A vegetarian version of my karniyarik recipe, this simple summer dish will satisfy picky eaters and special diets alike. Make this easy, low-calorie recipe for an authentic Mediterranean feast any day of the week.
Visually stunning and the perfect recipe for summer, these baked stuffed eggplant halves work as both a flavorful side for meat-based main dishes and a filling vegetarian meal. Authentic Mediterranean cuisine is a cinch to make with the herby bulgur wheat and the zesty tahini sauce used in these filled eggplant halves. It can be easily made vegan! You can transform this recipe into a scrumptious vegan stuffed eggplant dish simply by omitting the tahini yogurt.
Eggplants
When considering the size of the eggplants, I recommend using 3-4 globe eggplants—the large, round type of eggplant most common in U.S. grocery stores. If you can’t find those, smaller eggplants or medium eggplant will work, too. Just be sure to select ones that are heavy, firm, and unbruised. New to buying eggplants? Be sure to check out my article on the different types of eggplants.
Garnish /Sauce
It is optional, but you can drizzle Tahini Yogurt Sauce—a vegetarian eggplant dressing made with fresh lemon juice, tahini, and yogurt—for a kick of tangy flavor. And if you prefer a dairy-free alternative, you can drizzle it with my creamy tahini sauce instead. And of course, garnish it with a few tablespoons of roughly chopped Italian parsley. We can divide the whole process into 3 parts:
Roast Eggplant Halves
I shared a detailed post on how to roast eggplant halves should you want to see it in more detail and get all your questions answered. However, here is what you need to do in a nutshell: If you are after a more simple version, you can check my How To Cook Bulgur post to make a basic bulgur recipe to stuff your eggplants.
Storage: In an airtight container, baked stuffed eggplant can last up to 4 days in the fridge. Just make sure you bring the aubergine halves to room temperature before storing them. To reheat, simply preheat the oven temperature to 300 degrees F. and cook the halves for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Make Ahead: To eliminate the stress of weeknight cooking, you can make this dish in advance. Just cook the eggplant and bulgur wheat pilaf, store them in separate airtight containers, and assemble the eggplant halves right before serving. To reheat, bake the assembled halves in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Freezing: Both the flesh of the eggplant and eggplant shells are known to lose their shape and texture once exposed to extreme cold. To keep your eggplant skin as fresh as possible, I don’t recommend freezing them.
Save time: Roasting the eggplant halves a day in advance is an easy and delicious way to cut your cooking time in half. Make Your Serving Picture-Perfect: This Mediterranean stuffed eggplant looks absolutely exquisite when you arrange all the halves on a single serving platter. Plus, it’ll make assembling, serving, and taking pictures of this meal a breeze. Try a Gluten-Free Version: To make this stuffed eggplant vegetarian and gluten free, try my recipe for Lemon Quinoa—a savory, light, and citrusy filling.
Serve filled eggplant halves by themselves for a satisfying, nutritious, and robust vegetarian or vegan main dish. Use this multipurpose recipe as a peppery side dish for meat-based mains. You can’t go wrong when you serve this delicious recipe alongside hearty Roasted Cornish Hens, Greek Yogurt Chicken, vibrant Meatball and Potato Bake, and—my favorite meatball recipe, Kofte.
Other Mediterranean Eggplant Recipes You Might Like:
Eggplant Involtini Turkish Baked Eggplant Filled with Ground Beef Yogurt Eggplant Dip Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta Roasted Whole Eggplants Fire Roasted Eggplants
