We never thought the perfection that is eggplant Parmesan could be improved upon. That was before Dishing Out Health’s Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs. In this weeknight-friendly recipe, tender meatballs are packed with roasted eggplant, a glorious amount of cheese, seasoned breadcrumbs, and fresh parsley, then nestled in store-bought marinara and dotted with dollops of ricotta. The result? All the flavor of the Italian dish, in the form of cheesy, saucy, vegetarian meatballs that’ll even have meat lovers asking for seconds. Enjoy them over spaghetti, piled onto a hoagie, or straight from the pan with crusty bread — and don’t be surprised if, like one fan, you end up making them three times in a month.
The Time Commitment: About an hour.
Key Tips: If the pulsed eggplant mixture looks too watery, Jamie Vespa (aka Dishing Out Health) suggests adding an extra tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs when mixing in the remaining ingredients to help the meatballs hold their shape.
Other Takes: Need more proof we know (meat)ball? Try…
Chicken Piccata Meatballs. A lemony, capery, no-dredging-necessary riff on the Italian-American classic that’s so tasty, one commenter wanted to give it “10 stars.” Can you blame her?
Butter Chicken Meatballs. Keep a stash of homemade or store-bought meatballs in your freezer and you can have this creamy goodness on the table in 20 minutes — faster than your go-to takeout spot, we’d bet.
Chicken and Scallion “Dumpling” Meatballs with Chili-Sesame Drizzle. In which: your favorite dumplings − fussy folding = the easiest, most crowd-pleasing party app in town. Or be like us and call it dinner.
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