These Mediterranean diet inspired Eggplant and Turkey Baked Meatballs feature roasted eggplant, ground turkey, fresh herbs, and parmesan.
Baked Meatballs Even the Toughest Critics Like
My kids love meatballs. They love them at other people’s houses or when my mom makes a big batch. They love them at restaurants and events frozen pre-made meatballs.
The only time they don’t love meatballs is when I’ve tried to make them from scratch. I’ve tried so many recipes and they just remain uneaten on their plates.
That was until I made these magical little turkey meatballs earlier this week.
Making Eggplant and Turkey Meatballs
My Inspiration – I saw a similar recipe on this instagram and was so inspired by the inclusion of roasted eggplant that I had to try it for myself.
Ingredients – These meatballs include roasted eggplant that’s been pureed with fresh herbs and garlic, which then gets mixed into the meatball mixture. Instead of ground beef, I used ground turkey for a more lean, less saturated fat protein choice. The original inspiration recipe was completely grain free but I added a bit of panko style breadcrumbs as a binder.
Cooking Style – These meatballs are baked in the oven, making them easy to cook all at once. You can also easily cook them in advance. I did try lightly browning half of the meatballs in a cast iron skillet first and then baking them. I liked the crust and color it gave the meatballs but it isn’t necessary if you want to skip this step.
How does this Recipe fit into the Mediterranean Diet?
While meatballs are traditionally viewed as an “Italian dish”, it’s actually thought that the first meatball might have originated from Persia and are called “Kofta”.
However, meatballs now cross many cultures and common in many different locations and types of cooking.
These Eggplant & Turkey Baked Meatballs are a Mediterranean diet inspired recipe because –
- they replace some of the meat with vegetables for a more plant based recipe
- plenty of fresh herbs are used instead of salt
- ground turkey is used as the main protein source instead of ground beef
- they are baked instead of fried, so less fat is required during the cooking process
While this isn’t a traditional “mediterranean” recipe, I still consider it to align with the Mediterranean Diet Guidelines. Check out this post on my Mediterranean Diet Food Philosophy for more info.
Eggplant and Turkey Baked Meatballs Recipe
Eggplant and Turkey Baked Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup Italian flatleaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/3 cup panko style breadcrumbs (you can subtitute regular breadcrumbs as well)
- 1 egg, large
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional, see note below)
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil
- Using a fork, pierce the eggplant multiple times and then place on the lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, until the eggplant is fork tender
- Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F
- Once cooled slightly, use a spoon to scoop the inside of the roasted eggplant in a food processor.
- Add the garlic, parsley and dried oregano to the food processor and puree until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggplant puree, ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, egg, and parmesan cheese. Mix until well combine (I prefer to use my hands but you can also use a spatula or spoon).
- Form the mixture into 8 large, even sized meatballs
- Optional – if you desire a more browned crust to your meatballs, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and lightly brown the top and bottom of each meatball (about 2 min each side) before getting ready to bake in the oven. Note this step isn't required.
- Place meatballs into a large baking dish or parchment lined baking sheet
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes
- Garnish with fresh basil (if desired) before serving
How to Serve these Meatballs
These baked meatballs are really versatile. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy them include –
- Served with pasta and this Homemade Tomato Sauce and extra parmesan cheese on top
- Topped with Basil Pesto and served with a big bowl of leafy green salad
- Used as a filling for a flavor packed sandwich or wrap
Great recipe! I wasn’t sure what to expect with the pureed eggplant in the meatballs – was concerned the texture may be ‘off’. But, these turned out great – very moist and falvorful and definitely could be a hidden veggie for picky eaters. My husband said these were the best turkey meatballs he has had – coming from someone who doesn’t like eggplant.