Italian Stuffed Eggplants

Get ready to elevate your culinary game with our irresistible Italian stuffed eggplants. This healthy yet comforting recipe is a breeze, requiring just a handful of ingredients, with the option to transform the eggplants into adorable penguins for a touch of fun. Follow our simple steps to bake them to perfection, creating a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more. Our recipe is fit for dairy-free, vegetarian, plant-based, and vegan diets with a simple sub for gluten-free! 

Shopping List:

These decadent Italian stuffed eggplants come together with just a few ingredients!

• 3-4 medium-sized eggplants with stems
• Fool-proof marinara sauce or one jar
• 8 oz dried orzo
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Plant-based parmigiana

For Penguin Eggplants (optional):

• 1 large carrot
• Toothpicks
• Googly eyes with adhesive backing

How to make:

Step 1: Preparing the Eggplants

To make Italian stuffed eggplants start by preheating your oven to 400°F (204°C). Then using a fork, poke several holes into the eggplants, ensuring they are about 3/4” (1.9 cm) deep. In addition, if you are feeling a bit whimsical, transform your eggplants into adorable penguins by carefully carving out their distinctive features.

Step 2: Baking the Eggplants

Place the prepared eggplants in a rectangular baking dish and bake until tender, approximately 45-60 minutes, flipping halfway through. 

Step 3: Preparing the Filling

While the eggplants bake, prepare fool-proof marinara sauce and boil the orzo until it reaches a delightful al dente texture. Then combine the orzo with the marinara sauce, creating a flavorful filling that will be the heart of our Italian stuffed eggplants.

Step 4: Stuffing and Baking

Slice the eggplants down the center, leaving the top and bottom intact. Scoop out 2/3 of the eggplant flesh, lightly salt the inside of the cavity then fill with the orzo and marinara mixture. Then top it off with a generous sprinkle of plant-based parmigiana. Afterward, bake at 400°F (204°C) for an additional 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

Step 5: Penguin Fun (Optional)

For those embracing the whimsy, create adorable penguin feet using carrot rounds and toothpicks. Then attach googly eyes to the eggplant stems, transforming them into charming penguin characters. Remember to remove toothpicks and googly eyes before indulging in this delightful dish.

Optional Add-ins!

Feel free to get creative when making the stuffing for your Italian stuffed eggplants. For a protein boost vegan sausage, ground beef, or lentils would make a hearty addition. Elevate the flavor to suit your tastes by adding peppers, capers, olives, mushrooms, or any of your favorite vegetables to the stuffing. The possibilities are endless!

Share Your Thoughts: 

We’d love to hear about your experience with our Italian stuffed eggplants! Whether you followed the recipe to the letter or added your own creative twists, your feedback is invaluable to us. Did you venture into crafting adorable penguin-shaped eggplants? Was this culinary experiment a new favorite, or did you encounter any aspects you’d tweak next time? Your insights and suggestions are essential, so please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Italian Stuffed Eggplants

Recipe by Dakota OvdanCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Italian inspiredDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3-4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

40

minutes

These healthy yet comforting Italian stuffed eggplants are a breeze to make, requiring just a handful of ingredients, with the option to transform the eggplants into adorable penguins for a touch of fun.

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium-sized eggplants

• 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

• 8 oz dried orzo

• 1-3 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil

• Plant-based parmigiana

• Salt to taste

• For Penguin Eggplants (optional):

• 1 large carrot

• 3-4 Toothpicks

• Googly eyes with adhesive backing

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
• Use a fork to poke several holes into the eggplants, about 3/4” (1.9 cm) deep.
• For penguin-shaped eggplants: Use a paring knife to cut the outline of the penguin’s white front area. Then, with a peeler or paring knife, carefully remove the skin. Along each side, cut an elongated U for the flippers. Press firmly under the U and cut upwards to release the fin from the side. Cut a small portion off the bottom to make it flat. Coat bare areas in olive oil.
• Bake the eggplants in a rectangular baking dish until tender, 45-60 minutes, flipping halfway.
• Meanwhile, prepare marinara and orzo. Boil the orzo until al dente, then mix with marinara.
• Make a slice down the center of the eggplant, leaving the top and bottom intact. Using a spoon, scoop out 2/3 of the eggplant flesh. Lightly salt the inside of the cavity then fill with orzo and marinara, and top with parmigiana.
• Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes.
• For penguin eggplants, make the feet by cutting the large side of a carrot into 1/2” rounds, cutting two slices for each eggplant. Use a paring knife to cut two wedges out of each carrot round to represent the toes. Break toothpicks in half and place the pointed end in the center of the carrot rounds and the other end in the bottom of the eggplant. Place googly eyes on the stem of the eggplant. Remove toothpicks and googly eyes before eating.
• Drizzle with olive oil and serve!

Notes

• If making penguin-shaped eggplants, look for eggplants that have a long stem attached to function as the penguin’s beak.
• When scooping out the eggplant flesh, be cautious to avoid damaging the skin.