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Spoon scooping up a meatball with tomato sauce
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MEATBALLS WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT (GRAIN-FREE, LOW-CARB)

These meatballs are NOT fried and do NOT contain any gluten or grains. They ARE delicious, low-carb, made with roasted eggplant and grass-fed beef. They ARE super light and packed with flavor!
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Apple Crisp, Beef, Eggplant Meatballs, Grass-fed Beef, Ground Beef, Meat, Meatballs, Polpette al Sugo, Roasted Eggplant, Tomato Sauce
Diet: Gluten-free, Grain-free, Low-carb
Servings: 30 meatballs
Calories: 95kcal

Ingredients

MEATBALLS (POLPETTE)

  • 1.5 lb. beef ground and grass-fed
  • 1 eggplant medium and roasted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup pecorino cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup parsley Italian, fresh and chopped
  • 1 tbsp oregano fresh
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

TOMATO SAUCE (SUGO DI POMODORO)

  • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 52.91 oz strained tomatoes basic Italian passata di pomodoro (I used 1 whole Large Pomì Strained Tomatoes)
  • 6 oz tomato paste basic, no seasoning or additives
  • 1 tbsp rosemary fresh and chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 onion large, finely chopped
  • 2 sticks celery finely chopped
  • 2 carrots finely chopped
  • 1 sprig basil fresh
  • 3 sprigs thyme fresh
  • 3 oz wine red

Instructions

MEATBALLS (POLPETTE)

  • Preheat oven at 400 F
  • Using a fork, poke several holes in a whole medium eggplant. Place it on a sheet pan and roast it for 40 minutes or until it wilts and you can insert a pointy knife with no resistance.
  • Remove eggplant from oven, cut it open to reveal the pulp and let it cool off.
  • Once cool enough (barely warm), scoop out all the pulp from the eggplant and place it into a food processor along with the parsley, oregano, salt and black pepper. Pulse and blend until almost creamy (a few small chunks are ok). You might have to add a little water if it's too dry, but just a teaspoon at a time.
  • Combine all ingredients (including the eggplant mix) in a large bowl and mix thoroughly using a masher, large spoon, or your hands.
  • Roll meatballs to the size of a small egg and lay them on a clean surface, spacing them out.
  • Before putting them into the sauce, add some red wine to the pot and stir well.
  • Carefully, drop the rolled meatballs into the simmering tomato sauce one at a time, making sure they are not crowded. Go around in a circle concentrically, so that each meatball has a few seconds to get seared before a fresh meatball is dropped in next to it or on top of it.
  • Don't stir the pot now! Just place a lid and keep the pot on low-medium heat, simmering steadily.
  • Check the pot after 30 minutes to make sure nothing is sticking and add a bit of red wine if necessary.
  • Let the pot simmer for 10-15 more minutes before removing from heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  • Garnish with fresh basil and Buon Appetito!

Nutrition

Serving: 3meatballs | Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg