Happy Meatless Monday everyone! Wow is it really the end of August already? Almost time to start thinking about fall favorites but for now I am continuing to enjoy all the summer vegetable goodness. Please join Tina and I for this week’s Meatless Monday linkup. I’ve got a delicious vegetarian version of Gyros for you. This Eggplant “Meatball” Gyro will knock your socks off and have you running back for more. It’s super easy to prepare but looks like you spent hours in the kitchen. My kind of dinner for sure!
Okay, so I never did grow my own garden this year but luckily my good friend, Lori, did! She is quite the green thumb and shared this bounty of fresh eggplant with me and challenged me to create something even a non eggplant eater would love.
Challenge accepted! These Eggplant “Meatball” Gyros were the bomb! They are easy to make but oh so satisfying. Friendly to vegetarians & vegans and those who are gluten free. Hope you enjoy as much as I did. Created with white beans, mushrooms and a mix of spices these Eggplant “meatballs” would also be great added into pastas or casseroles. You control the spiciness factor by adding more or less of the jalapeno spread.
Eggplant “Meatball” Gyros
08/31/2015
Category
Appetizers/Snacks
Gluten Free
Healthy living
Main Dishes-Vegetarian
Meatless Monday
Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of eggplant-diced with skin on
- 1 C mushrooms
- 1 C Cannelli Beans
- 1 C Panko Bread Crumbs (or GF Panko)
- 3 garlic cloves
- handful of fresh parsley
- salt, pepper, basil, oregano, chili flakes
- 1 Tbl Schug (jalapeno pepper spread)-optional
- cooking spray
- Condiments for Gyro: diced cucumber, tomato, Tzatziki, pita
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- place eggplant, garlic, mushrooms on baking sheet & toss with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt & pepper
- Roast for 15-20 m until eggplant is soft
- Remove from heat & add to food processor with Cannelli beans
- Add parsley, oregano, chili, basil & schug
- Pulse until combined leaving chunks without pureeing
- Transfer to bowl & gentle mix in bread crumbs
- Form into about 12 meatballs
- Return the eggplant balls to the baking sheet and coat with cooking spray
- Bake 30 min-turning halfway
- Serve warm inside of a pita with tomatoes, cucumbers and Tzatziki yogurt
I loved this home grown Eggplant and I know I will be making these Eggplant “meatball” gyros again soon. Thanks again to my friend Lori for sharing her bounty with me. Pile on the veggie toppings and start eating these Eggplant Gyros today!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy eggplant? Do you like Gyros?
These sound amazing! What a good idea! I did look at the eggplants this weekend, but nothing came to mind, so I moved on to the next ingredient instead….but you are better at recipe development than me, so not surprised you came up with something awesome! YUM!
Ah thanks friend! They were really yummy maybe you will give them a a go. They are filling even for non veggies 🙂
Yum! This looks awesome!
Thanks friend!
I love eggplant, and this looks delicious! Haven’t had a gyro in a while too!
Thanks it was really filling just like a real gyro
I LOVE gyros but never thought to make them meatless with eggplant! What a yummy idea!
Thanks they are so good!
Deborah, I would love to see you on an episode of “Chopped.” We love that show and I am so impressed at your creativity with ingredients. These sound amazing.
Ha thanks but I don’t think I would last a day!
Can I come roll around in her garden as well? I wish a) I had a garden and b) I was capable of not killing growing things. It seems to be a gift. These sound great!
ok so I don’t have the green thumb gift either. I kill all of my plants 🙂
Very creative idea! I like to grill eggplant with a little olive oil, salt and pepper for a nice side.
thanks! Simple grilled eggplant is one of my staples too.
Yay for more eggplant love! This looks delicious and I love the addition of the beans!
I was surprised by how much I loved it!
What a great idea!!!! I love the idea of making it like a gyro and changing it up from the original Italian style I usually have. On my list of new lunch ideas!
Exactly! I’ve been just throwing the leftovers into my salads too-yum
LOVE the idea of an eggplant gyro! I usually stick to the classic chicken gyro but the calories can get pretty intense with all the fries and sauce that goes into it. Eggplant would be a great substitute
Thanks and the fact that it is baked makes it super healthy!
Wow, this looks amazing! I saw a recipe in the Post for eggplant “meatballs” recently but this looks so much better. I’ve never heard of Schug before. Do you find it at the normal grocery store? Though I’m sure that some chopped up jalapenos could be a substitute if needed.
In my store the Schug is in a jar where the hummus is made by Sabra. You could use chopped up jalapenos or chili paste to spice it up as well.
I was not an eggplant fan, at least I wasn’t until I tried eggplant meatballs for the first time after going vegetarian. Probably one of my top 5 favorite foods now. I will 100% be trying this out 🙂
I know I forgot all about them! So good
What a great idea! I do love eggplant. It’s meaty texture makes it a great meat alternative, like an eggplant burger!
Exactly! And what a great idea!
I think I’ve only tried eggplant once, but I always see it in place of meat in recipes. Might have to try it again, especially with a recipe like this!
oh please let me know if you do!
Those look great! I have a number of eggplants that I need to use from my garden so this is a great way to use them!
Thanks hope you give it a try!
This sounds great! I will have to try! I love gyros and adding eggplant is such a good idea! Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks! Hope you enjoy
I wish my family shared my love for eggplant!
