STUFFED EGGPLANT PARMESAN BOATS

Eggplant parmesan is one of my favorits dishes, yet I eat it so rarely! I’ve been stocking up on eggplant all season though and I decided it was time to give it a go. Using eggplant skins to make a little boat makes this stuffed eggplant parmesan boats recipe delicious, easily scalable and a breeze to transport from baking sheet to serving dish. For reference, one eggplant makes two very large, hearty, and filling servings of eggplant parmesan!

An important aspect in this recipe is to use a really flavorful sauce. I didn’t use a ton of spices because my marinara already boasts a ton of flavor on it’s own. If you’re using a basic tomato sauce, I recommend adding a few more italian spices like basil, oregano, and thyme to your eggplant and ground beef mixture.

I’m also a big fan of this stuffed egpplant parmesan boats recipe because I was able to whip out my homemade breadcrumbs. I love any excuse to use them in a dish! Of course, if you don’t have a loaf of sourdough bread to toast, blend, and turn into fresh breadcrumbs, you could always use pre-made ones. The breadcrumbs just add a little bit of a crunch to this eggplant parmesan!

And to top it all off, a sprinkle of fresh herbs to pull it all together! I had fresh basil growing in the house, but fresh oregano or scallions would do the trick too. You could use as many or as little as you’d like. If using dried herbs, substitute with half of the amount. Enjoy this fabulous stuffed eggplant parmesan boats recipe, friends! Oh and feel free to snag some of my other favorite eggplant recipes here on the blog too- there’s these delicious MINI EGGPLANT PIZZAS and yummy BLACK SESAME BABA GANOUSH.

Yield: 4

STUFFED EGGPLANT PARM BOATS

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Sliced, hollowed, roasted, and stuffed eggplant with ground beef and cheese.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 c marinara sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 c breadcrumbs
• a pinch of salt
• 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh basil

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F and drizzle olive oil on a sheet pan.
2. Slice the stem off the top of eggplants, then slice each in half length-wise.
3. Use a melon baller, spoon, or knife (I recommend the melon baller) to hollow out each eggplant half.
4. Set aside the innards. Drizzle the eggplant shells with olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, chop eggplant innards into bite-size pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil.
6. Transfer eggplant innards to the heated skillet. Saute for about five minutes, then add ground beef, minced garlic, and a dash of salt and black pepper.
7. Saute for another five minutes and then pour in the marinara. Stir to combine.
8. Add in fresh oregano and half of the mozzarella (saving the other half for topping). Stir for another minute or two, until cheese is completely melted. Lower heat to a simmer.
9. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, olive oil, and salt. Set aside.
10. Remove eggplant shells from the oven and fill with ground beef mixture, a layer of breadcrumbs, then the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
11. Broil for one to two minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil.

Notes

Fresh herbs can be swapped for dried. Use one teaspoon of dry per tablespoon of fresh.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 462Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 647mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 9gSugar: 13gProtein: 25g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.