Baked Stuffed Eggplant
How about an end-of-summer Baked Stuffed Eggplant for an extra special treat?
This amazing dish has all the healthy deliciousness of baked eggplant and it’s stuffed with more roasted eggplant, tomatoes, onions, Italian sausage and feta cheese. Top it off with a zippy Marinara sauce and some lemony bread crumbs and we can all do the happy dance!
I found gorgeous Graffiti eggplant at the market…they had this lovely striped exterior and were nice and small. Just the perfect size for stuffing!
Cut them in half, scoop out the fleshy part (which we’re saving to be cubed and a part of the filling), salt them and let them sit to drain out some of the water. Once drained, brush on some olive oil and broil them for a few minutes.
Now for the filling: start by cooking the sausage until it’s nice and browned. Remove it from the skillet and add the reserved eggplant cubes to the same skillet. Cook it for a few minutes, add onions and keep cooking. Next comes the tomatoes and garlic. Once this is nicely browned, transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the sausage, feta, bread crumbs, egg, fresh herbs and vinegar. Toss this lovely combination together and then divide it between the prepared eggplant shells. Top the stuffing with more bread crumbs and pop in into the oven for 25-30 minutes.
We’re going to make an easy Marinara sauce by using your favorite jarred sauce (mine is Victoria’s White Linen Marinara Sauce) and adding in some herbs like oregano, mint and parsley, and heating it a bit.
That gets spread over the top of the stuffed eggplants. Sprinkle a little more feta on top and you are ready for healthy, filling and utterly delicious!
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Baked Stuffed Eggplant
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 & 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1 & 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3 small eggplants (about 1 & 1/2 pounds)
- 1/4 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 small onion)
- 1 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 2 cups), plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, divided
- 2 tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided
- 2 tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 cup jarred marinara sauce
Instructions
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.
Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Chop pulp into 1/2-inch cubes. Sprinkle eggplant shells with 1 teaspoon salt, and invert onto a clean, dry towel. Let stand 30 minutes to drain.
Preheat broiler to high with oven rack 5 to 6 inches from heat. Pat eggplant shells dry, and brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Place eggplant shells, cut side up, on a baking sheet, and broil just until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage, and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon to break up large pieces, until sausage is browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a bowl lined with paper towels. Reserve drippings in skillet.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-high. Cook reserved eggplant cubes in hot oil, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer tomato mixture to a large bowl. Add sausage, feta, 1/2 cup breadcrumb mixture, egg, 2 tablespoons oregano, 2 tablespoons mint, 2 tablespoons parsley, and vinegar; toss until combined. Divide mixture evenly among eggplant shells. Top evenly with remaining breadcrumb mixture, and place stuffed eggplants in a single layer in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 375°F until filling is golden and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together marinara sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons oregano, remaining 2 teaspoons mint, and remaining 2 teaspoons parsley in a small saucepan. Heat over low just until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drizzle over baked stuffed eggplant just before serving. Sprinkle with additional feta, if desired.
Recipe from Food & Wine
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