Oh so do I! I’ve been eating a ton of it bc no one else will. 🙂
WOw these look great! I was just at our community garden and my neighbor has an awesome crop of eggplant. Me? Not so much.
ha that’s why I eat my friend’s eggplant!
So creative – love these ingredients. I have to come over for dinner sometime!! I love love love using eggplant like this!
No THAT would be a great idea!
what a creative and fun recipes! love it!
thanks!
I have never been a huge eggplant fan, but this looks like with all the spices and flavors added it probably doesn’t taste like eggplant, just something better. Thanks for sharing!
well I hope you give it a try! I was surprised by how good it was
this looks great! and fun for football season! The hubby is not a huge eggplant fan but he would never figure this one out ! 🙂
No he will not! Hope you give it a try
These remind me of the Falafel Gyro I used to get all the time when I lived in NYC. These eggplant meatballs look just as delicious! Love eggplant!
Yes similar to falafel but baked. I loved them!
That sounds delish! I just have a very tiny garden; no eggplant.
I really want a garden but so not a green thumb
I”m not a fan of eggplant–it’s a texture thing–but my husband loves it. I bet he’d like these, since he also loves gyros!
It doesn’t even taste like eggplant!
I’m kind of scared to cook eggplant. I love to eat it, but it seems finicky.
Do not fear the eggplant! LOl it’s really easy and versatile
wow, these look AMAZING. I love gyros! Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks so much hope you enjoy!
I’m not a huge fan of eggplant, but my husband is. I’ll have to share this with him.
Thanks hope he likes it!
I love eggplant- it has such a meaty flavor! Great idea to make it into a “Meatball” I traveled through Greece for a month, so I’m in love with the Mediterrranean flavors.
Than you will love these! Hope you give them a try
Well that looks yummy! And simple enough even I can do it 🙂
Yes it’s really very easy to make!
How’s the texture? I generally don’t like the soft sort of slimy texture of eggplant, but I love gyros, so maybe?
So it is not pureed and the texture has some chunks. You can make it as chunky as you wish. I really loved them and I love all the toppings.
I love the idea of eggplant meatballs as an alternative for gyros. Yum.
Thanks hope you give them a try!
I am a pretty adventurous eater, but I just can’t do eggplant. My whole family loves it, and I just can’t get past the texture.
Well….you might not like these then 🙂
These look delicious! I love how creative this recipe is – gyros are so tasty, and this puts a flavorful vegetarian spin on them.
Thanks so much! I was really surprised by how much I liked them hope you do too
I have actually never had eggplant!
What?? How is that even possible? I keep inviting you over for lunch 🙂
I’m not a huge fan of eggplant, but this looks great!
Thanks! It doesn’t taste eggplanty 🙂
I love gyros!!! I have never thought to use eggplant to make them, looks amazing and sooo unique!
Thanks hope you give it a try-it’s yummy and easy
I never quite know what to do with egg plant other than to grill with a little olive oil. We will has to try this as it definitely looks like “the bomb!”
Thanks!! Oh there is lots to do with eggplant!
I have been looking for more veggies to incorporate in my meals and this looks like a great option! Were they filling? They look pretty dense (in a great way) from the pictures.
Yes super filling! I’ve been eating the left overs in my salad too. Hope you enjoy
This sounds delicious! I’m pretty traditional in that my fav way is eggplant parm. I also like a non-traditional mexican eggplant casserole. Can’t wait to give your recipe a try!
Thanks I think you will like it then!
I’m not an eggplant eater, but those meatballs do look good 🙂
Thanks! Maybe they will change your mind 🙂
I haven’t had eggplant in so long and this recipe looks delish!! Will definitely give it a try!
Thanks hope you like it!
What an interesting way to eat eggplant. Can i substitute panko with something? I don’t eat carbs.
You would need something as a binder or they would fall apart. I am not sure what else would work but let me know if you think of something.
Perfect post as I have several eggplants starting me in the face!
Thanks! The eggplants are so good right now so perfect way to use them up. Enjoy!
I tried to comment back on your site and it thinks I am spam ?
I’m always so boring with preparing eggplant at home. But this. This looks something I can do!
It’s really easy! You can do it 🙂
Yum! We just did an eggplant parmesan this weekend and I love gyros so this will definitely go on the list. Thanks for sharing!
Another great recipe for meatless Monday! I would never have thought of this combination… looks yummy! 🙂
Thanks hope you give it a try! maybe your boys would eat it too
Yummm … My husband loves eggplant! I’ve used it in a few different Indian preparations, and this might go on the list too!
thanks it’s super easy too hope he and you like it
Pinning to make sure I follow through with this yummy recipe!
Thanks friend hope you enjoy!
Definitely need to try this! I only started eating eggplant a few months ago when I tried it as eggplant parm. For some reason it always creeped me out lol! But now I love it
Eggplant parm is great too but I wanted to do something different. I think you will like it!
you are the eggplant queen! can you teach me your ways? My husband doesn’t like the way i cook it! haha
This one is really easy honestly! And confession, my hubs hates veggies so I make 2 dinners every night shh!
GYROS ARE THE STRAIGHT UP BOMBBBBB!!! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH — a friend even just texted me a photo of his because he KNEW I would appreciate it! lol
Well I hope you try my healthy version out!
Mmmm I love eggplant, and I love gyros. Looks like a tasty combination!