Sus Hive Recipe Library

Eggplant Meatballs

Chef/operator production sheet for Eggplant Meatballs. Use this page for station prep, service setup, holding decisions, and catering execution. Eggplant Meatballs have been moved into the hosted Uncle Cheese recipe system for operator review and Hot-station publishing.

HotChef/Operator Production SheetUC Option A

Eggplant Meatballs

Vegetarian eggplant meatballs with marinara.

Yield: 24 meatballs
Style: meatless hot entrée/support
Use: production / catering service
Prep lead: confirm from method
Service: station-ready / catering-ready

Ingredients

Meatballs
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/4 lb unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp chopped basil, plus extra leaves for garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 oz Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, freshly grated
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sauce & Service
  • 1 jar (25 oz) marinara sauce
  • Part-skim ricotta cheese, for serving optional

Prep / Cook Method

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and 1/4 cup water, season with salt and pepper, and cook 10–12 minutes until tender.
  3. Transfer cooked eggplant to a food processor and pulse a few times.
  4. Move eggplant to a bowl and mix with breadcrumbs, beaten egg, Romano cheese, parsley, garlic, and chopped basil. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
  5. Form into 24 tight balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake 20–25 minutes until firm and browned.
  7. Warm marinara in a deep skillet, add meatballs, and simmer 5 minutes.

Finish + Service

  • Garnish with basil leaves.
  • Serve with ricotta if desired.
  • Good over pasta, spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or with crusty bread and salad.

Holding / Reheat / Catering Notes

  • Hot-hold only if the item protects texture and food safety.
  • Keep sauces/garnishes separate when texture matters.
  • Confirm final internal temperature and service window before dispatch.
  • For off-site catering, pack garnish/sauce components separately when quality improves service.

Scaling Notes

  • Scale ingredient quantities proportionally unless the chef adjusts seasoning, acid, spice, or thickening by taste.
  • For large catering batches, produce a small test batch or chef-taste checkpoint before full run when time allows.
  • Record final batch yield after production so the recipe can be tightened on the next cleanup pass.