When summer brings an abundance of eggplant to the market, grab an armload and get cooking all the eggplant recipes you can! Now that eggplants are finally starting to pop up in our summer gardens, I figured it was time to celebrate this wonderful purple vegetable with a new eggplant recipe.
There are tons of dishes you can make with eggplant, from eggplant parmesan to baba ganoush. Here's another to add to your list, and it's a keeper: stuffed eggplant. This Moroccan-inspired meal stars a hearty mixture of couscous, seasoned vegetables, and ground beef all piled into tender roasted eggplant. This Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant is bursting with flavor! Filled with lentils, tomatoes, and the perfect blend of spices, this is a vegan and gluten-free meal that elevates dinner to a whole new level.
This well-rounded, easy dinner is impressive enough for guests, yet quick enough for a weeknight meal. It's ready in just 45 minutes, no side dishes required!
Looking for a low-carb, healthy meal that also happens to be filling and delicious? You’ll love this Moroccan stuffed eggplant. This oven-roasted eggplant is made with Moroccan spices and topped with spiced beef, yogurt, and toasted pine nuts. Additionally, it is low in carbs and calories.
I grew up not being a fan of eggplant but over time learned that the key is in the preparation. You can easily substitute your choice of protein and the recipe will remain essentially the same.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Eggplant: Eggplant is one of those amazingly underrated vegetables that can be the star of so many vegan entrées. I love it in curries, on pizza, and of course, vegan eggplant parmesan.
Protein Options: You can easily substitute your choice of protein and the recipe will remain essentially the same. Ground turkey, chicken, or pork are all delicious substitutes for ground beef in this savory spiced eggplant recipe. If you’re looking to go meatless, try a vegan ground meat substitute. Or use firm tofu.
Grains:
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Spices: Some of the spices common in Moroccan cuisine are cinnamon, cumin, ginger, paprika, saffron, and turmeric. A blend called Ras El Hanout is also commonly used in Moroccan cooking. It includes spices such as anise, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, and peppers. Find more info on how Moroccan spices are used here.
Recipe Variations
This dish is incredibly versatile. I like to serve it as an appetizer to share, or as a main course with salad, rice, pita, or couscous. It goes particularly well with zesty garlic couscous or my easy tossed salad.
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It’s delicious on its own, but it would also pair well with my Garlicky Kale Salad and Crispy Chickpeas, Oil-Free Roasted Vegetables, 1-Pot Vegan Minestrone, and Sweet Potato and Avocado Green Salad.
Tips and Tricks
Can you eat the purple skin of an eggplant? Yes, you can eat eggplant skin. The younger and smaller the eggplant, the more tender the skin tends to be. But all eggplant skin-along with the white flesh and seeds-is edible. The only part you don’t want to eat is the green stem on top.
Sweating the eggplant: Sweating the eggplant to remove excess water is a recommended but not essential step. It seasons the flesh as well as drawing out excess water that otherwise pools in the eggplant which dilutes flavour when you’re eating it.
Make in Advance: If you are preparing for a larger event and want to work ahead, you can make your filling and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until you are ready to assemble your eggplant.
Detailed Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 medium eggplants (about 1 lb. each)
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 lb. ground beef (85/15)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, black pepper, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and cinnamon.
- Cut the eggplants in half and place on a baking sheet. Rub 1 teaspoon of the salt into the eggplant flesh. Drizzle the eggplants with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Rub with 4 teaspoons of the spice mixture.
- Bake the eggplant, cut-side up, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring ¾ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the couscous, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Cover, and remove from the heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beef, and cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the garlic, the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, and remaining spice mixture; cook until fragrant. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes so the flavors combine.
- Add the couscous, lemon juice, and three-quarters of the cilantro to the beef mixture, and gently fold to combine. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Transfer the eggplant halves to a serving platter. Using a fork, pull the eggplant flesh apart to make room for the filling, being careful not to pierce the skin. Divide the beef filling among the eggplant halves. Top each with some yogurt, a drizzle of oil, and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.
Vegan Variation with Lentils
This Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant can easily be made vegan by replacing the ground beef with lentils.
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Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplant
- ½ cup dry brown or green lentils
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ large yellow onion
- 1 tbsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. coriander
- ½ tsp. turmeric
- ¼ tsp. cayenne
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Pine Nuts
- Diced Tomatoes
- Maple Syrup
- Raisins
- Fresh Parsley
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil over medium heat. Add lentils, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes until all the water has absorbed and the lentils are tender.
- Slice the eggplant in half. Scoop out the fleshy middle, leaving a ½" shell, and reserve. Brush the inside with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bake, face-up, for 20 minutes. Chop the eggplant flesh into small cubes and set aside.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add spices, sun-dried tomatoes, and pinenuts. Once the pinenuts are toasted, stir in lentils, diced eggplant, canned tomatoes, and maple syrup.
- Remove from heat and add raisins and parsley. Evenly divide filling between 4 eggplants, rounding off the tops, and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, top with fresh parsley, and serve.
Storage Instructions
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerated for up to three days. Reheat it in the microwave or in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.
Nutritional Information (per serving, using lean beef)
- Calories: Approximately 450
- Carbs: 22 grams
Enjoy this flavorful and healthy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes! Rate it, leave a comment, and be sure to tag a photo on Instagram so we can see what you come up with.
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tags: #Moroccan
