Easy Stuffed Mini Eggplants

A great recipe – easy to make, delicious to eat, served warm or at room temperature, they are ideal to serve at a summer BBQ or picnic.  Leftover ones taste even better the next day, so prepare to take them to work for lunch!

First, prepare the eggplants by hollowing out each half, then chop the flesh into small pieces and transfer them into a bowl.

Next, transfer the eggplant shells onto a baking sheet and drizzle them with some olive oil and salt.  Bake for a few minutes in the oven to soften them before stuffing them.

While the eggplants are in the oven, you can get started with preparing the mixture with which to stuff them. Saute the onions in olive oil along with the fresh tomatoes and basil for a few minutes.  Add in the chopped eggplant and sundried tomatoes and continue to cook until the eggplant softens.  Stir in some breadcrumbs and remove from stove.

If you are looking for these to be gluten-free?  Just omit the breadcrumbs, and maybe add in some cooked quinoa (about 1 cup cooked), will add to the stuffing while adding in some protein.

When you’re short for time in the kitchen, you’ll be thrilled to see how quickly the flesh softens when sauteing on stove top.  In fact, it takes the same amount of time as it does for the eggplant shells to soften while they’re in the oven. And for me, saving some time is always a good thing.  Right?

Next, fill each eggplant shell evenly with mixture.  Sprinkle some grated pecorino cheese on top and return them back into the oven and bake for about 15 minutes more.  When the eggplants are tender and golden brown, there ready!  Remove, and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

These simple, savory and delicious stuffed mini eggplants are not heavy or weighed down with a lot of ingredients. Amazingly, they make a perfect size to serve as a side to a main course, and enough for everyone to try at least one.

Stuffed eggplants like these mini ones are fun to make because they cook up so quickly, and you can vary the recipe by adding your favorites to change up the stuffing, like adding in some kalamata olives, capers, and even stuff them with browned chop meat.

If you can’t find the package for the mini ones, try looking for the smallest eggplants in the produce section, sometimes they are labeled as “Italian eggplants” which are the same size as these mini ones we found here.

ENJOY!!

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Hello friends,
Thank you for your condolences and your sweet personal emails about our father’s passing. Two months have past with so much going on in our families, I’d like to give you a quick update.

The month of May was a busy one. My Maria graduated from college, while my youngest Lizzy finished her first year in college.

A selfie with the girls! That’s me and Aunt Liz behind my daughters.

My son’s wedding was this past Memorial Day weekend! And, it was an entire weekend of celebrations!

My granddaughter Valentina, along with our brothers granddaughters too, all of which are the same age – were the flower-girls!  How precious….

….and you know the rest.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Warmly,

Anna and Liz