Try this delicious stuffed eggplant for a simple dish packed with tons of flavor, textures, and nutrients! It features roasted and sautéed vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, and onions, and is all topped with melted mozzarella cheese.
Every once in a while I see a dish that I think looks almost too good to eat… almost being the keyword here!
That’s exactly what I thought when I met up with my friend, Chef Ahmed Reda, during my last trip to Egypt. I was even more sold on this stuffed eggplant recipe after I took a bite. The diced, spiced vegetables are tender but keep their crisp, mouthwatering texture so the dish isn’t too mushy (which I find is often the problem with stuffed eggplant).
I like to make use of the whole vegetable, but if you’d prefer not to keep the eggplant flesh in your filling, you still don’t need to waste it — use it to make melitzanosalata, a mouthwatering Mediterranean eggplant dip that’s creamy, smoky, and gorgeously spiced. Just a thought!
Serve Egyptian stuffed eggplant with rice or barley salad to round out your wholesome meal.
Eggplant and an aubergine?
There’s no difference! Eggplant and aubergine refer to the same vegetable—Solanum melongena. The term eggplant is commonly used in American English, while aubergine is a French word, and it is how Europeans refer to what Americans would typically call an eggplant.
The name eggplant comes from the white, egg-shaped variety that was more common in the past, whereas aubergine comes from the French word for the vegetable, which itself originates from Arabic and Persian.
Cutting Hashmarks in Eggplant
The cuts allow heat to penetrate the halves evenly, ensuring the eggplant cooks thoroughly. They also help release moisture, preventing sogginess. Additionally, the marks enable seasonings or marinades to seep in more effectively, enhancing flavor. It’s especially useful for creating a tender, flavorful dish and makes scooping out the tender flesh easier!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
(Be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities)
- Eggplants – It’s not just an ingredient — it’s the vessel for the whole meal. You’ll want medium-to-large-sized eggplants with plenty of room for filling.
- Bell Peppers – I use green, red, and orange bell peppers to get a good mix of tender and firm peppers in the stuffed eggplant filling. Feel free to alter the proportions based on preference or produce availability.
- Yellow Onion – Substitute the yellow onion in this stuffed eggplant recipe with white or red.
- Tomatoes – Roma are good, not-too-watery tomatoes for your Egyptian stuffed peppers. Substitute with any other “plum” or with a cherry variety.
- Mozzarella – A great, salty, melty cheese to top your veggies. Substitute with provolone, gruyere, or havarti.
- Baharat Spice Blend – Any authentic North African or Middle Eastern recipe worth its salt has a little baharat spice. A bit of an exaggeration, but this blend is a staple of the region.
- Garlic – 4 cloves, or approximately 2 teaspoons.
How to Make Stuffed Eggplant
- Prep the Eggplants. Remove the stems and then slice the eggplants lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to cut diagonal lines into the inner flesh of each half (without cutting through or piercing the skin). Rotate and repeat to make hash/diamond marks in the flesh. This will make it easier to scoop and cook later on.
- Roast. Brush the eggplants with olive oil (just the cut surfaces, not the skins) and sprinkle with salt. Bake cut-side down at 400 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cook the Aromatics. Meanwhile, start cooking the aromatics. Add the onion to a skillet with some olive oil and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add Remaining Filling Ingredients. Add all of the remaining ingredients (except for the eggplants and cheese) to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the Eggplants. Get the eggplants from the oven. Let sit until cool enough to handle (10 minutes or so) before scooping out the scored flesh. Add it to the skillet and stir it in with the other vegetables.
- Stuff & Serve. Add the sautéed vegetables to the eggplant skins. Top with the mozzarella and put the stuffed eggplant back in the oven until the cheese is nice and melty. Then, serve!
- Baking Sheet & Parchment Paper
- Skillet
Storing and Reheating
Unfortunately, all of the juicy vegetables in this stuffed eggplant recipe make it less than ideal for leftovers. This also makes it bad for freezing. I feel like a broken record saying this, but I really recommend enjoying this dish fresh!
Any leftovers can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat it is to return it to the oven to roast again until warmed through. I recommend removing the cooled, hardened cheese (if you can) and topping with fresh mozzarella.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The stuffed eggplant skins are actually the serving vessel for the dish. Once it’s roasted, the skin gets quite crisp and takes on a lovely smoky flavor that complements the crisp, sweet, spiced vegetables in the filling.
You can. Egyptian and other North African recipes are great in that they’re easily made vegan or vegetarian-friendly, but you can also add any protein to make it a more filling and nutritious meal.
Chicken, lamb, and beef would be appropriate to add to Egyptian stuffed eggplant. I recommend browning in the same baharat spice blend (like in my White Bean Stew (Fasoolia Baida) used in the rest of the filling to keep your flavors consistent.
It’s much easier to scoop it out after roasting. Keeping the flesh inside the eggplants also helps the vegetable skin to hold its shape and properly crisp up in the oven.
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Trim off the stems of the eggplants and then slice lengthwise. Using a knife, score the flesh by cutting deep diagonal lines about 1-inch apart without piercing the skin. Rotate the eggplant and repeat to create a diamond/hashmark pattern.
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Lightly brush each cut side of the eggplant with olive oil and salt and place it flesh-side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
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While eggplant is roasting: in a large skillet over medium heat sauté the onion in olive oil for 2 minutes and add the garlic. Cook another 3 minutes and add the peppers, tomatoes, salt, baharat spice blend. Cook another 5 minutes stirring often.
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Allow the roasted eggplant to cool for 10 minutes before scooping out the flesh and transfer to skillet with vegetables. Stir to combine. Save the eggplant shells for filling.
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Divide and stuff the empty eggplant shells and top with cheese. Place under broiler until cheese melts and top with chopped parsley before serving.
- Recipe adapted from my friend chef Ahmed Reda, whom I met while in Egypt 2023.
Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 1349mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1488IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 1mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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