• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Cook, Craft, Cultivate
  • Recipes
    • Baking
    • Classic Recipes with a Healthy Twist
    • Fermentation
    • Kitchen Staples from Scratch
    • Lean and Green
    • Smoked and Grilled
    • Snacks
    • Veggie Focused
  • Gardening
  • Creations
  • Photography
You are here: Home / Recipes / Stuffed Eggplant – Southwestern Style

Stuffed Eggplant – Southwestern Style

June 3, 2018

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Stuffed eggplant

Eggplant Crush

I must confess, I have a bit of a mini-crush on eggplant these days. Several months ago I acquired a new cookbook that focuses on Jerusalem cuisine (Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi). I have tried several tasty recipes from it, not the least of which was a lamb and pine-nut stuffed eggplant. It is delicious!

And thus began my search for other ways to prepare eggplant. I had never eaten eggplant much before. Did other people use eggplant like this? Were there other ways I could prepare it? Other mixtures I could stuff it with? I found, not unsurprisingly, that this was certainly the case. Eggplant is used in many ways by many people across the globe. It was in fact just new to me. Part of my expanding kitchen repertoire! 🙂

As I researched online I found that many of the “stuffed eggplant” recipes I came across were a play on Eggplant Parmesan. Which is delicious, of course, but not quite what I was looking for. I wanted a way to build a full meal around stuffed eggplant, and for us that means some type of protein, other than lots of cheese, needs to be included.

small eggplants

Stuffed Eggplant Inspiration

For a while now, one of our staple meals has been stuffed bell peppers. Some combination of meat, spices, sometimes beans or a grain. Cook it all together, then stuff it  into the pepper and bake. (I’ve even done this on the Traeger! Follow this link for more on Traeger cooking…) I decided to take that stuffed pepper idea as my inspiration, and build something similar for my stuffed eggplant filling.

The one piece that remained was how to prep the eggplant. In that lamb recipe I mentioned, the eggplant is roasted for a while, the filling is added, and then the whole dish is baked for over an hour. I wanted something a little simpler and quicker for a “weekday dinner stuffed eggplant.”

Then in my recipe searching I came across another stuffed eggplant recipe in a Greek cookbook I have (Greece, by Vefa Alexiadou). The “prep” method for the eggplant outlined in that recipe was perfect! Cut the eggplant in half length-wise, slice the flesh 3-4 times but not through the skin, salt, let drain 30-60 minutes. Then fry on the stove top for 6-8 minutes until browned, and set aside until ready to stuff with the filling. I decided to use this as the prep method for my stuffed eggplant.

Deciding on the Flavor Profile

For my flavor profile, I decided to go with a southwestern flare. That’s often the direction I lean with the stuffed bell peppers, and it always seems to work well. I have a yummy taco seasoning I mixed up a few weeks ago that I decided to use as the flavor base, and I built up from there.

So there you have it – an inspired stuffed eggplant recipe, pulled from perusing cookbooks, and my own experience. I hope you get a chance to enjoy this nontraditional stuffed eggplant recipe! It serves up well with a side of farro (our favorite!), quinoa, or rice.

If you are interested in a low carb version, or want to turn this into a Medifast “lean and green” meal, see the notes at the end of the recipe.

Southwestern Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffed eggplant with a southwestern flaire. Simple, flavorful, and just a touch spicey!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Prep Ahead: 1 hour
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 4
Calories: 373 kcal

Equipment

  • Saute pan
  • Baking dish or cookie sheet

Ingredients
 

  • 2 eggplants (~1 pound each)
  • 5 oz ground beef
  • 6 oz ground turkey
  • ¾ cup bell pepper (diced)
  • ½ cup yellow onion (diced)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 14oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 1 small jalapeno (diced, leave in seeds for extra spice)
  • 1 egg white (or 3 tablespoons liquid egg whites)
  • ¼ cup panko bread crumbs (optional)
  • ¼ cup shredded cheese (I like a Mexican blend but any will work)
  • EVOO (for sauteing)
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning (plus more to taste, click here for recipe)

Instructions

Prep the Eggplant

  • Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise.
  • Make 3-4 cuts in the eggplant flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin.
  • Salt liberally – rubbing into the flesh, and coating the tops.
  • Set in a colander to drain for 30-60 minutes.

Pan-Roast the Eggplant

  • Rinse the eggplants thoroughly with cold water and pat dry.
  • Heat a skillet, add EVOO (a couple tablespoons so the bottom of the pan is coated), and lay the eggplants in.
  • Cook, turning a couple times, until browned and softened. The flesh may even swell up and burst a bit in the centers.
  • Drain on paper towels, and then place flesh side up in baking dish or on a cookie sheet.

Make the Filling

  • Using the pan the eggplant just came from, add the diced onion, pepper, and jalapeno, with a dash of salt, and cook until mostly softened.
  • Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  • Add in the ground meats, and cook until browned.
  • If there is excess grease at this point, soak it from the pan with paper towels before continuing.
  • Add in the can of diced tomatoes – including liquid.
  • Sprinkle in the taco seasoning – start with 1 tablespoon, stir in, and then adjust to taste – more seasoning, extra salt/pepper, as needed.
  • Simmer for ~ 5 minutes, until slightly thickened and the flavors have had a chance to meld.
  • Remove from heat, and add in the egg white. Stir thoroughly. This just adds a little extra binding to the filling, you can omit if desired. Be sure you stir in quickly so you don't end up with scrambled eggs!

