Eggplant Meatballs in Rich Tomato Sauce (Vegetarian)

Incredible Eggplant Meatballs served in a rich tomato sauce. These “meatballs” are completely meat-free, made with roasted eggplant, herbs, egg and breadcrumbs. Serve them on top of creamy polenta for a hearty and comforting Italian meal.

If you want a vegetable-based meatball that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture, these eggplant meatballs are a perfect choice.

Baked until golden, they keep their round shape and deliver a satisfying, meatball-like bite while remaining meat-free and wholesome.

I like them in a simple tomato sauce over creamy polenta, alongside roasted potatoes or grilled vegetables, but they pair well with pasta or any side you prefer.

Below you’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos and a video, plus practical tips to help you get them just right.

If you also love traditional polpette, we have a recipe for classic Italian meatballs in tomato sauce as well.

Ingredients – what you need

For the meatballs: 2 medium eggplants (aubergines), 1 medium egg, ½ cup fine breadcrumbs (80g), ½ cup finely grated parmesan (30g), ¼ cup pine nuts (35g), ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp fine sea salt and 3–4 tbsp olive oil.

For the sauce: 2 cloves garlic, 2 cups passata (tomato purée/crushed strained tomatoes, 500g), 1 cup water (240ml), a small handful of fresh basil, ½ tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.

See the photo below for a visual guide to the ingredients.

Step by step photos and recipe instructions

Make the meatballs

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Trim the ends of the eggplants and remove the skin with a sharp knife. Cut into roughly 1‑inch cubes and spread evenly on a baking tray.

Drizzle with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil and toss so the pieces are coated. Roast for 15–20 minutes until the eggplant is soft and slightly golden. Remove and allow to cool for 5–10 minutes.

Place the warm eggplant in a food processor with pine nuts, parmesan, breadcrumbs, the egg, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, oregano and salt. Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth but still retains some texture.

Brush a baking tray with olive oil. With slightly wet hands, roll the mixture into 1.5‑inch balls — you should get about 16. If the mix sticks, wet your hands to make rolling easier.

Arrange the meatballs on the tray, brush them lightly with olive oil, and bake for 20–25 minutes until they are lightly golden on top.

Make the sauce

While the meatballs bake, prepare the sauce. Finely chop the garlic and sauté in a large skillet with ½ tablespoon of olive oil until fragrant. Add the passata and 1 cup of water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Stir in a small handful of torn fresh basil at the end. Toss the baked meatballs into the sauce just before serving to prevent them from becoming overly soft.

Serve topped with tomato sauce over polenta, pasta or alongside grilled vegetables.

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Don’t let them sit in the sauce too long – they will absorb sauce and soften; add them to the sauce just before serving.
• Variations – adjust herbs, spices or add lemon zest to change the flavor profile.
• Garlic – garlic is omitted from the meatball mix because the tomato sauce already contains garlic.
• Brush with oil – lightly oil the baking tray and the meatballs so they brown and don’t stick.
• Leftovers – store meatballs and sauce separately in the fridge for 1–2 days; meatballs in sauce will continue to soften.

More eggplant recipes you might like

• Italian Stuffed Eggplant (Mozzarella and Tomato)
• Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane)
• Eggplant Lasagna with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
• Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach and Ricotta
• Eggplant Pasta Alla Norma

If you try these Eggplant Meatballs or any other recipe here, please rate the recipe and share your notes in the comments — I love hearing how it turned out!

Step By Step Photos Above

Most of our recipes include photos, tips and video to help you get perfect results.

Eggplant Meatballs

By Emily

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 4servings (16 meatballs)

Roasted eggplant, herbs and breadcrumbs form tender, flavorful meatballs served in a rich tomato sauce over polenta.

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 2 medium eggplant (aubergines)
• ½ cup fine breadcrumbs (80g)
• ¼ cup pine nuts (35g)
• ½ cup finely grated parmesan (30g)
• 1 medium egg
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3–4 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups passata (500g)
• 1 cup water (240ml)
• Small handful fresh basil
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Trim and peel the eggplants, then cut into 1‑inch cubes and place on a baking tray.
• Drizzle with 2–3 tbsp olive oil, toss to coat, and roast for 15–20 minutes until golden and tender. Cool 5–10 minutes.
• Place roasted eggplant in a food processor with pine nuts, parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, oregano and salt. Pulse until mostly smooth with some texture.
• Brush a baking tray with olive oil. Roll the mixture into 1.5‑inch balls (about 16). Wet hands if sticky.
• Arrange on the tray, brush lightly with olive oil, and bake 20–25 minutes until golden on top.

Make the sauce

• Sauté chopped garlic in ½ tbsp olive oil until fragrant. Add passata and 1 cup water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Stir in torn fresh basil.
• Serve the meatballs with tomato sauce over polenta, pasta or grilled vegetables. Add meatballs to the sauce just before serving.

Notes

• Don’t let them sit in the sauce for too long – toss meatballs in the sauce right before serving to keep their texture.
• Variations – try different herbs, spices or lemon zest to suit your taste.
• Garlic – omitted from the meatballs since the sauce includes it.
• Brush with oil – prevents sticking and helps the meatballs brown.
• Leftovers – store separately in the fridge for 1–2 days; freeze meatballs separately from sauce for best results.

Helpful Info for All Recipes

• I usually use extra virgin olive oil unless noted otherwise.
• All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise.
• Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 401 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 41 g |
Protein: 12 g |
Fat: 23 g |
Fiber: 11 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.