggplant.
Step 5
Firmly shape the eggplant mixture into balls, about 1 1/4 oz each. Place on a baking sheet and bake until browned, about 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6
Warm the marinara in a large skillet. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer 5-10 minutes.
Step 7
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta to directions.
Step 8
Drain pasta and serve. Top each dish with the eggplant meatballs and sauce. Garnish with basil or parsley, as desired.