Assemble

  • Make an indent in the eggplant flesh by pushing in with a spoon. If needed, scoop out some of the flesh.
  • Scoop the meat filling into the eggplant halves, dividing evenly, and piling high.

Bake

  • Add about an inch hot water to the baking dish.
  • Cover, and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes.
  • After 20-30 minutes, mix together the bread crumbs and cheese, uncover the eggplant, sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top, and switch to broil for a few minutes until lightly browned and melty.
  • Let the eggplants sit for at least 10 minutes to rest and cool slightly, before serving.

Notes

Serving suggestion: serve with a side of farro, quinoa, or rice.
Medifast “Lean and Green” modifications: To make this lean and green approved, leave off the bread crumbs, and decrease the onion used in the meat mixture. One full lean and green serving would be two stuffed eggplant halves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 eggplant half | Calories: 373 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 21 g | Fiber: 10 g | Sugar: 9 g
Tried this recipe?Let’s see it! Mention @cookcraftcultivate or tag #cookcraftcultivate!

Post Category: Lean and Green, Recipes, Veggie Focused Tagged With: creative cooking, dinner, eggplant, medifast lean and green, southwestern dish, stuffed veggies

Previous Post: « A Healthy Cookie Recipe: Chocolate Chip
Next Post: 3 Common Garden Pests in the Phoenix Area »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Kristi

Picture of KristiJourney with me in my homemade adventures - creating more from scratch and increasing my self-sufficiency, in my small suburban home setting.
Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Featured Recipes

stuffed zucchini ready to bake

Italian Stuffed Zucchini

Peanut butter protein bars

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Bar Recipe

Sourdough starter - bubbles/refreshed!

Fermented Foods Part 1: Sourdough Starter

plated beef stroganoff

Easy Low Carb Stroganoff

banana coconut chocolate chip cookies

Banana Cookies with Chocolate and Coconut

pork shoulder with smoke crust

Tender, Juicy, Traeger Smoked Pork Shoulder / Pork Butt

Instagram

Stay tuned for something new ... 🤫🧐 . #krist Stay tuned for something new ...
🤫🧐
.
#krististephensoncreations #kscjewelrydesigns #handmade #handmadejewelry
First recipe for 2021! Low Carb Beef Stroganoff! T First recipe for 2021! Low Carb Beef Stroganoff! Try substituting spaghetti squash for the noodles... Plus a few tips for an EASY sauce, and how to lighten it up a bit if you want. Get all the details on my latest blog post. Tap @cookcraftcultivate and go to the link in my bio.
.
#cookcraftcultivate #cook #lowcarb #lowcarbrecipes #beefstroganoff #spaghettisquash
Dinner on one pan! Roasted acorn squash, asparagus Dinner on one pan! Roasted acorn squash, asparagus, and tilapia with lemon slices fresh from our tree 😃 A favorite weeknight dinner around here (some version or other of this)!
.
To get the timing right, start the squash (or you could sub potatoes) ahead, roast at 425F for about 20 minutes, then add the asparagus and tilapia for another 10ish. With lemons on top the tilapia may need closer to 15 🙃.
.
Season as desired! I used rosemary and smoked paprika on the squash, a dash of chipotle on the asparagus to tie in the smoky paprika and add a touch of heat, and then lemon pepper on the fish to boost that lemony flavor. 😋
.
#cookcraftcultivate #cook #dinner #weeknightdinner #easyonepandinner #onepanmeal #fishfordinner #azcitrus #meyerlemon #azmeyerlemons
If you've never made an herb butter to use as an A If you've never made an herb butter to use as an A-Mazing flavor boost to just about anything, might I recommend you give one a try real soon? You won't regret it!
Tap @cookcraftcultivate and go to the link in my profile to follow my 4 easy steps!
.
#cookcraftcultivate #cook #herbbutter #flavorboost #freshherbs
Happy New Year! From our family to yours 💕 Happy New Year! From our family to yours 💕
Look at this beauty of a salad mix! Harvested from Look at this beauty of a salad mix! Harvested from our garden :) - 3 varieties of kale, and a red leaf amaranth. Ready for this week's lunch salads!
.
#cookcraftcultivate #cultivate #harvest #kaleharvest #garden #azgardening #azgardener #azgarden #veggiegarden #winterveggies #azwintergarden #growyourownfood #growwhatyoueat
Biscotti. One of my favorite treats to bake during Biscotti. One of my favorite treats to bake during the holidays! Every time I make this, I think of my good friend @itsalwayssunnyaz 🥰 She was the first person to introduce me to homemade biscotti during Christmas time...
Happy Holidays All!
.
#cookcraftcultivate #cook #holidaybaking  #holidaycheer #holidaytreats #christmas #merrychristmas #happyholidays2020 #biscotti #homemade
The winter garden is in full swing! ✔️Kale and The winter garden is in full swing!
✔️Kale and chard are abundant
✔️Bok choy is full and lovely
✔️Fennel is feathery
✔️The last chiles and peppers are ripening
✔️Lettuce and arugala are growing
✔️Beets are forming
✔️Sprouting broccoli is getting tall!
Oh, and we started seeds for our spring tomatoes, chiles, and peppers this weekend!
.
#garden #gardenbounty #harvest #kaleharvest #chardharvest #gardenplanning #azgardening #azgardener #cookcraftcultivate #cultivate #winterveggiegarden
Follow @CookCraftCultivate

Footer

Cook Craft Cultivate

  • Homepage
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy

Our Other Brands

  • Kristi Stephenson Photography
  • Kristi Stephenson Creations

Copyright © 2018–2021 Kristi Stephenson Creations LLC