Stuffed eggplants – minced or vegetarian, these easy recipes are delicious!

Don’t forget the eggplant! This sometimes underrated vegetable becomes incredibly juicy when properly cooked and prepared with ground beef, greens or couscous, depending on your preferences and the diet you follow. Stuffed aubergines are easy and delicious recipes and in this article we have selected our favorites for you.

Recipe for stuffed eggplants with minced meat and herbs

The herbs and Pecorino Romano in this recipe give it extra flavor and the breadcrumbs give it a crunchy texture!

the components:

• 1 large eggplant
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon gray sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 450 grams of beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 250 grams of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 60 grams of breadcrumbs
• 1 whole egg
• 2 small tomatoes, sliced

Follow these steps to prepare

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the insides. Leave enough meat in the shell to hold its shape. Cut the eggplants removed from the inside into pieces; place in a saucepan, cover with water and cook until very soft, 10-12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper beef. Add the seasoned ground beef to the pan and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated and the beef is lightly browned. Allow to cool slightly. In another medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onion, pepper, and garlic.
4. Mix boiled aubergines, vegetables, beef, herbs, 200 grams of cheese, 30 grams of breadcrumbs and egg in a bowl. Fill the hollowed eggplant halves with this mixture and divide evenly between the two halves.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, the remaining 50 grams of cheese and the remaining 30 grams of breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Place in an oiled baking sheet or pan and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, cut into wide slices and serve.

Simple and delicious tips

Tip 1: When buying eggplants, make sure they are heavy for their size and have a firm, even color and blemish-free skin. The caps and stems must be intact and free of mold. Refrigerate eggplants in plastic bags for 5 days. There are many varieties of eggplant and the colors range from purple to green and white stripes. For this recipe, you should use a spherical eggplant – sometimes called an American eggplant – which is large and pear-shaped.

Tip 2: Eggplants can be bitter. Depending on how the aubergine is used, some recipes suggest salting the cut pieces and letting them soak for an hour to remove the bitterness. Wash the pieces in cold water to remove the salt content and dry well. Dry the pieces with paper towels before continuing cooking.

Tip 3: Stuffed aubergines are a classic Middle Eastern dish that can be found in many variations across the region and the Mediterranean – stuffed aubergines with feta Bayildi imam until Parmigiana di melanzane and grain-filled vegan versions like couscous, there are seemingly endless easy and delicious recipes for stuffed eggplant.

See more delicious dishes with minced meat and vegetables here!

Greek stuffed eggplants with tomatoes and vegetables

This Greek-inspired stuffed eggplant is packed with vegetables and Mediterranean flavors. The dish is easy to make and the addition of cumin gives it a sweet and earthy touch.

• Without eggs
• Gluten free
• Without nuts
• Soy Free
• vegetarian

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 large eggplants (about 0.5 kg each)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 cup (about 225 grams) canned diced tomatoes without added salt
• 1 medium red pepper
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ⅓ cup pale Kalamata olives, quartered
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ¾ cup (about 150 grams) of grated feta cheese
• Chopped fresh dill and oregano, to garnish

Stuffed aubergines with feta – preparation

1. Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400°F.
2. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out the meat from the halves, leaving a 1cm border on the sides and bottom. Roughly chop the meat and set aside.
3. Brush the inside of the eggplant skin with 1 tablespoon oil. Place the shells, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and roast until soft, 20-25 minutes. Remove the aubergines from the oven and raise the oven temperature to roast.
4. While the eggplants are frying, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring frequently, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, peppers and reserved sliced ​​eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the stove; Mix the parsley, olives and vinegar.
5. Divide the filling evenly between the skins of the eggplants; top each with 3 tablespoons of feta. Bake the eggplants until the cheese is melted and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the eggplants with fresh oregano and dill, if desired.

Quick and delicious baked dishes with eggplant can be seen here!