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).
You might also like
- Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa
- Eggplant Tomato Casserole with Beans
- Healthy Pasta Bake with Eggplant and Chickpeas
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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Recipe
Vegan Stuffed Eggplant with Quinoa in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants
- 1.1 pounds (500 g) passata
- 1½ cups (270 g) cooked quinoa
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled, finely chopped
- 1 red/green chilli finely chopped
- ½ large red pepper finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander and cumin each
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive/vegetable/coconut oil plus more for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Cut the eggplant in half lengthways and place on a large baking tray open side up. Brush/drizzle with a little olive oil (2-3 tablespoons) and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, set aside for 5 minutes, then carve out the middle of each eggplant leaving about 1 cm around the edges and scoop out the pulp using a melon baller or spoon. Keep the oven on.
- While the eggplants are in the oven make the sauce. In a saucepan heat up the oil, add the garlic, ginger, chili, onion, stir and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until softened.
- Add the passata, chopped red pepper, cumin and coriander, salt, stir, cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the eggplant pulp into the sauce and puree.
- Place a few tablespoons of the sauce (about a quarter of the sauce) in a large baking dish spreading evenly and place the hollow eggplant halves in a single layer on top. Season with eggplant. Combine the remaining sauce with the quinoa and stir thoroughly. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Spoon the quinoa mixture into the eggplant halves, drizzle with some olive oil, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, set aside for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- 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), add 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika or serve this dish with cilantro.
- Best served immediately. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Nico @ yumsome
Ooh, this looks amazing, Monika! I adore aubergine, this looks like such a wonderfully filling dish too. Yum!
#MeatFreeMondays
Monika
Thank you! So glad you like this dish, yes it is filling but light at the same time.
Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms)
That looks rather wonderful. I forget to make dishes like this until I see them and think mmmmmmm! Thanks for submitting it to Meat Free Mondays this week. I have featured it and will now do some sharing as a thank you.
Monika
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing my recipe:)
Gluten Free A-Z
I use alot of eggplant mostly in ratatouille and eggplant sauce for pasta. I haven't tried to stuff one yet. Your recipes sounds delicious. Pinning this
Monika
Thank you! Hope you like it if you do make it:)
Emma @ FreeFromFarmhouse
I've bookmarked this for later as I've got a bag of quinoa sitting in the cupboard and I'm never quite sure what to do with it! #freefromfridays
Monika
I hope you like it if you do make it:)
petra08
My kind of food! It sounds so lovely 🙂
Monika
Thanks Petra!
Ai @Ai made it for you
I love eggplant and quinoa! I'll definitely be saving this for later 🙂
Thank you for sharing! Happy FF!
Monika
Thank you Ai! Glad you like it:)
Amanda
Looks delicious – thanks for sharing your recipe with us over at the Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesday & I hope you’ll join us again next week!
Monika
Thank you Amanda! Will be there next week with another recipe:)
Kate - gluten free alchemist
Lovely recipe! I made something similar myself a couple of years back and recall it was very virtuous and very delicious. Seeing your post has reminded me about it.... must make it again! x
Monika
Thank you! Aubergine is such an underrated vegetable bit it tastes so amazing in so many dishes:)
Elaine @ foodbod
Yum! A set of great ingredients as far as I'm concerned ????
Monika
Thank you Elaine! Glad you like the recipe:)
Jhuls
Such a brilliant idea to stuff eggplants with quinoa! I love anything eggplants, so thank you for bringing at Fiesta Friday party this week!
Monika
Thank you Jhuls! This recipe is really easy to make too:)
hijackedbytwins
This meal looks so good, I love the addition of avocado on the top. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Monika
Thank you Kirsty! It was really yummy, shame all the leftovers are now finished.
Jaxx The Bearded Hiker
That looks really delicious and perfect for these stupid hot summer days!
Monika
Thank you! The hot days are over I am afraid but this recipe is great even on those less hot days:)
mealsandmakes
These look delicious. I love aubergines, I can imagine this is a really nice summer dish. #CookBlogShare
Monika
Thank you! I like to eat it cold which makes it a really refreshing meal:)
Alison's Allspice
I love that you mentioned it can be eaten hot or cold, I love cold meals during the summer heat. A slice of crusty bread is the perfect pairing, saving for later, Thanks!
Monika
Thank you Alison, I actually prefer it cold:)
joskitchenlarder
Beautiful dish Monika! I really enjoy aubergine and as the rest of my family doesn't share my enthusiasm towards this lovely veg, it is usually myself eating it. This will be a perfect, healthy lunch for me this Summer!
Monika
Thank you! I am happy to say my own enthusiasm for aubergines is spreading and one of my children actually ate this stuffed aubergine and liked it:)
Corina
This looks so so tasty and would be a great dish eaten cold today as it's going to be so so hot. I love baked aubergine dishes and this sounds yummy! Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
Monika
Thank you Corina! I am glad I've got leftovers in the fridge as it's so hot here too so it'll make great refreshing lunch.
Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons
Scorching hot here today as well, this sounds delicious and perfect to serve for my eggplant loving friends. Thank you for co-hosting FF,
Monika
Thank you Liz! Glad you too are enjoying nice weather where you are:)