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Eggplant and Mushroom Meatballs

This hearty meatless meatball recipe is packed with vegetables and flavour!

15 minutesPrep Time

35 minutesCooking Time

25Servings

Makes 25 servings

1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced

2 portobello mushrooms, diced

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup walnuts, ground

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp parsley, chopped

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

400 g canned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup basil leaves, torn

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 200C.
To make the tomato sauce, heat a saucepan over low heat and saute the garlic in olive oil. To prevent it from browning and cooking too quickly, add 2 tablespoons of water. When the water has evaporated, add the diced tomatoes. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, then add the basil at the end. Season to taste and take off heat to cool.
On a lined baking tray, arrange the eggplant and mushrooms in a single layer. Drizzle over some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
Transfer cooled vegetables to a food processor. Pulse until broken down then add the egg, breadcrumbs, walnuts, dried oregano, parsley, paprika, parmesan cheese and pulse for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well combined. Transfer mix to a large bowl, and rest in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to firm up.
When chilled, roll the eggplant mixture into balls. Spray with olive oil, place onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Pour tomato sauce over eggplant meatballs and put back into the oven.
Serve with pulse pasta and garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.