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Our stuffed eggplant recipe is one of our favorites, and it’s really easy to prepare. If you aren’t typically a fan of this vegetable, this preparation may very well change your mind
History of Stuffed Eggplant
Baked stuffed eggplant recipes have been around a long time. Mentions of delicious stuffed eggplant in Turkey, known as ‘karniyarik’, go back to over 4,000 years ago. But this dish didn’t just remain in Turkey. Stuffed eggplant is now a staple in all sorts of cuisines: Greek, Middle Eastern, Turkish, Chinese, Italian and American, to name just a few.
The difference in these preparations is primarily in the ingredients of the stuffing. Different regions use their own unique options and spices. You’ll find stuffing with rice and garlic in Greece, ground spicy meat in the Middle East, and a variety of olive oil and parmigiana options in Italy.
Eggplants have a mild flavor on their own, so they readily absorb the flavors of whatever they’re cooked with. That’s part of what makes stuffed eggplant such a versatile dish.
Our stuffed eggplant recipe below has a distinct Mediterranean flair, with a kick from spicy tomato based sauce and sausage.And of course, cheese is a critical component of the dish!
You can use any good Italian sausage in the recipe, but we often make our own. It’s surprisingly easy, and we’ve included the recipe for sausage as well.
Don’t forget to pin or bookmark the recipe for later
How to Pick a Good Eggplant
First, take a look at the eggplant’s skin. It should be shiny and smooth, with uniform color. A ripe eggplant will leave have an imprint when you lightly press the skin with your finger. As far as size of eggplant, larger eggplants are easier to stuff, but smaller ones are usually less bitter and slightly sweeter.
You can, however, counteract any bitterness with the application of salt, as we do in our recipe.
Here are a few additional eggplant recipes that you might enjoy!
Stuffed Eggplant with Italian Sausage and Provolone Cheese Lean homemade pork sausage with fennel and a spicy or sweet spice blend. Place the ground pork in a medium sized bowl. Add the spices and gently combine with your hands. Do not over-mix. The pork can be formed into patties and frozen for up to 6 months.Stuffed Eggplant with Sausage and Provolone Cheese
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Information
Yield
4
Serving Size
1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 540Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 99mgSodium 265mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 10gSugar 17gProtein 17g Homemade Pork Sausage
Ingredients
Instructions
A special thank you to Chef Gianna Greco of Cooking Experience in Lecce, Italy. We adapted our recipe from her version that we sampled during a cooking class. More recipes and our story about our experience coming soon.
Janna Sundby
Thursday 10th of October 2019
I used Feta cheese and added black olives to the tomato mixture as cooked a red pepper with the onions. Janna
Stephan
Friday 14th of December 2018
Where did the cubes of eggplant come from?
Jen
Friday 14th of December 2018
Hello Stephan and thank you for your question. The cubes come from the flesh that is removed when hollowing out the eggplant. I´ve updated the recipe so that it is more clear. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Jen
Katherine
Sunday 14th of October 2018
This looks delicious. I was trying to decide what to do with some fresh Italian sausage and some beautiful eggplant that I bought at the farmers market yesterday. I’m wondering if you have any idea if it is good reheated? I’m cooking for one, and even I i halve the recipe, there will be one stuffed eggplant for later.
Jen
Monday 15th of October 2018
Hi Katherine! Reheating shouldn´t be a problem. You can also put the dish together and freeze it. When you are ready to eat it just thaw it out completely then bake as directed.