This cheesy Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan recipe takes everything you love about traditional eggplant parm but is made easy and gluten free! Creamy ricotta is stuffed inside tender shells of eggplant and topped with a tangy sauce and plenty of melted mozzarella and Parmesan for a flavorful side dish or vegetarian main.
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Eggplant Recipe
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Italian-inspired
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
This stuffed eggplant recipe is a great vegetarian meal or side dish. I look at it as a dish that’s inspired by a classic eggplant parmesan recipe but with a twist. You won’t need to bread or fry the eggplant, which are two things I usually try to avoid since I’m gluten free and don’t love fried foods. And you can adapt the recipe if you wish to make it heartier with extra protein or to include more vegetables. There’s a lot to love!
- Vegetarian! This wonderful vegetarian dish that can be made the star of the meal or rounded out with vegetable sides or even meat. It’s a nice option when you need to feed vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There will be something for everyone when you make stuffed eggplant.
- And gluten free. This is a naturally gluten free recipe, meaning that none of the ingredients contain any gluten. You won’t need to worry about finding gluten free breadcrumbs because I’ve taken them out of this recipe altogether, making prep easier and completely gluten free.
- A fresh take on a classic. I love eggplant parmesan but let’s be real – it can leave you feeling stuffed and it takes a lot more effort to bread and fry the eggplant. My version is lighter yet still captures the flavors I love about an eggplant parm.
What You’ll Need
Take a look at the ingredients needed to make this recipe below. Check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Eggplant: Choose a firm, shiny eggplant with no soft spots for the best results.
- Olive Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil in this recipe.
- Onion: Feel free to use a red or yellow onion.
- Garlic
- Italian Seasoning: You can substitute dried basil or oregano if you don’t have Italian seasoning, or do a mix of the two.
- Salt and Pepper
- Canned Tomatoes: Use a can of chopped Tomatoes in puree or crushed tomatoes.
- Ricotta Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
- Mozzarella: My preference is for fresh mozzarella, but pre-shredded mozzarella will also work.
How To Make Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan
Get an idea of how to make this stuffed eggplant recipe below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Prepare the eggplant. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and slice each eggplant in half lengthwise, then scoop out the flesh from the eggplant.
- Chop. Cut the scooped-out flesh into cubes.
- Drain and bake eggplant. Sprinkle a little salt inside the eggplant shells, and flip them upside down to drain, then blot out the water. Bake the eggplant until soft.
- Cook aromatics. Heat the olive oil and cook the onion and garlic until fragrant.
- Add eggplant. Stir in the reserved chopped eggplant, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, and cook until browned.
- Add tomatoes. Stir in the canned tomatoes and simmer until heated through.
- Make ricotta mixture. Combine the ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.
- Stuff the eggplant. Place the eggplant in a baking dish. Add sauce to the bottom of each eggplant half. Divide the ricotta cheese mixture evenly between the shells.
- Finish. Top the cheese mixture with more sauce.
- Add cheese. Lay the mozzarella on top of the stuffed eggplants, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake. Now bake until heated through and the cheese is bubbly.
Easy Variations
If you want to change up this recipe a bit, go right ahead! Here are a few ways to expand on this dish:
- Make bolognese. For an easy, meaty sauce, brown some ground beef or turkey, then add the chopped eggplant and make the sauce. Or, make my Bolognese recipe and use it in place of the homemade sauce.
- Or a vegetarian bolognese. Use your favorite plant-based meat crumbles to make a vegetarian version of bolognese sauce.
- Add more veggies. Tuck more vegetables into the sauce, like chopped mushrooms, baby spinach, chopped bell peppers, and more.
- A sprinkle of breadcrumbs. If you wish, add a layer of gluten free breadcrumbs to the top of the stuffed eggplant before you do the final bake. This will add a nice textural crunch and contrast.
Tips for Success
Eggplant can have a bitter taste if it’s not cooked thoroughly, so make sure to roast the eggplant before stuffing it.
Here are a few more tips to help you make this dish perfectly:
- Drain the eggplant. Make sure to salt and drain the eggplant before you use it in this recipe to remove any excess moisture. This will help the final dish not be too watery after it bakes. If you have extra time, you can let the eggplant drain for up to 1 hour.
- Make the eggplant ahead. If you wish, you can bake the eggplant the day before you plan to assemble and finish the dish. Place it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to proceed with the recipe.
- Use jarred sauce. To save time, you can swap in your favorite store-bought sauce for the homemade sauce (although I do think the homemade sauce tastes better!).
Proper Storage
Here’s how to store any leftover stuffed eggplant:
- Fridge – Place the cooled stuffed eggplant in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer – Add the cooled eggplant to an airtight, freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the eggplant in the fridge before reheating. Note that the texture may change a little when the vegetables and cheese are defrosted but they will still taste good.
- To Reheat – Place leftover stuffed eggplant in an oven-safe dish or baking sheet and heat it in the oven at 350ºF until heated through.
Make It A Meal
Add a salad or a loaf of bread and your dinner is done! Here are a few other options for what to serve with stuffed eggplant:
- Salad. A fresh salad alongside cheesy bites of stuffed eggplant is just right. Make my Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Caprese Zoodles Salad, or try a flavorful and easy Greek Salad.
- Homemade bread. Scoop up the melted cheese and sauce with fresh bread! I love serving squares of Gluten Free Focaccia or a pile of Gluten Free Garlic Knots with stuffed eggplant.
- Meat. Round out your plate of stuffed eggplant with savory Italian Meatballs or make a super flavorful Rosemary Balsamic Roast Chicken.
- Vegetables. Add more vegetables to the table! Try a side of Roasted Asparagus, Air Fryer Broccoli, or Blue Cheese Roasted Vegetables with this stuffed eggplant recipe.
- Pasta. An easy side of gluten free pasta is always welcome. My Penne with Tomato Cream Sauce or Gluten Free Baked Ziti are nice choices.
More Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan
Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan takes everything you love about traditional eggplant parm but makes it easy and gluten free! It's stuffed with ricotta and topped with sauce and mozzarella!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 319kcal
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
- 1 ¼ teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus additional for salting the eggplant
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 28 ounce can Chopped Tomatoes in Puree or Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut in thin slices
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the eggplant, leaving approximately a half-inch thick “shell”. Cut the scooped out flesh into approximately 1/4 inch cubes and set aside.
- Sprinkle a little salt inside the eggplant shells, and flip them upside down on a paper towel to draw out some of the water for about 5-10 minutes. Blot out some of the water from the shell, and place them cut side down in a glass baking dish sprayed with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until eggplant starts to become soft.
- While the eggplant drains and bakes, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent and tender. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two, until fragrant
- Add the reserved chopped eggplant, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 Kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, to taste. Cook until the eggplant is browned and tender, approximately five minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- While it simmers, make the cheese mixture by combining the ricotta cheese, 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
- After the eggplant shells are done baking, remove fro the oven and spoon about 2 Tablespoons of the sauce into the bottom of each eggplant half. Divide the ricotta cheese mixture evenly between the shells, and top each with another 2 Tablespoons sauce. Reserve extra sauce for serving.
- Lay the mozzarella on top of the stuffed eggplants, and sprinkle with the 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese.
- Baked for 15-20 minutes at 400ºF, or until heated through and the cheese is bubbly and browned.
Notes
Adapted from Pink Parsley’s Lasagna-Stuffed Portabellos
Nutrition
Serving: 1half eggplant | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 783mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 591IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 365mg | Iron: 1mg