Don't neglect the eggplant! This sometimes underrated vegetable becomes irresistibly juicy when cooked properly and prepared with minced meat, vegetables or couscous, depending on your preferences and the diet you follow. Stuffed eggplant recipes are simple and delicious and in this article we have selected our favorites among them for you.
Recipe for stuffed eggplant with minced meat and herbs
The herbs and Pecorino Romano in this recipe add extra flavor, and the toasted breadcrumbs give it a crunchy texture!
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon gray sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 450 grams of ground beef
- 1 onion, diced small (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced small (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 250 grams grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 1/4 cup)
- 60 grams of breadcrumbs
- 1 whole egg
- 2 small tomatoes, diced
Follow these steps to prepare it
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the insides. Leave enough meat in the shell so that it holds its shape when baking. Cut the insides of the eggplant into pieces; place in a pot, cover with water, and cook until very soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the beef. Add the seasoned ground beef to the pan and sauté until all the liquid has evaporated and the beef begins to brown slightly. Let it cool briefly. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to another medium skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
- In a bowl, mix the cooked eggplant, vegetables, beef, herbs, 200 grams of the cheese, 30 grams of the breadcrumbs and the egg. Fill the hollowed eggplant halves with this mixture and divide it evenly between the two halves.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, the remaining 50 grams of cheese and the remaining 30 grams of breadcrumbs on top and season with salt and pepper. Place them on an oiled baking sheet or baking dish and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool briefly, cut into wide slices and serve.
Simple and delicious tips
Tipp 1:When purchasing eggplants, make sure they are heavy for their size and have firm, evenly colored and flawless skin. The caps and stems should be intact and free of mold. Refrigerate eggplant in plastic bags for up to 5 days. There are many varieties of eggplant and colors range from purple to green to white to striped. For this recipe, you'll want to use a ball-shaped eggplant - sometimes called an American eggplant - that is large and pear-shaped.
Tipp 2:Eggplant can be bitter. Depending on how the eggplant is used, some recipes recommend first salting the cut pieces and leaving them in a colander for an hour to remove the bitterness. Rinse the pieces under cold water to remove the salt content and press dry well. Dry the pieces with paper towels before continuing cooking.
Tipp 3:Stuffed eggplantsare a classic Middle Eastern dish that can be found throughout the region and the Mediterranean in various variations - from stuffed eggplant with feta to imam bayildi to parmigiana di melanzane and vegan versions stuffed with grains such as couscous There is a seemingly endless series of simple and delicious recipes for stuffed eggplant.
More delicious dishes with minced meat and vegetablessee here!
Greek stuffed eggplant with tomatoes and vegetables
ThisGreek inspired stuffed onesEggplant is filled with vegetables and Mediterranean flavors. The dish is easy to prepare and the addition of cumin gives it a sweet, earthy note.
- Egg free
- Gluten free
- Nussfrei
- Soyfree
- Vegetarian
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 2 large eggplants (about 0.5 kg each)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup (about 225 grams) canned diced tomatoes with no added salt
- 1 medium red pepper
- ½ cup chopped fresh leaf parsley
- ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup (about 150 grams) crumbled feta cheese
- Chopped fresh dill and oregano, for garnish
Stuffed eggplant with feta – preparation
- Place the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 200°C.
- Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh from the halves, leaving a 1cm border on the sides and bottom. Roughly chop the pulp and set aside.
- Drizzle the insides of the eggplant shells evenly with 1 tablespoon oil. Place the shells cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the eggplants from the oven and increase the oven temperature to broil.
- While the eggplant is frying, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin, and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, peppers, and reserved eggplant cubes; cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; Stir in parsley, olives and vinegar.
- Divide filling evenly among eggplant shells; top each with 3 tablespoons of feta. Bake the eggplant until the cheese is melted and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the eggplants with fresh oregano and dill, if desired.
Quick and delicious oven dishes with eggplantcan be seen here!
