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vegan japanese eggplant no-meatballs | The Baking Fairy
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5 from 2 votes

vegan japanese eggplant no-meatballs

If you're looking for a hearty vegan main dish, look no further! These delicious Vegan Japanese Eggplant No-Meatballs are plant based but savory, satisfying, and covered in a homemade teriyaki sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Dishes
Servings: 20
Author: Valentina | The Baking Fairy

Ingredients

  • *for the eggplant meatballs*
  • 1 large eggplant ~14oz, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup 160g cooked rice
  • ¼ cup 20g old fashioned oats
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 inch piece ginger chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoon 10mL tamari or soy sauce
  • 10 oz 300gr extra firm tofu, pressed and finely crumbled
  • 2 scallions/green onion whites finely sliced
  • 1 8- oz 227g can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
  • ¼ - ½ cup 13-25g panko breadcrumbs, as needed
  • 2-3 tablespoon 30-45mL sunflower or peanut oil, to fry
  • *for the teriyaki sauce*
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • ¼ cup 60mL mirin
  • ¼ cup 60mL tamari or soy sauce
  • 1-2 tablespoon 12-20g raw sugar
  • ¼ cup 60mL water
  • *to serve*
  • cooked quinoa
  • thinly sliced red cabbage
  • thinly sliced carrots
  • green onion
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

  • First, prepare the no-meatballs.
  • To steam the eggplant, add 3 inches of water to a saucepan and place eggplant cubes in a steamer. Place the steamer on top of the saucepan, making sure the water doesn't touch the underside, and bring the water to a simmer over high heat.
  • Reduce heat and steam the eggplant for about 10 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  • When the eggplant is cooled off, transfer to a food processor and add in the cooked rice, old fashioned oats, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and tamari/soy sauce. Pulse until the mixture comes together but is still slightly textured.
  • Transfer this mixture to a large bowl and add in the crumbled tofu, sliced scallions, diced water chestnuts, and panko breadcrumbs. Use a large spoon to combine the mixture; test it out to make sure it will hold together and add more breadcrumbs as needed.
  • Line a large tray with wax paper and roll the mixture into golf-ball sized balls. Place on prepared tray and place in fridge for about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the teriyaki sauce. Combine the grated ginger, miring, tamari/soy sauce, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the no-meatballs in batches of 6-8 for around 6 minutes each.
  • Place the cooked no-meatballs in a warm oven (200F/95C) while you cook the rest.
  • Serve with the prepared teriyaki sauce over quinoa with red cabbage, carrots, green onions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy!