These eggplant boats are filled to the brim with meat sauce and melted mozzarella. If you’ve never tried stuffed eggplant, you’re in for a treat!
I think vegetables are incredibly underrated as the base of a filling meal. As much as my family and I love meat, there are just some days when I crave a hefty serving of veggies. If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you know how much I love stuffed veggies in particular (shout-out to our stuffed zucchini boats, Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers, and stuffed cabbage rolls!).
This stuffed eggplant recipe is a great way to skip the carbs and still leave the dinner table with a full belly. I included ground beef because I love the combo of meat and veggies. Melted cheese on top also adds a fancy touch and gives it the feeling of “guilty pleasure” without any of the guilt. You guys… believe me when I say this dish is absolutely packed with flavor and guaranteed to please the whole family!
Did you know? Eggplant is a versatile veggie year-round. As much as I love buying eggplant at the peak of the season at farmers markets, I make this dish in the winter — and it’s just as tasty!
How To Make Stuffed Eggplant
Stuffed eggplant is an effortless, yet elevated dish. Prepare the eggplant boats, cook the filling, and bake away!
- Prepare the eggplants: Wash and dry the eggplants. Slice them in half lengthwise, then scoop out the flesh. Discard the seeds and chop the remaining flesh. Place the hollowed out shells on a baking sheet or in a large cast iron dish.
- Cook the filling: In a large oiled skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion until it softens. Add the ground beef and cook until it’s browned, then add the seasonings and the eggplant flesh and cook until it’s tender. Stir in the pasta sauce.
- Stuff the eggplants: Spoon the filling into the eggplant boats, then top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake the stuffed eggplants: Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
Tips From the Kitchen
My friends, this recipe for stuffed eggplant is a keeper. If you want to guarantee success on the first try, follow these tips I’ve picked up along the way.
- Aim for consistency. To ensure even cooking, try to create the same thickness of the eggplant skin border when you’re prepping the boats.
- Scoop out the eggplant flesh carefully. I recommend using a small paring knife to make a shallow cut about 1/4-1/2 inch from the edge of the eggplant halves to create a border. Then, make small crosswise cuts within the border. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, being careful not to pierce the skin.
- Make it your own! I love my 5-minute marinara sauce with this recipe, but any of your favorite pasta sauces will work. If you want more cheesy flavor, add Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano, or provolone. For extra veggie power, add sautéed peppers or mushrooms (feel free to omit the beef for a meatless dish). And of course — don’t forget a sprinkle of fresh parsley!
- Use a spatula to serve. Eggplant softens when cooking, so transfer the boats to a plate with a large spatula (or two) to prevent them from falling apart.
Hot tip: Don’t know what to do with the leftovers? Chop up the eggplant shell with the filling, heat it up, and serve it over a bed of pasta or rice. Yummmm.
Storage & Reheating
Unless you have a bottomless stomach like my teenage boys, you’ll probably end up with leftovers. Here’s a guide to stash away stuffed eggplant for the next meal.
- Storage: Store leftover stuffed eggplant for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat stuffed eggplant in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven (covered) at 350°F for 15-25 minutes.
More Eggplant Recipes
- Eggplant Appetizer with Tomato — A stack of roasted eggplant, garlic mayo, tomato, and herbs
- Eggplant Roll-Up Appetizer — Bite into a surprise of garlicky sautéed veggies
- Eggplant Parmesan — Layers of roasted eggplant, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce
- Eggplant Pepper Dip — A garlicky dip made with roasted peppers and eggplant
- Eggplant Salad (Melitzanosalata) — Creamy, citrusy, and perfect for dipping
- Eggplant Ikra Spread — Only three ingredients and a touch of seasoning!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 baby eggplants or 2 medium sized
- 1 tbsp oil olive or avocado
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef chuck
- 1 tsp salt adjust to rpeference
- 1 tsp ground black pepper adjust to preference
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups Pasta Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the eggplants, then slice them in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out the eggplant flesh, leaving a shell about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Set the eggplant boats aside on a baking sheet. Discard any seeds, then chop the remaining eggplant flesh. You should have about 1-2 cups of chopped eggplant. Set it aside.
- In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground chuck to the skillet and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add the chopped eggplant, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Cook just until the eggplant has softened and absorbed some liquid, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta sauce. Bring the mixture to a light simmer, then take it off the heat.
- Spoon the mixture into the eggplant shells, dividing it evenly. Top each eggplant boat with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Loosely cover the baking sheet with foil. Bake the stuffed eggplants for 30 minutes with the foil on.
- Remove the foil and bake or broil for a few more minutes, or until the eggplants are tender and the cheese is melted and golden. Serve warm and enjoy!
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