Got a gorgeous eggplant sitting on your counter-or popping up in your garden-and wondering what to do with it? Let's turn it into something warm, tender, and bursting with flavor. These Asian Eggplant Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze bring together roasted eggplant, juicy ground chicken, and a fiery-sweet Korean chile paste glaze. It's a surprisingly simple yet satisfying weeknight dinner that feels anything but ordinary. And yes, it's perfectly portioned for two.
What Are Eggplant Meatballs-and What Makes These "Asian"?
Eggplant meatballs are exactly what they sound like: meatballs made tender and flavorful with the addition of roasted eggplant. The eggplant gets cooked until meltingly soft, then mixed with ground chicken, scallion oil, and just enough panko and parmesan to bind it all together.
As for what makes them Asian? A few things. First, we use Asian eggplant-long purple, tender varieties like Korean, Japanese, or Chinese eggplant, though any variety you love at the market will work. I'm often drawn to the pretty purple-and-white globe-shaped ones known as Listada de Gandia or Nubia, which are just as flavorful as they are photogenic.
Second, there's the glaze. I use gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste that brings heat, umami, and a subtle sweetness that caramelizes beautifully in the pan. I buy my tube of gochujang paste at Trader Joe's but you can also buy it online. If you prefer something less spicy or don't have gochujang on hand, I've also made this recipe with Thai red curry paste instead-equally delicious with a different flavor profile.
Finally, the real flavor secret here is the scallion oil-a simple mix of crispy fried scallions and the flavorful oil they leave behind. It adds depth and moisture to the meatballs and takes this dish from good to great.
Jump to:
- What Are Eggplant Meatballs-and What Makes These "Asian"?
- What you'll need
- How to make Asian Eggplant Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze
- 4 | Make the Meatballs
- Grilling Asian Eggplant
- Storage instructions
- Common questions about this recipe
- Related
- Asian Eggplant Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze
- Small-Batch Recipes for Big Wins
What you'll need
Roasted eggplant meets tender chicken meatballs in this sweet-spicy twist on a classic. Served over a bed of rice and topped with a glossy Gochujang glaze, this small-batch dish is bold, satisfying, and surprisingly simple to pull off. Here's what you need:
- Eggplant (Asian-style preferred): Korean, Chinese, or Japanese eggplants are ideal for their tender flesh and sweet flavor. You can also use globe eggplant or the purple-and-white Listada de Gandia variety. Roast until creamy soft.
- Ground Chicken: Lean but flavorful, chicken is the perfect protein partner to eggplant. You can substitute with turkey, pork, or even finely chopped mushrooms for a vegetarian take.
- Garlic: Roasted alongside the eggplant to mellow and sweeten, then mashed into the meatball mix.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Adds structure and a light texture. Regular breadcrumbs will work in a pinch.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds nuttiness and umami. You could substitute with Pecorino or nutritional yeast for a dairy-free version.
- Egg: Binds the meatballs.
- Scallions and Olive Oil: Fried into a quick scallion oil that flavors the meatballs and acts as a garnish. Don't skip this-it's magic.
- Gochujang: This fermented Korean chili paste brings depth, spice, and subtle sweetness. Swap with red curry paste if preferred.
- Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Sesame Oil, Garlic: The supporting players in the glaze, balancing savory, sweet, and nutty.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Asian Eggplant Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze
Grab those ingredients and let's get started roasting the eggplant and making the sauce:
1 | Roast the Asian Eggplant
- First cut the eggplant in half. Place it on a parchment lined baking tray, cut side up and score the flesh in a diamond pattern (Photo1). Brush with olive oil and a tablespoon of water (Photo 2). Sprinkle with salt and add the whole peeled garlic cloves. Roast for about 40-50 minutes until the eggplant is golden and so soft that it can be easily emptied with a spoon. (See photo 3). You can also grill it for a smokier flavor-see how to grill Asian Eggplant section below.
2 | Make the Gochujang Sauce
- Mix gochujang, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, and grated garlic. Is your glaze too thick? Adjust with a touch of oil and soy, until your desired consistency is reached. Take a taste and adjust seasoning as needed. I like to add more honey or brown sugar to balance the heat. Add more soy to balance the sweet. (See photos 4 & 5).
3 | Fry the Scallions
- Crisp up thinly sliced scallions in olive oil-first the fry the whites, then the greens. Set aside the crispy bits and reserve the infused scallion oil in the pan for later. (See photo's 6 and 7).
4 | Make the Meatballs
Combine the scooped eggplant flesh, roasted garlic, ground chicken, a touch of scallion oil, panko, parmesan, salt, and egg. Mix until tacky and well combined. If they are too wet, add more breadcrumbs.
