Spaghetti and meatballs goes green for spring! This recipe for spaghetti with eggplant balls, pesto, peas, and greens makes the perfect Sunday supper or a quick weeknight meal.
With our half marathon just under two weeks away, The Boy has been on a mission to carb-load. I’m more interested in anti-inflammatory foods—turmeric, for one—but I indulged him and made pasta this time.
Rather than classic meatballs, I made eggplant “meat-free” balls. They’re one of my go-to vegetarian swaps and work well in many dishes—soup, burgers, and now tucked into a green pasta bowl. Even someone who claims to dislike eggplant will often happily eat these and ask for leftovers.
To further depart from tradition, I skipped tomato sauce and embraced a bright, spring-forward combination: kale, pesto, peas, and burrata. It keeps the pasta lively and fresh while still satisfying that comfort-food craving.
The result is a simple, flavorful plate: tender spaghetti tossed with pesto, pockets of sweet peas, tender baby kale, and golden-fried eggplant balls, finished with creamy burrata on top.
- For the veggie balls
- 1 large eggplant, unpeeled
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup + 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp minced parsley
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
- For the pasta
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 5 oz baby kale
- 1 lb frozen peas
- 8 oz pesto
- 8 oz burrata
- Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Bring 2 quarts of water with 1 tbsp salt to a boil over high heat. Add the eggplant and boil, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until tender, pressing them into the water occasionally. Drain in a colander and press out as much water as possible with the back of a spoon. Finely chop the cooked eggplant.
- In a bowl, combine the chopped eggplant, 1 cup panko, Parmesan, parsley, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then mix in the beaten egg until well combined.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a platter. Put the remaining 1/3 cup panko in a small bowl and roll each ball in the breadcrumbs to coat. Arrange the coated balls on a clean tray.
- Pour olive oil into a 10-inch skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat over medium. When the oil shimmers, test with a single ball—if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. Fry the balls in a single layer.
- Turn the balls gently until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining balls. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package directions. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the baby kale and frozen peas. Drain, reserving about 1/3 cup of the cooking water.
- In a large bowl, toss the pasta with kale, peas, and pesto, adding reserved cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the pasta topped with eggplant balls and finish each portion with a spoonful of burrata.
More warm-weather pastas:
Fettuccine with Zucchini, Yellow Wax Beans, and Harissa Heirloom Tomato Sauce
Fresh Heirloom Tomato Sauce with Burrata
Spinach and Swiss Chard Ravioli Nudi over Simple Tomato Sauce
From Around the Web:
Quick Asian Noodle Salad — Quick ideas for warm weather pasta salads and light dinners.
Lemon Asparagus Linguine with Garlicky Panko — A bright spring pasta with crisp vegetables.
Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumbers, Lemon, Dill, and Feta — A chilled grain salad for easy meals.
Greek Pasta Salad — A simple, tangy pasta side or main.
Simple Vegetable Pappardelle — A seasonal vegetable-focused pasta.