Stuffed Eggplant (with Beef, Tomato, Ricotta, and Parmesan)
What I love about these stuffed eggplants is that they’re a great dish for both a weeknight dinner and a dinner party.
The roasted eggplant shells are filled with a sautéed mixture of ground beef, tomato, garlic, ricotta, chopped eggplant flesh, and Italian herb seasoning. They’re topped with parmesan and baked before being served hot with some finely chopped fresh basil on top. Pair them with this parmesan garlic bread and some roasted veggies or a salad on the side.
Ingredients You Will Need
If you want to make these stuffed eggplants, you will need the following:
- Eggplants – 3 large eggplants (about 2 lb total, 10-11 oz each)
- Ground Beef – 1 lb ground beef (5% fat)
- Canned Chopped Tomatoes – 1 can of chopped tomatoes (14 oz or 400 grams)
- Ricotta – 8 oz Italian ricotta (225 grams)
- Garlic – 3 garlic cloves
- Parmesan – 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano/Parmesan, grated (60 grams)
- Basil – a handful of fresh basil, finely chopped (to garnish the dish at the end)
- Salt – salt, to taste (about 2 tsp kosher salt or 1 tsp regular salt, divided; a pinch to salt the eggplant shells and the rest for the ground beef filling)
- Pepper – 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Italian Seasoning – 1 tsp Italian dried herb seasoning
- Olive Oil – 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Directions with Photos
Prep: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
Step 1. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh from each eggplant, leaving about 1/2 inch border on the sides and the bottom.
Note: You can score the border with a pairing knife and then using an ice cream scoop, a cookie scoop, or a spoon, scoop up the flesh a bit at a time.
Step 2. Season the eggplant shells with a pinch of salt and black pepper and brush them with olive oil. Add them to a baking sheet and place in the oven just above the center rack to roast until tender (about 25 minutes). While the eggplant shells roast, make the filling.
Step 3. Chop up the eggplant flesh into smaller pieces.
Step 4. Add the ground beef to a large pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink (about 4 minutes).
Step 5. Add the chopped eggplant flesh and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the eggplant has released all the water, the liquid has evaporated, and you have some golden-brown in the mixture (about 8 minutes).
Step 6. Add the minced garlic and the Italian dried herb seasoning, and stir the mixture to cook the garlic (about 1 minute).
Step 7. Add the canned chopped tomatoes and 1/3 cup of water to the pan and simmer the filling, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened (about 8 minutes). Adjust the heat as necessary to keep it at a low simmer (rather than a boil).
Step 8. Add the ricotta to the filling and stir. Take it off the heat. Taste and add any additional salt or pepper (if needed).
Step 9. By now, the eggplant shells should be tender. Remove them from the oven, and add the filling to the shells. Top with parmesan (optionally leaving a bit aside to garnish the eggplant with fresh parmesan at the end).
Step 10. Return the filled eggplant shells to the oven and bake them for about 20 minutes until the parmesan is golden in spots.
Note: Now is a great time to clean up all the dishes while the eggplants are in the oven.
Step 11. Serve the stuffed eggplants with finely chopped fresh basil and (optionally) the leftover freshly grated parmesan.
For me, that first bite is all about the texture. The rich ground beef, the creaminess added by the ricotta, and the crispiness of the eggplant skin all make it a mouthful to savor!
Did You Love this Recipe? I hope you, friends, and family all enjoyed it. If so, please leave a review below. Also, I’d love to know if you ate them on their own, or made some sides with them. And, if you’re a fan of eggplant, try these eggplant feta wraps and this eggplant dip with dill, lemon, and yogurt.
Printable Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants about 2 lb total, 10-11 oz each
- 1 lb ground beef 5% fat
- 1 can of chopped tomatoes 14 oz or 400 grams
- 8 oz Italian ricotta 225 grams
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano/Parmesan grated (60 grams)
- a handful of fresh basil finely chopped (to garnish the dish at the end)
- kosher salt, to taste about 2 tsp kosher salt or 1 tsp regular salt, divided (a pinch to salt the eggplant shells and the rest for the ground beef filling)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh from each eggplant, leaving about 1/2 inch border on the sides and the bottom. You can score the border with a pairing knife and then using an ice cream scoop, a cookie scoop, or a spoon, scoop up the flesh a bit at a time.
- Season the eggplant shells with a pinch of salt and black pepper and brush them with olive oil. Add them to a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven just above the center rack to roast until tender (about 25 minutes). While the eggplant shells roast, make the filling.
- Chop up the eggplant flesh into smaller pieces.
- Add the ground beef to a large pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink (about 4 minutes).
- Add the chopped eggplant flesh and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until the eggplant has released all the water, the liquid has evaporated, and you have some golden-brown in the mixture (about 8 minutes).
- Add the minced garlic and the Italian dried herb seasoning, and stir the mixture to cook the garlic (about 1 minute).
- Add the canned chopped tomatoes and 1/3 cup of water to the pan and simmer the filling, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened (about 8 minutes). Adjust the heat as necessary to keep it at a low simmer (rather than a boil).
- Add the ricotta to the filling and stir. Take the pan off the heat. Taste and add any additional salt or pepper (if needed).
- By now, the eggplant shells should be tender. Remove them from the oven, and add the filling to the shells. Top with parmesan (optionally leaving a bit aside to garnish the eggplant with fresh parmesan at the end).
- Return the filled eggplant shells to the oven and bake them for about 20 minutes until the parmesan is golden in spots.
- Serve the stuffed eggplants with finely chopped fresh basil and (optionally) the leftover freshly grated parmesan.
If you want to make this again or would like to try it in the near future, don’t forget to save it to one of your recipe boards.
