This vegan stuffed eggplant features soft roasted eggplants stuffed with rice, chickpeas and vegetables for a delicious main or side dish. It is simple to make, extremely adaptable and perfect the next day too!
Roast eggplant: Preheat the oven to 375F/190C/gas mark 5. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and place on a large baking tray open side up (do not remove the stems). Brush the tops with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake for 35 minutes.
Hollow out eggplant: Remove from the oven (keep the oven on), set aside for 5 minutes, then carve out the middle of each eggplant leaving about ½ cm around the edges and scoop out the pulp using a melon baller or spoon.
Prepare mushrooms: While the eggplant is in the oven cook the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of oil for about 6 minutes over a medium/high heat until all the moisture has been absorbed and they are golden brown. Towards the end of cooking stir in the soy sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside.TIP: Do not stir the mushrooms too much to allow them to brown nicely.
Cook onion: In a pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add the onion and cook gently for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the eggplant flesh and continue cooking for 2 more minutes.
Add tomato: Add the tomato, garlic, paprika, stir, cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add rice: Remove from the heat, add the rice, mushrooms, chickpeas, tomato puree, piquillo peppers, sweet chili sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly and adjust the seasoning if required.
Stuff eggplants: Fill the hollowed out eggplant halves with the stuffing mixture.
Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes then increase the heat to 420F and bake for 5 more minutes to crisp up the tops. Remove from the oven, set aside for 5 minutes then serve.
Notes
You can either cook the rice from raw, use leftover rice or use ready-cooked store-bought rice.
Taste the stuffing mixture before dividing between the eggplant halves and adjust the seasoning as required.
Best served hot. Refrigerate leftover veggie stuffed eggplant for up to 3 days.