This vegan stuffed eggplant with quinoa in tomato sauce is a delicious, super easy to make light meal which can also be enjoyed as a hot or cold snack the next day.

This healthy and delicious vegan stuffed eggplant is a great dish to make on a hot day. It is light, low in fat and not very labour intensive. Plus it contains quinoa, which has an amazing ability to make any dish light and satisfying at the same time.

This quinoa eggplant recipe makes a fantastic main or side dish, perfect as a family dinner as well as for entertaining. You can prepare some of the ingredients ahead which will make putting this recipe together super quick.

This stuffed eggplant dish can be served hot or cold and to be honest, unless you are very hungry, wait until it's had a chance to cool down and enjoy it with a hunk of fresh bread with a drizzle of olive oil (or coconut milk).

How to make vegan stuffed eggplant: step-by-step

1.Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and place on a large oven sheet cut side up. Brush the tops with a little oil. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 200 C.

2. Remove from the oven (keep oven on), set aside for 5 minutes, then carve out the middle using a knife and scoop out the pulp with a melon baller or large spoon (leave about 1 cm of thickness around the edges of the eggplant).

3. In the meantime prepare the sauce. In a saucepan fry the ginger, onion, garlic and chili pepper in a little oil for 2-3 minutes until softened.

4. Add the passata, red pepper, spices and seasoning, cover and bring to the boil. Then simmer for 6-7 minutes stirring occasionally.

5. Remove from the heat, add the eggplant pulp and puree (to get the consistency you want).

6. Cover the bottom of your casserole dish with about ¼ of the sauce and place the eggplant halves in the dish.

7. Combine the rest of the sauce with the quinoa.

8. Spoon the sauce mixture into the eggplant halves, drizzle over a little oil, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

9. Remove from the oven, set aside for a few minutes, then serve.

Expert tips and FAQs

You can cook the quinoa ahead and, once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
The sauce (minus the eggplant) can also be cooked (though not pureed) and refrigerated overnight. So that once you've scooped out the flesh of the eggplant and added it to the sauce all you have to do is puree the mixture, add the quinoa and assemble the recipe.
Once you've added the eggplant pulp into the sauce either puree it until smooth or puree partially just to combine and break up the larger pieces.
Spices: you can use tarragon or thai basil (3 tbsp each, finely chopped) or serve this dish with cilantro.
Best served immediately. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.

What would go well with this dish

This dish is great on its own but it's also delicious with a hunk of fresh bread. A garnish of chopped avocado and a drizzle of coconut milk would work well too. If you make this recipe quite spicy a refreshing dip such as cauliflower dip, healthy ranch dip or minty guacamole would make ideal accompaniments. (All are vegetarian).

If you are looking for more stuffed eggplant recipes you might also like this non-vegetarian meat stuffed eggplant.

Check out also this collection of over 12 healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

Keep in touch!

Have you made this quinoa stuffed eggplant recipe? I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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