Greek Eggplant Meatballs (Melitzanokeftedes)
Crunchy on the outside and cheesy gooey on the inside – you will fall in love.
If you love eggplant as much as I do, you will become obsessed with these little nuggets of veggie love. Its got that crunchy shell and inside that cheesy center. It is like nothing else you will try. If you can’t get your hands on some Greek Kasseri cheese, that’s okay; just use cubed mozzarella or gouda.
If you like this recipe you will love my:
- Low Carb Eggplant Bruschetta
- Easy Low Carb Eggplant Lasagna
- Greek Eggplant Dip
- Low Carb Eggplant Rolls w Mozzarella + Proscuitto
- Baked Crispy Eggplant Fries
- Grilled Eggplant Sandwich
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Greek Eggplant Meatballs (Melitzanokeftedes)
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large eggplant, peeled + diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1¼ cup breadcrumbs (divided)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- chili pepper flakes, to taste
- 1/2 cup Kasseri cheese, cubed, (or mozzarella or gouda)
Instructions
- In a large deep skillet, heat your oil. Add in your onion and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Add in your eggplant and toss to coat. If the mixture is too dry, add in another tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook to soften for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan to a paper towel lined platter to cool slightly and drain any excess oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggplant mixture, 1 CUP breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan, parsley, chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste. Form your medium sized balls and then an indent int the center to insert two small cubes of Kaseri cheese. Bring the mixture around the cheese to cover and close off the cheese.
- Roll the balls in 1/4 cup breadcrumbs to give them that crunchy exterior. Wipe down the pan you used before and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Working in two batches, add half the balls and cook for 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
Notes
If you’re looking for a dip to pair with this, definitely try some marinara sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 75kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg
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Amazingly delicious!!! Easy to make and full of flavor! Bravo!
is parmesan cheese mandatory…?? can we skip it…??
Hi Arbeen, you can totally skip it but add in additional breadcrumbs to account for its loss
can I use any other cheese apart from parmesan…??
My husband has gone vegetarian, and finding healthy recipies that aren’t boring has been difficult. This one is perfect! I’ve made it with eggplant and zucchini (store was out of eggplant) which both worked great. I used 2 medium and 1 small peeled zucchini as a substitute.
It was super easy and super tasty! Thanks!
Hi
Have you tried cooking them in an air fryer ?
Hi STef, I haven’t but they should work just fine in an air fryer! Enjoy!
My daughter absolutely loved them!!! Ate every last one of them!!!😊. I’m making them again tonight!
Do these freeze well & if so freeze after completely cooked or before frying & are they just as tasty if baked?
HI Maria, yes I would bake these too and they are super delicious either way! YOu can freeze them best prior to cooking! Enjoy!
Just made these. A little labor intensive but worth it! Instead of stuffing them I mixed in a shredded Italian 4-cheese blend. This made 12 fritters. Delicious!
Hi Katie, those sound delicious! Thanks for sharing your feedback with us!
Thank you !
I love eggplant and never thought of doing this.
Hi Stephen, hope you enjoy!
Hi!! I cant wait to make theeeeese!! Quick question: I’d like to try baking them instead. Any suggestions on time and temp? Thanks!!
When do you add the grated parmesan… with all the other ingredients?
Your recipes are outstanding. Looking forward to making these meatballs.
Hi Andrea! Thank you so much! You’re gonna love these fritters!
Yes, so sorry about that confusion – please add grated parmesan with the breadcrumbs! I just updated the recipe post and I thank you for alerting me to the omission!
Very yummy! My 1 year grandson loves them. I added some oregano, basil, extra garlic and some chopped up roasted bell peppers and carrots. Made a big batch and froze them.
I can’t eat eggplant, is there another vegetable that’s similar that I could use? They look delicious!
zucchini works here too!
I made 13 of these tonight. My kids loved them. My son ate 7 and my daughter had 4. They were even wondering where the eggplant was because they couldn’t taste eggplant. I used fresh mozzarella- oh the cheese pull! My daughter says IG worthy!
Hi Veronica! I’m so happy the family loved them – they taste so good – I know lol I wish I had some right now!!!
I ll try tomorrrow it looks yummy
Hi Devrim! I hope you enjoyed them!!