Eggplant meatballs baked in marinara
Tender, garlicky eggplant and parmesan meatballs baked in marinara under melted mozzarella, with crusty bread to scoop them up.
- 100 min total
- 40 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 4
- About $3.59 a serving
- 770 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 2 eggplant, medium, about 1½ lb
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
- ¾ cup grated parmesan
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 French bread, for serving
From your pantry
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 770 calories, 33 g protein, 95 g carbs and 30 g fat, and costs about $3.59 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
- No French bread? Sourdough bread works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplant into ¾-inch , with 2 tablespoons oil and the salt on a and until very soft and , about 25 minutes.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Timer: 25 min
Let the eggplant cool for 10 minutes, then it finely on the board until it’s almost a paste.
Chop. Chopping means cutting food into bite-size pieces that don’t need to be neat. Keep them roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly.
How you’ll know: Your pieces are about half an inch and roughly alike, even if none of them are pretty.
Timer: 10 min
In a bowl, mix the eggplant with the garlic, panko, parmesan, eggs, parsley, Italian seasoning and pepper. It should hold together when squeezed.
Dolly’s tip: If it’s too wet to shape, add panko a tablespoon at a time and let it sit 5 minutes.Brush a with the last tablespoon of oil. With wet hands, roll the mixture into 16 balls and set them on the sheet.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
until firm and , 20 to 25 minutes, turning them once halfway.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Timer: 22 min
Dolly’s tip: They’re soft while hot. Turn them gently with a spatula, not tongs.Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Pour the marinara into a baking dish, nestle in the meatballs and top with the mozzarella.
until the sauce bubbles and the cheese , 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with warm crusty bread.
Bake. Baking means cooking in the oven with dry heat all around the food. It cooks evenly from every side, so you can mostly leave it alone.
How you’ll know: It’s golden on top and passes the recipe’s check, like a clean toothpick or the right temperature.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 11 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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