A new weeknight favorite, packed with delicious flavors and textures
These are my incredible Greek meatballs in tomato eggplant sauce with feta: a new weeknight favorite that my whole family loved. We’re using beef for the meatballs for a hearty protein, but you can also use turkey or chicken! The recipe is very simple and allows the Mediterranean flavors to really shine. This is perfect to serve for guests, or for meal prep as the flavors will continue to develop over time!
I served over gluten-free orzo, but this would also be delicious over brown rice or quinoa. Serves 3-4. Full recipe below!
Greek Meatballs
What you’ll need:
1 lb ground beef, I used 85% lean (sub turkey or chicken, or leaner beef)
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp coconut flour (sub ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs)
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbsp yellow onion, very finely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 5 mint leaves, very finely chopped. Adds an extra layer of herby flavor!
Preheat oven to 425F. Combine all meatball ingredients in a medium sized bowl, then roll into 12-16 meatballs. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until internal temp reaches 165F.
Tomato Eggplant Sauce
What you’ll need:
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 eggplant, chopped into small cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 28oz can diced tomatoes, or tomato sauce
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt, or to taste
Lots of freshly cracked pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Crumbled chunks of feta, for topping
Start by heating a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add your olive oil.
Chop your onion, then add to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn nice and golden. Add your garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the cherry tomatoes and eggplant, then stir to combine and sauté for another few minutes until tomatoes cook down and eggplant softens.
Add in the canned tomatoes/sauce, and simmer until sauce reduces, about 8-10 minutes. After simmering, I used an immersion blender to smooth out the sauce a bit, but you can skip this step if you prefer a chunkier texture.
Add oregano, salt, pepper, and parsley, and stir through to combine.
After meatballs are cooked through, add them to the skillet as shown in the picture. Crumble feta over the top and cover with a lid until the feta is nice and melty.
Serve over orzo or your preferred grain with extra parsley and a sprinkle of lemon zest for brightness. Enjoy!!!
I hope you guys love this one as much as I did!!! Truly a new favorite of mine, it’s amazing. Perfect way to use seasonal produce as well, since it’s eggplant season/nearing the end of tomato season! <3
Follow my Instagram @abigailsapron for more delicious content and I’ll see you on the next post :)
With love,
Abigail