Eggplant Meatball Casserole Recipes

EGGPLANT MEATBALL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, place in a single layer around a colander set over a bowl, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant, drain, and squeeze dry, pressing out excess moisture and patting with paper towel. Removing excess moisture helps make it easier to roll the balls.
• Meanwhile, spread 1 1/3 cup breadcrumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dried and just turning golden, 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant in a single layer; cook, flipping one time, about 5 minutes. Transfer to colander. Repeat adding another tablespoon of oil and second half of eggplant. If pan gets too hot, adjust heat. Wipe out pan. Let eggplant cool slightly in colander.
• Transfer eggplant to a food processor, discarding any extra juices that drained out. Add toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and minced garlic. Pulse until mixture is a chunky paste, about 6 pulses. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg white. Chill until cold, about 30 minutes. Form mixture into 12 balls, coating the outsides with remaining breadcrumbs to help shape the balls. Chill at least 1 hour until firmer and cold and up to overnight. Best results with an overnight chill.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10 inch enameled cast iron casserole or cast iron skillet over medium-high. Add meatballs working in two batches; cook, turning carefully with a spoon to help retain shape, until browned all over, about 6 to 7 minutes. If pan gets too hot, adjust heat. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon oil and sliced garlic; stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, a large pinch of red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; bring to a boil. Return meatballs to pan; spooning sauce over to coat. Bake until sauce is slightly thickened, 18 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Set oven to broil. Top each meatball with a piece of mozzarella; return to oven. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes.

EGGPLANT MEATBALLS WITH MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the eggplant on top. Use a fork to prick the eggplant 4 times, then place the eggplant in the oven and roast it until it has completely collapsed and a paring knife easily slips into the center, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool the eggplant 20 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh (discard the skin). Place the roasted eggplant in a medium bowl and stir in the egg and beans. Add the garlic, basil, parmesan, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine, then mix in the breadcrumbs.
• Again, line the rimmed baking sheet with a clean sheet of foil and lightly mist it with spray. Shape the eggplant mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball (2 tablespoons per ball; you should get about 16). Place them on the prepared baking sheet and lightly mist the top of the balls with spray. Bake the eggplant balls until they are golden brown and firm, about 20 minutes.
• While the meatballs cook, warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan. Remove the meatballs from the oven, sprinkle with a little extra parmesan and serve with the marinara sauce.

EGGPLANT "MEATBALLS"

Steps:

• Heat a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and saute the garlic in the hot oil until just fragrant and barely starting to lightly brown, about 30 seconds. Add the eggplant and 1/4 cup of water. Lower the heat to low and cover the skillet. Allow the eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, if you have time.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
• Place the eggplant mixture in a food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Or just do this on a cutting board with a knife.
• Transfer the eggplant mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the cheese, parsley, basil, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture well to combine, using your hands or a wooden spoon. The mixture can be refrigerated at this point, covered for up to a day. It is easier to roll into meatballs when the mixture is cooled down. (If doing so, preheat the oven 30 minutes before baking the meatballs.)
• Roll or scoop the mixture using a 1- to 1 1/2-ounce ice cream scoop into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm on the outside and light brown underneath.
• Meanwhile, heat the marinara sauce in a large saucepan over low heat until simmering. Transfer the meatballs to the saucepan with marinara sauce. Toss with the sauce and serve.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN WITH CHICKEN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Thaw meatballs and cut into pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pour milk into a shallow bowl and bread crumbs onto an 8x10-inch piece of waxed paper. Set both next to a cutting board.
• Peel and slice eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Coat each slice of eggplant by dipping both sides in milk and then in bread crumbs.
• Heat skillet over medium heat until hot. Spray with cooking spray, then place eggplant slices into the pan; you may need to work in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan. Brown on each side and cook until eggplant becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes. You can set aside the cooked pieces as you work, it doesn't matter if they get cold while you put more in the pan to brown.
• Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan (size will depend on how big your eggplant is.) Place one layer of eggplant rounds on top of sauce. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/3 of the meatballs. Repeat with another layer of pasta sauce, eggplant, mozzarella, and chicken. Repeat if you still have eggplant left. Finish with a thin layer of pasta sauce, cheese, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover and bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.

EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil; add eggplant. Boil for 5-8 minutes or until tender;drain and set aside. , In a skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tomato is tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in milk, egg and eggplant; mix well., Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

EGGPLANT MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Grease foil with olive oil.
• Arrange eggplant halves cut-sides-down onto the prepared baking sheet. Pierce skin of eggplant several times with a fork.
• Roast eggplant in preheated oven until soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
• Scoop the flesh from the eggplant halves onto a cutting board; chop into small chunks and put into a large mixing bowl.
• Mix ground turkey, carrot, onion, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper with the eggplant chunks until ingredients are somewhat evenly mixed together. Gently mix almond flour into the eggplant mixture; scoop with an ice cream scoop onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake meatballs in oven for 15 minutes, flip the meatballs, and bake until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes more.
• While the meatballs bake, heat marinara sauce in saucepan over medium-low heat until hot; add baked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat.

CREAMY EGGPLANT PARMESAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment. Combine bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan in shallow dish. Reserve 2 Tbsp. crumb mixture for later use. Spray both sides of 1 eggplant slice with cooking spray; dip in remaining bread crumb mixture, turning to evenly coat both sides of eggplant slice. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.
• Bake 30 min. or until eggplant is tender and golden brown, turning after 15 min.
• Meanwhile, microwave cream cheese in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 40 sec. Gradually whisk in milk until blended. Stir in garlic and 1/4 cup basil.
• Spread 1/4 cup cream cheese sauce onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate sprayed with cooking spray. Top with layers of 1/3 of the eggplant, 4 cheese slices, 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmesan and 1/3 cup of the remaining cream cheese sauce; repeat layers twice. Top with tomatoes, remaining cheese slices and reserved crumb mixture.
• Bake 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining basil.