Shape into six meatballs and coat lightly in a mix of panko and parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden and cooked through (165°F internal temp).
Finishing Touches | Glaze the meatballs
Meanwhile, add the gochujang sauce mixture to the scallion oil pan and heat over medium heat for about 30 seconds until glossy and caramelized.
Plate meatballs over brown or white rice. Drizzle on the glaze and top with the fried scallions and a few reserved raw scallion greens. Serve this hot.
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Grilling Asian Eggplant
For a smoky flavor, try grilling the eggplant instead of roasting it. Halve the eggplants. Place it on a baking tray or grill pan, cut side up and score the flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush with olive oil and a tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with salt and add the garlic cloves, without peeling them.
Charcoal Grill: Open the bottom vent, light a full chimney of charcoal (about 6 quarts), and pour the hot coals evenly over the grill. Place the cooking grate, cover, and open the lid vent. Let the grill heat up for about 5 minutes.
Gas Grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and preheat the grill for about 15minutes. Then reduce the burners to medium-high.
Place the baking sheet or grill pan on the grates. It is super important to skip lining your baking sheet with parchment paper, it will not hold up to the heat of the grill. Grill for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is golden and so soft that it can be easily emptied with a spoon.
Storage instructions
To store: Once your Asian eggplant meatballs are cooled, store the leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
To freeze: Freeze cooked unglazed meatballs (without the gochujang sauce) in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: Reheat the meatballs with the gochujang glaze in a non-stick skillet until they're heated through.
Common questions about this recipe
You've got questions... I've got answers! If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll jump in there to help you out.
Yes! Once cooked and cooled, freeze the meatballs (without the glaze) in an airtight container. oven. They will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw before overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Look for them at farmers markets, Asian grocery stores, or well-stocked supermarkets. If you can't find Asian varieties, regular globe eggplants work just fine-just roast a little longer to soften thoroughly.
Related
Looking for other eggplant recipes for two like this? Try these:
Asian Eggplant Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze
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Ingredients
For the 6 meatballs enough for 2 people
- 1 pound Asian eggplant (about 1 large; preferably Korean, or Chinese or Japanese). You can substitute a globe eggplant just add about 10 minutes to your roasting time.
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 6 ⅓ oz ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs plus more to coat the meatballs
- 1 tablespoons grated parmesan
For the Gochujang Sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar , packed
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
For the fried Scallions
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 scallions trimmed, then very thinly sliced, white and green parts separated.
Instructions
Bake the Eggplant:
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise. Place it on a parchment lined baking tray, cut side up and score the flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush with olive oil and a tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with salt and add the garlic cloves, without peeling them.
- Roast for about 25 - 35 minutes or until the eggplant is golden and so soft that it can be easily emptied with a spoon. You can also grill the eggplant halves for a smoky flavor. See note 1 below.
Make the Gochujang Sauce:
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, then set aside. If the sauce seems too thick add ½ teaspoon of sesame oil and ¼ teaspoon soy at a time to thin out the sauce. Taste and Adjust seasonings. Add more honey to balance the heat and soy to balance the sweet.
Fried Scallions and Scallion Oil.
- To a large nonstick skillet, add 3 Tablespoons olive oil and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat to medium and fry the scallions, stirring often, until crispy and evenly browned, about 3 - 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried scallions onto a paper towel. Set Aside.
- Reserve 1 Tablespoon of raw scallion greens for garnish, then fry the remaining scallion greens in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fried scallion greens onto a paper towel. Remove the skillet from the heat and leave the oil in the pan. Set the pan aside as we will use it to sauce our meatballs.
- In a medium bowl, Collect the eggplant pulp in a bowl. Add the garlic pulp, squeezing it out from the peel. Now add the ground chicken, and 1 teaspoon fried scallion. the breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon reserved scallion oil. Season with salt, add a slightly beaten egg, and mix thoroughly until the meat mixture is well combined and has become tacky. Sprinkle in breadcrumbs if the meatballs are falling apart.
- Scoop the meatballs, using your wet hands or with an ice cream scoop to make 6 meatballs. Place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Mix together 1 tablespoon of parmesean with 1 tablespoon panko and coat the meatballs in panko mixture. Place the meatballs on the parchment-lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. The meatballs are done when the instant thermometer reads 165°F (74°C).
- Finally, sauce the eggplant meatballs: Pour the reserved gochujang sauce into the reserved fried scallion pan. Heat over medium-low until the gochujang starts to caramelize, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Plate the eggplant meatballs on a large platter. Using a spoon, coat the meatballs with the gochujang glaze. Garnish with the fried scallions and the reserved raw scallion greens. Serve immediately.
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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