Eggplant meatballs

12/27/2025

Today, with our Cesarina Marialuisa from Turate, in the province of Como, we are going to learn how to prepare a simple, tasty, and incredibly versatile dish that you can make for an happy hour with friends, a buffet for a family party, or even as an appetizer – perhaps paired with your favorite sauce – or as a topping for a pasta dish, or as a second course suitable even for vegetarians. We're talking about eggplant meatballs, delicious bites that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, perfect for eating one after another.

“I married my husband because my mother-in-law made me fall in love with her meatballs”.

Several regions claim the origin of this recipe, but what is relatively certain is that its roots are found in Southern Italy, where eggplants are abundant during the summer months.

Let’s discover how to prepare them and bring them to the table in just a few simple steps with this easy and quick recipe.

Eggplant meatballs

From Southern Italy come these delicious bites, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside

DifficultyEasy

Preparation time40m

Cooking time20m

Servings6

€

CostLow

Ingredients

1 kg of eggplants
100 g pecorino cheese
2 eggs
Breadcrumbs to taste
Parsley to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato puree
EVO oil

Method

Blanch the eggplants in slightly salted water (they're done when a fork easily pierces them). Once cooked, cut them in half and drain to remove excess water.
Meanwhile, sauté a garlic clove in oil, then add a glass of tomato puree with half a glass of water. When it thickens, add salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
Remove the flesh from the eggplants, mash it with a fork, and add it to the sauce. As the mixture dries, if necessary, add breadcrumbs until the mixture reaches a workable consistency, meaning it should be firm enough to form meatballs.
Remove the mixture and set it aside. In the same pan, heat some EVO oil, shape the mixture into elongated meatballs, coat them in breadcrumbs, and sear them in the oil (they should not be deep-fried but simply seared in oil).
Drain on paper towels and serve with a sauce of your choice.
(Cesarina Marialuisa suggests using raw tomato puree with a hint of spice)