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So loving the warmer weather, it means I get to spend more time outdoors, and I just love eating these eggplant vegan meatballs out in my garden.
Made these delicious spicy eggplant vegan meatballs in my rich homemade spicy tomato sauce, for a little get together and they were a hit!
Bite size, spicy, flavoursome meatballs, you can eat with a toothpick or add them to your sub, wraps or bowls. A definite yummy all rounder!
Don’t be fooled by the word “meatballs”, it’s completely meat free and, the only meat you’ll find, is the scrumptious meaty eggplant vegetable goodness.
So Simple Too
These scrumptious eggplant vegan meatballs are easy to make.
Just pan fry the ingredients, blitz and shape them into a ball. Easy!
Pan fry the eggplant vegan meatballs till golden brown and serve them drowning in my homemade spicy tomato sauce 🤤🤤🤤
You can bake these eggplant vegan meatballs in the oven for a healthier version or put them on the BBQ for a little smoky char grilled flavour 👍.
Pan Fry 
Or BBQ
Delicious As They Are Or With My Homemade Spicy Tomato Sauce.
And of course you have to have some freshly baked sourdough to mop up that delicious sauce 😋
Have a great one🍹!
Cheer! Di x
Eggplant Vegan Meatballs
Ingredients
Eggplant Vegan Meatballs
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 2 eggplant diced
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp majoram
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinager
- 3 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 tbsp besan flour chickpea flour
- 1 red capcium diced
- 425 grams cooked chick peas (tin) drained
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Spicy Homemade Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic minched
- 2 tins crushed tomatoes 400 grams
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp fresh or dried oragano
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Instructions
Spicy Homemade Tomato Sauce
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In a large pot, heat oil and gently cook the garlic till fragrant and soft.
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Add the remainder of the spicy homemade tomato sauce ingredients and bring sauce to the boil.
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Once boiled, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 -40 min until ready to serve.
Season with some salt and pepper to taste
Eggplant Vegan Meatballs
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In a large pan, on high, heat olive oil.
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Add the onion, garlic and gently pan fry till soft.
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Then add the eggplant and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
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Add the seasoning, sea salt, cumin, smoked paprika, marjoram, chilli powder, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stirling occasionally.
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Let eggplant mixture cool slightly. Roughly 30 min
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Gently transfer cooled eggplant mixture into a food processor and add the remainder of the ingredients except the vegetable oil.
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Blitz the ingredients till combined or till desired texture.
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Remove mixture from food processor into a large bowl.
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To make balls, scoop a small handful of mixture (roughly golf ball size) and shape them into a ball by gently squeezing mixture in between the palm of your hands.
Note: If mixture is too wet, add a bit more flour, a tbsp at a time.
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Line meatballs on a parchment paper on a tray and put it in the fridge to set for 1hr.
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This recipe should make 30 evenly sized golf ball size meatballs.
To Cook
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Heat a large pan with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil.
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Remove meatballs from the fridge and gently place them in the hot pan.
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Cook eggplant vegan meatballs for 5 to 10 mins, until evenly golden all over. Make sure to turn them occasionally.
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Once cooked, remove from heat and place on paper towel to remove any excess oil.
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Place eggplant vegan meatballs in a shallow bowl and pour spicy homemade tomato sauce all over.
Serve with some chopped chives or coriander on top
Recipe Notes
In this recipe I blitz stale sourdough for the bread crumb mixture. Gives the meatballs a different texture and adds another flavour to it too.
I used a mild chilli ratio, you are welcome to add more or less chilli powder and flakes to suit your taste.
If eggplant mixture is too wet, add a bit more flour, a tbsp at a time.
By placing mixture in the fridge, enhances the flavour as well as firming the mixture to a more workable consistency.
Eggplant balls can also be cooked straight away but I prefer to put them in the fridge for the above reason.
Eggplant meatballs can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
For easy storage, let eggplant vegan meatballs set in freezer before transferring them to a freezer bag or container.
Defrost completely before pan frying or BBQ. No need if oven baked.
*Nutrition information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only*
