This recipe for Stuffed and Baked Eggplant was the easiest dinner that was also packed with flavor. A few years ago, while scrolling on Pinterest, I saw an image of stuffed eggplants and have desired to do something similar since. Instead of carving out and stuffing the eggplant, I used a knife and cut slits. Keep reading for how simple and tastefully delicious this recipe truly is.
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Published August 2, 2022
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Cost breakdown for this recipe
Eggplant is quite a seasonal item. Personally, it has not been available at our local ALDI for many years. To find eggplant, I do head to a different grocery store where I can also buy my baking ingredients in bulk. This day, Matthew helped me at Woodman’s to find the perfect eggplants for this Stuffed and Baked Eggplant recipe.
4 eggplants $0.99/per pound $3.92
Mozzarella $3.85
Tomatoes $1.89
Marinara $1.55
Breadcrumbs $1.00
2 tsp oregano $0.20
2 Tbsp minced onion $0.25
4 sweet peppers $0.75
The total cost to make 4 Stuffed and Baked Eggplants recipe for dinner was $13.41.
In addition to making the eggplants, we also had steamed Brussel sprouts and thinly sliced steak.
Brussel Sprouts $1.25
Ribeye Steak $12.40
This added a few dollars to the total cost making this entire meal $27.06. Mind you, this is more than half the cost to take out family out to eat at any restaurant, so totally worth the cost of ribeye every once in a while.
Recipe
Ingredients
2-4 large eggplants
Fresh mozzarella
Tomato slices
Jar Marinara
1 cup Breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper
2 tsp Oregano
2 Tbsp minced onion
4 sweet peppers
Directions
1. Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with non-stick spray and then set aside. Originally, two pans were prepped, however as the eggplants were stuffed and ready to bake it became clear that only one baking pan was enough. Plus, one pan helped to squish all of the stuffed eggplants together instead of allowing them to roll onto their sides.
2. In a sink colander, rinse off the eggplants, tomatoes and sweet peppers, then set aside onto a cutting board. This style of colander is seriously the best, as it keeps ALL the food off of the basin of the sink. If you are anything like our family, with four kids, the sink can sometimes not be the cleanest. While needing to just rinse vegetables off and not add to them the horrors of the sink, an over the sink colander is just the best choice. Check it out by clicking the link to Amazon below.
3. On a cutting board, slice off both ends of each eggplant. Then, slice the eggplants into 1-inch-thick slices, leaving the bottom in-tact. Do not cut all the way through the eggplants but cut them like an accordion.
4. Open the jar of marinara, any style, and then pour it into the prepared baking dish.
5. Place the prepared and cut eggplants into the baking dish on top of the marinara.
6. Open the fresh mozzarella package and peel apart the slices. If you are using uncut mozzarella, cut it into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
7. Place the fresh mozzarella slices in half of the eggplant spaces, also, feel free to double up on the mozzarella slices if some pieces seem small.
8. On a cutting board, slice the tomatoes in half and then cut the ends off of the sweet peppers and remove the seeds. Cherry tomatoes were what was available at the grocery store this week, however, a larger tomato is recommended cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
$2.99
9. Place the sliced tomatoes and sweet peppers into the rest of the eggplant slices. Some of the eggplants may break apart, do not fret, just stack them close to one another once stuffed.
10. In a small bowl, measure and add breadcrumbs, minced onion, oregano, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning if desired, and garlic powder, then stir well with a spoon.
11. Using a spoon, carefully scoop the breadcrumbs onto the eggplants making sure that it gets packed on the tops well. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes or until the eggplants are tender when a knife is inserted into the largest part. Do not worry about some of the breadcrumb topping getting into the marinara in the pan as it will create a delicious sauce to top the Stuffed and Baked Eggplants while you serve.
12. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy! We had this Stuffed and Baked Eggplant dinner with pan seared thinly sliced Ribeye steak and Brussel sprouts. It was SO delicious and unbelievably, all of our kids LOVED the eggplant! This eggplant recipe would also pair well with meatballs or breaded and pan-fried chicken.
~Monica
Stuffed and Baked Eggplant Recipe
Ingredients for Stuffed and Baked Eggplant
2-4 large eggplants
Fresh mozzarella
Tomato slices
Jar Marinara
1 cup Breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper
2 tsp Oregano
2 Tbsp minced onion
4 sweet peppers
Directions for Stuffed and Baked Eggplant
1. Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with non-stick spray and then set aside.
2. In a sink colander, rinse off the eggplants, tomatoes and sweet peppers, then set them aside onto a cutting board.
3. On a cutting board, slice off both ends of each eggplant, then, slice the eggplants into 1-inch-thick slices, leaving the bottom in-tact. Do not cut all the way through the eggplants but cut them like an accordion.
4. Open the jar of marinara, any style, and then pour it into the prepared baking dish.
5. Place the prepared and cut eggplants into the baking dish on top of the marinara. Do not worry if the eggplants split apart, once they become stuffed, and squished into the baking dish, they will hold each other together well during baking.
6. Open the fresh mozzarella package and peel apart the slices. If you are using uncut mozzarella, cut it into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then place the mozzarella slices in half of the eggplant spaces, feel free to double up on the cheese if desired.
7. On a cutting board, slice the tomatoes in half and then cut the ends off of the sweet peppers and remove the seeds. Then place the sliced tomatoes and sweet peppers into the rest of the eggplant slices. Some of the eggplants may break apart, do not fret, just stack them close to one another once stuffed.
8. In a small bowl, measure and add breadcrumbs, minced onion, oregano, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning if desired, and garlic powder, then stir well with a spoon.
9. Using a spoon, carefully pour and then scoop the breadcrumbs onto the eggplants making sure that it gets packed on the tops well. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes or until the eggplants are tender when a knife is inserted into the largest part.
10. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve and enjoy!
~Monica
