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At first glance, this looks like your standard plate of spaghetti and meatballs. However, let me introduce you to Veggie Balls! Before you meat-eaters click away, thinking this sounds like some crazy vegetarian experiment, let me assure you that these are one of my favorite things to come from my kitchen in the last few weeks!
I recently stumbled upon an article in St. Louis’ Sauce Magazine where the author experimented with an assortment of veggie balls, including some inspired by a meal she had at Ranoush in University City, a St. Louis neighborhood. The magazine shared her recipe for Mushroom and Eggplant Veggie Balls and I was eager to try the take on a faux meatball. 
Though the process was a little time-intensive for a busy weekday after work, I still managed to have dinner on the table by 7 pm. That being said, if you’re a fan of quick and easy meals, you may want to save this for the weekend. Whether you’re a diehard meatball lover or a proud vegetarian, these deserve a spot in your dinner repertoire. Meatballs, they are not, though they resemble them in appearance. Do not make them expecting meatballs. Still, the mushrooms and eggplant have a meatiness to them that led both my husband and I to exclaim several times throughout the meal, “This is really good!”. They’re much more tender than your typical meatball, but also much more moist. Served atop whole-wheat spaghetti noodles and some spaghetti sauce, this just might be your new favorite meal too!
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Eggplant and Mushroom Veggie Balls
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Description
Faux meatballs made from eggplant and mushrooms!
Ingredients
- 1 whole eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 oz. (225 g) button mushrooms, sliced (mine came in a 10 oz. package, so I used that)
- 8 oz. (225 g) baby bella mushrooms, sliced (mine came in a 10 oz. package, so I used that)
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) sea salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 ml) freshly ground white pepper (I used black pepper)
- 1 egg, gently whisked
- 1/2 cup (4 oz) panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a large plastic bag, combine the first 8 ingredients (eggplant through pepper) and shake to evenly coat vegetables.
- Coat a large glass baking dish (you may need to use two) with cooking spray. Spread the vegetables in an even layer on the dish(es) and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove vegetables from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir the egg and panko into the vegetable mixture. Transfer the mixture in small batches to a food processor fitted with the chopping blade.
- Pulse batches until minced, but not pureed (mixture will be very wet).
- Form the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet or glass dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve over spaghetti noodles with spaghetti sauce.
Notes
- From St.
- Louis Sauce Magazine
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 mins
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do these taste like meatballs?
Not exactly — the author is explicit that you should not make these expecting meatballs. That said, the mushrooms and eggplant have a meatiness to them that prompted both the author and her husband to say “this is really good” throughout the meal. They’re more tender and moist than a typical meatball.
Why are the vegetables roasted before being processed and formed into balls?
Roasting the eggplant, mushrooms, and onion at 350°F for 30 minutes first drives off excess moisture and concentrates their flavor. Without this step the raw vegetables would make the mixture too wet to hold together, even with the egg and panko breadcrumbs binding them.
Is this a quick weeknight recipe?
The author describes the process as “a little time-intensive” and managed dinner by 7 pm on a weekday. She recommends saving this for the weekend if you prefer quick and easy weeknight meals, as the full process involves a 30-minute roast, cooling to room temperature, forming, and a second 25–30 minute bake.
This recipe was a good jumping off point for faux meatballs. I sped up my inital roasting time by cooking at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Once all vegetables were processed I added fresh parsley, sage, coriander, smoked paprika and a dash of red pepper flake to make the mixture more sausage-like. I would probably add a tad more salt next time. Instead of traditional spaghetti sauce, I served these over a spinach and pea pesto and whole wheat angel hair pasta. Healthy meal, simple ingredients, full of flavor!