These Eggplant Meatballs in Coconut Curry Sauce are the hearty, savory dinner of your dreams. Served over rice with plenty of fresh cilantro!
This recipe has everything you need for the PERFECT vegan dinner! The meatballs are made with lentils, brown rice & roasted eggplant. They are baked until browned, then heated through in a red curry coconut sauce. Then they are served over rice with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and a lime wedge on the side.
These meatballs are comforting, delicious and filling.
How to make eggplant meatballs
First things first. The meatballs. Peel a medium eggplant and cube it. Place it on a baking sheet with some olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast for 30 minutes at 375, or until tender. Once the eggplant has cooled slightly, add it to a food processor with cooked lentils, cooked brown rice, red curry paste, garlic, shallot and cilantro. Pulse until it looks kinda like ground meat.
Add the mixture to a bowl with breadcrumbs and mix until combined. Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes. This will make it easier to form into balls.
Once chilled, use a cookie scoop (or eyeball it) to make 15-20 meatballs. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned.
How to make red curry coconut sauce
While the meatballs are cooking, it is time to make the sauce. Start by heating some sesame oil in a pan with garlic, shallot, bell peppers and ginger powder. Let this cook down for 8-ish minutes, or until everything is tender.
Add in the red curry paste, peanut butter, coconut milk and soy sauce. Give it a stir and let the flavors combine.
Pull the meatballs out of the oven and add them to the sauce. Be sure to spoon the sauce over the meatballs. Let them simmer for about 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken.
How to serve Eggplant Meatballs in Coconut Curry Sauce
Right before serving squeeze some fresh lime juice into the sauce and add a handful of chopped cilantro. Give everything one last toss.
Serve the meatballs over rice and add more cilantro. I also like to add a lime wedge to each bowl. Dig in while everything is hot! These meatballs are so delicious and also make great leftovers!
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Eggplant Meatballs in Coconut Curry Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 1 medium eggplant about 2 cups
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- ⅓ cup cooked brown rice
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 shallot roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- olive oil spray
FOR THE CURRY SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced in strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced in strips
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- ½ lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- rice, lime wedges, cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and cube the eggplant. Place it on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the eggplant, lentils, brown rice, garlic, shallot, red curry paste and cilantro to a food processor. Pulse until combined and looks slightly like ground meat. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the bread crumbs. Stir to combine. Taste and add salt if needed. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop to make 15-20 meatballs and place them on the baking sheet. Spray with olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned. Remove from the oven.
- Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, bell peppers and ginger powder. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the curry paste & peanut butter and stir to combine. Pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Add the lime juice & cilantro and stir to combine. Serve the meatballs over rice with more cilantro and lime wedges.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Rebekah
Would these be ok frozen? Should I freeze them before cooking or after?
Rene
I would bake them, let them cool and then freeze them. Then when reheating just do it in the sauce.
Kathleen
Thank you again for another outstanding recipe💕 This is delicious and now another favorite of ours. It was easy for us to put together and so accessible. The flavor is just wonderful. We can always count on you for a delicious meal.
Rene
Thank you Kathleen!!!
Kathleen
You are most welcome. I love looking at and cooking many of your recipes. Every night is a flavorful adventure, and for that we thank you.
Cara
This was one of the most delicious things I've ever cooked. I'm thinking of just making the sauce with veggies over rice for an easy and quick dinner because that sauce is just heavenly.
Cara McAllister
I'm not sure why it posted at 3 stars because I definitely selected 5!
Rene
Thanks so much Cara!
Hannah
What color lentils do you recommend or does it not matter? Thanks!
Rene
Hi Hannah - I usually use brown (just because it's easy to find them pre-cooked at the store). But any kind should work!
Nathan Williams
I have yet to find the perfect eggplant recipe . . . until now! Something about the texture has always thrown me off. But these were amazing. Thank you!
Kay
Loved this eggplant meatball dish. It's spiced just right.
Dianne Taylor
Haha never mind. I re-read the recipe and saw that this is already answered.
Dianne Taylor
Is one cup of lentils and 1/3 cup of rice the uncooked or cooked measurements?
Laura Findlay
Hello!
This looks so good I cannot wait to try it. Is the nutritional info for one serving or for the whole recipe?
Thank you!
Rene
It is based off servings. So there are 4 servings in the recipe and the nutritional info is for 1 serving.
Debbie Hansen
Hi Rene, can you freeze the meatballs before you bake them?
Rene
You can! But I would probably bake them, let them cool and then freeze them. Then when reheating just do it in the sauce.