Slow roasted eggplant tossed with parmesan cheese, pulsed crackers, and all the good flavors of Italy: these Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants will truly warm your soul.
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Two years ago today I was travelling through Italy. And, as if my phone knows I’m currently sitting at home working, I keep getting photo notifications showing me all about my travels… lol. While I’m somewhat jealous of my two-year-ago self, it’s also been incredibly fun to look at all the good memories. Oh, and, of course, all the food photos!! Seriously, though, there’s no better foodie destination in the world. Earlier this morning, when I was logging on to see exactly what I was chowing down on two years ago, I came across a dish that I had completely forgotten about. A mixture of breadcrumbs, roasted eggplant, and cheese stuffed into an eggplant shell: this was truly one of the best bites of the trip. So, although I may not know the secrets of the generations of Italians who prepared me that perfect dish, I thought I might as well take a stab at making it myself… and in a bit of a healthier way;) After some tried and true testing in the kitchen, these Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants were born… and, in complete honesty, they’re freaking amazing!!
the breakdown…
Although they may seem all over the place, these Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants are really quite simple. Really, you can break this recipe down into three parts: the initial roasting of the eggplants, creating the stuffing, and assembling everything together. Not bad, right?
So, for starters, you’ve got to get those eggplants roasting in the oven. I like to use 2 large eggplants sliced in half, but you could also use three smaller eggplants. You just need a little bit of salt and oil and your eggplants are good to go to the oven. After 15-20 minutes, the flesh, or innards, of your eggplant should be nice and tender, but still have some give (you don’t want a complete soggy mess). So, when you go in with a fork, your flesh should easily scoop out and be ready to use with the filling. But, if you want a cleaner looking eggplant, I recommend running a knife around your flesh before scooping it out. Either way, you’re good to get working on that filling.
The eggplant filling, or “stuffing,” rather, of a traditional Italian baked eggplant can truly go in so many directions. Some advocate for using a lot of tomato sauce, some love to use ground meat, and some throw in tons of cheese. What’s pretty universal, however, is the use of pretty heavy breadcrumbs… I’m talking a full loaf of bread blended up with eggs and cheese, creating more of what we typically think of as “stuffing.” And, while this is delicious, it really is the type of food that can send you into a coma, and probably isn’t what you want on your average weeknight.
the crackers…
So, for this Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants recipe, I lightened up the filling by using pulsed crackers. I like to go with Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers, as I think they are the best tasting of the healthier alternatives. But, you could use whatever crackers you love — healthier or not. Ritz crackers are delicious in this! With whatever crackers you use, however, my key tip is to make sure you don’t blend them up too fine. In using the pulse setting of your food processor or blender, you should be able to mimic thick, homemade breadcrumbs.
With your cracker crumbs, you’ve also got to add in some flavorful sauteed onions. Rather than just adding spices to your stuffing, I love to bring in all of those flavors via sauteed onions. While, yes, you get the good, sweet flavor of caramelized onions, but sauteeing your spices and garlic in the oil is truly where the magic happens. By adding some garlic, dried oregano, and dried basil, while the onions are hot, all of the flavor is enhanced — making for a super herbaceous filling. But, given that you’re going to be tossing eggs and cheese into the mix, make sure you pop that sauté into the fridge to cool for a sec, just so nothing scrambles.
mix it all up!
After your mixture is cool, and your cracker crumbs are good to go, all you have to do is mix the stuffing together! Toss those onions, crackers, the roasted chopped eggplant, a tad bit of tomato sauce, some eggs, and some parm. Unlike some recipes, I like to just use ⅓ cups of tomato sauce in these Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants. I find it less overpowering, especially since you already will be baking your eggplants into the sauce as well. Plus, with the eggs and parmesan, you don’t have to worry about things drying out.
Lastly, you’ve got to line up those eggplant skins in the sauce, stuff them with the goods, and send them back to the oven. Voila! Your eggplants are good to go! You could also top your eggplants with more cheese, if you could like. But, personally, I don’t think it’s needed. Rather, I love to top them off with some fresh basil and serve them as they are!
how to serve these up…
These Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants truly taste like they came straight from your Italian grandma’s kitchen. While they are a bit of a healthier take on the classic, they still definitely do not lack flavor!! I truly don’t know anyone who doesn’t love these. Whether you serve them up for a cozy weeknight dinner, or even serve them for a crowd, I can guarantee they will be a hit. I like to serve these up with some simply dressed greens or my Tahini Kale Caesar . But, honestly, you could just serve these up as they are. And, you could even throw any ground meat in with the onions, if you wanted something heartier. Still, my family is not vegetarian, and we devour these like there’s no tomorrow!!
Whenever you make these Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants, I hope you love them as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))
Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants
Course: All Recipes, Main Courses, VegetarianCuisine: Main Course, Lunch, DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes1
hour1
hour15
minutesSlow roasted eggplant tossed with parmesan cheese, pulsed crackers, and all the good flavors of Italy: these Healthier Italian Stuffed Eggplants will truly warm your soul.
Ingredients
- roasted eggplant:
2 large eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise
2 tsp salt
Olive oil, to coat
- saute:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 5 oz box crackers of choice*
⅓ cup tomato sauce (store bought or homemade)*
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- assembly:
2 cups tomato sauce (store bought or homemade)*
Fresh basil, sliced into a chiffonade
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the eggplant halves flesh side up on the baking sheet. Generously rub each with olive oil and salt. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and tender. Once done, use a knife to cut out the flesh of the eggplant. Then, give the flesh a light chop, and save for later use.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until it begins to soften. Toss in the garlic, oregano, and basil, and allow to cook for another 30-60 seconds, or until the garlic is fragrant. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 5 minutes.
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the box of crackers about 10-12 times, or until they form thick crumbs.
- Once slightly cooled, toss the cracker crumbs, ½ cup tomato sauce, beaten eggs, parmesan, and eggplant flesh with the onion mixture.
- Evenly spread the tomato sauce around the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the eggplant skins directly on top of the sauce.
- Stuff each eggplant skin with about 1 cup of the cracker crumb mixture. Use your finger to make 2-3 indents in the stuffing of each eggplant, and drizzle each with a dash of olive oil. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for another 35 minutes, or until the stuffing is crisp and golden. Top with fresh basil and serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- For the crackers, you could really use whatever you would like. You could go with a buttier cracker, like Ritz or Club, or you could do a healthier variety, like Simple Mills. You could also substitute the crackers for 1 cup breadcrumbs. It’s up to you!
- If you are going to buy your marinara sauce, my recommendation would be to use Rao’s Tomato Basil or Marinara sauce.