Eggplant Meatballs with Chickpeas (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)
These eggplant meatballs are a vegetarian take on the classic, made with fresh eggplant, chickpeas, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese, then baked until golden. Drop them into a pot of sauce or enjoy them as they are. The eggplant keeps them tender, the walnuts add a little richness, and the chickpeas act as a binder and add protein.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Simple and Savory
Most eggplant meatball recipes use breadcrumbs. This version swaps the breadcrumb filler for chickpeas, so you get fiber and protein instead of just texture. Eggplant is the most economical and fresh in the summer, so this is a good one to make on repeat while it’s in season.
Recipe Highlights
- Vegetarian meatballs with protein: Chickpeas replace the breadcrumbs most eggplant meatball recipes use, adding protein and fiber instead of just filler.
- Baked, not fried: No standing over a skillet managing oil splatter.
- Great for leftovers: Make extra. They last 3 to 4 days in the fridge and freeze well too.
Ingredient Notes:
- Eggplant – any variety works. No need to peel unless the skin seems tough or bitter.
- Chickpeas – the protein and binder in this recipe. Swap with an equal amount of white beans.
- Walnuts – add fat and a little richness. Swap with an equal amount of cashews or almonds, or leave them out entirely for a nut-free version (reduce the food processor pulse time slightly since you’ll have less bulk).
- Parmesan-for a dairy-free version, swap with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast.
- Egg – for a vegan version, swap with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 2 tablespoons water).
- Garlic and onion – fresh garlic cloves are best. But, in a pinch, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon onion powder will work.
How to Make Eggplant Veggie Meatballs
- Get all of the ingredients ready: Roughly chop the eggplant into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks, mince the onions and garlic, grate the cheese, and drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Cook chopped eggplant in olive oil with a splash of water until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Pulse chickpeas and walnuts in a food processor until crumbly.
- Add the cooked eggplant to the food processor along with sautéed onion and garlic.
- Stir the blended eggplant mixture into a bowl with a whisked egg and the Parmesan.
- Chill the mixture for an hour so it firms up enough to shape.
- Roll into 2-inch balls and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, until golden.
Make it Your Way
As with many of my recipes, this is a starting point that can easily be made your way with what you have on hand or feel like eating. Here are some suggestions:
- Protein: swap the chickpeas for white beans, black beans, or kidney beans; any of them will bind and add protein just the same.
- Vegetables: trade the eggplant for zucchini or mushrooms if that’s what’s in the fridge.
- Nuts: walnuts can become pecans, cashews, or almonds, whatever you keep on hand.
- Sauce: swap marinara for bush sauce or skip the red sauce and toss with pesto instead.
My go-to for these meatballs is to place them in a casserole dish and drizzle with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Broil until the cheese melts.
If you like cooking this way, mixing and matching instead of hunting down a new recipe every night, try my dinner builders for easy dinner ideas.
Serving suggestions
Serve these delicious eggplant meatballs on a hoagie roll smothered with your favorite marinara sauce and topped with melted provolone cheese for a meatball sub.
They also taste great on a plate with fresh zucchini noodles or your favorite pasta, and garnished with a handful of fresh basil with a side spinach or arugula salad.
Storing and using leftovers
Store leftover cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: cool the meatballs, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag, where they’ll keep for about 3 months. No need to thaw; cook them straight from frozen.
To make ahead without freezing: mix the batter up to two days before you plan to cook, and shape and bake when you’re ready.
Reheat on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Simple and Savory
Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Eggplant Meatballs
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredientsRoughly chop the eggplant into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks, mince the onions and garlic, grate the cheese, drain and rinse the chickpeas – set everything aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to a skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the eggplant chunks and water.
- Cook the eggplant stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes until the eggplant becomes tender.
- While the eggplant is cooking, pulse the chickpeas and walnuts in a food processor until they are the size of breadcrumbs.
- Once the eggplant is cooked, transfer it to the food processor with the walnuts and chickpeas.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet along with onions and garlic; cook them until they become translucent – about 5 minutes and add them to the food processor and blend them together.
- Whisk an egg in a large bowl, and stir in the eggplant mixture along with the cheese – mix until everything is combined.
- Place the meatball mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour, making it easier to form the meatballs.
- Remove the mixture from the refrigerator, and pre-heat the oven to 400.
- Roll the mixture into balls about 2 inches in size
- Place the meatballs onto a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper and bake until browned – about 15 to 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- For vegan/dairy-free eggplant meatballs, replace the Parmesan cheese with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed combined with 2 tablespoons water)
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
Eggplant Meatballs FAQs
Yes. Leave out the walnuts. The chickpeas still provide the binding and protein, so the texture holds up fine without them.
Yes. Swap the parmesan for 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and the egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 2 tablespoons water).
That’s what holds them together. An hour in the fridge firms the mixture up enough to roll. In a hurry, 20 to 30 minutes in the freezer works too.
Sign Up for Easy Recipes Straight in Your In-Box!
Wow those meatballs are amazing I made them the other night and they were so good!
Thank you so much! I’m always looking for more meatless recipes, and this one is a keeper, made it several times.
We were looking for a new eggplant recipe and stumbled on this. Huge success! Everyone loved them. I will confess, I added some basil and oregano to the mix and since we doubled the recipe, (four kids), also added 1/2 cup of plain instant oatmeal for filled and binder. Turned out great. We want try again, but shape into patties as a veggie burger.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them! I love the idea of a veggie burger,I will be trying that soon too.