Description
This Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant is delicious, filling, and healthy. This vegetarian dinner is loaded with veggies and topped with bubbly cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- salt and pepper
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for serving)
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 ground ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese (or cheddar cheese), shredded
Instructions
Prep the eggplants:
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh from the inside, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the sides and bottom. Season the eggplant shells evenly with salt and pepper.
- Dice the eggplant flesh and set aside.
Make the filling:
- Heat olive oil in a 4 qt. Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat until the oil is sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, zucchini, bell pepper, and eggplant flesh. Sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in tomato sauce and cook until thickened to a desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure cooking evenly.
Bake the stuffed eggplants:
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Fill each eggplant shell with the filling. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese on top.
- Place the stuffed eggplants on a large half sheet baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until the cheese is melty and nicely browned on top. The eggplant shells should be cooked tender.
- Serve warm with a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top, if desired.
Notes
The eggplant shell texture: Once cooked, the eggplant shell will be sturdy enough to keep it’s shape. If you’d rather have more tender flesh in the shell (and less structure when transferring), you can pre-bake the eggplant shells for 20 minutes before adding the filling and popping back into the oven.
How to store: Keep leftover stuffed eggplants in a shallow airtight container for up to 4 days.
How to reheat: Reheat stuffed eggplants in a preheated 375F oven for 15-30 minutes until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean