This delicious barefoot contessa stuffed eggplant recipe is made with tender baby eggplants, savory lamb, and creamy ricotta and goat cheese. It’s an easy dinner that’s both hearty and flavorful. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, you can swap in common ingredients like ground beef or feta cheese for a tasty variation.
Ingredients Needed
- 4 baby eggplants (15 to 18 cm long, 225 to 275 grams each)
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 225 g chopped yellow onion
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 450 g lean ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 1 (410-gram) can diced tomatoes, such as San Marzano, undrained
- 240 ml marinara sauce, such as Rao’s
- 20 g minced fresh parsley
- 340 g fresh ricotta
- 115 grams fresh goat cheese, such as Montrachet
- 2 extra-large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tablespoons julienned fresh mint leaves, plus extra for serving
How To Make Stuffed Eggplant Recipe
- Prepare the Eggplants: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, including the stems. Using a sharp paring knife, scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a shell that is 1/3 inch thick. Reserve the scooped-out eggplant. Place the eggplant shells snugly in a large (25×35 cm) baking dish. Brush the eggplant all over with 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 60 ml (1/4 cup) water in the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, until the shells are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and leave the oven on.
- Cook the Lamb Filling: Meanwhile, heat 45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil in a large (30 cm) skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Dice the reserved scooped-out eggplant (you should have about 500 grams). Add it to the onion and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground lamb and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, mashing lightly with a fork, until no longer pink. Stir in the oregano and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, marinara sauce, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Spoon the filling into the eggplant halves in the baking dish (you may have extra filling).
- Prepare the Ricotta Topping: In a medium bowl, mash the ricotta, goat cheese, egg yolks, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Spoon large dollops of the ricotta mixture onto the lamb filling.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is hot and the topping is lightly browned. Serve warm, sprinkled with extra mint.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh eggplants and quality lamb will elevate the flavor of this dish. Don’t substitute the fresh ricotta and goat cheese for pre-packaged alternatives.
- Don’t overstuff the eggplant: Be careful not to overstuff the eggplant halves; you want a balanced ratio of filling to eggplant shell for the best texture and flavor.
- Simmer the lamb mixture well: Let the lamb mixture simmer until the liquid reduces to avoid a soggy filling. This ensures that the final dish is hearty and not watery.
- Grill or roast extra eggplant flesh: For extra flavor, you can grill or roast the scooped-out eggplant flesh and add it to the filling mixture.
- Bake until golden: Make sure the ricotta and goat cheese topping gets golden and slightly crispy to create a flavorful crust that contrasts with the tender filling.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover stuffed eggplant in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap leftover stuffed eggplant tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover stuffed eggplant in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 stuffed eggplant half
- Calories: 420
- Total Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
- Sodium: 650mg
- Potassium: 600mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 20g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 8g
- Protein: 30g
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Barefoot Contessa Stuffed Eggplant Recipe
Description
This delicious barefoot contessa stuffed eggplant recipe is made with tender baby eggplants, savory lamb, and creamy ricotta and goat cheese. It’s an easy dinner that’s both hearty and flavorful. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, you can swap in common ingredients like ground beef or feta cheese for a tasty variation.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the Eggplants: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, including the stems. Using a sharp paring knife, scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a shell that is 1/3 inch thick. Reserve the scooped-out eggplant. Place the eggplant shells snugly in a large (25×35 cm) baking dish. Brush the eggplant all over with 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 60 ml (1/4 cup) water in the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, until the shells are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and leave the oven on.
- Cook the Lamb Filling: Meanwhile, heat 45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil in a large (30 cm) skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Dice the reserved scooped-out eggplant (you should have about 500 grams). Add it to the onion and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground lamb and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, mashing lightly with a fork, until no longer pink. Stir in the oregano and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, marinara sauce, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Spoon the filling into the eggplant halves in the baking dish (you may have extra filling).
- Prepare the Ricotta Topping: In a medium bowl, mash the ricotta, goat cheese, egg yolks, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Spoon large dollops of the ricotta mixture onto the lamb filling.
- Bake: Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is hot and the topping is lightly browned. Serve warm, sprinkled with extra mint.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh eggplants and quality lamb will elevate the flavor of this dish. Don’t substitute the fresh ricotta and goat cheese for pre-packaged alternatives.
- Don’t overstuff the eggplant: Be careful not to overstuff the eggplant halves; you want a balanced ratio of filling to eggplant shell for the best texture and flavor.
- Simmer the lamb mixture well: Let the lamb mixture simmer until the liquid reduces to avoid a soggy filling. This ensures that the final dish is hearty and not watery.
- Grill or roast extra eggplant flesh: For extra flavor, you can grill or roast the scooped-out eggplant flesh and add it to the filling mixture.
- Bake until golden: Make sure the ricotta and goat cheese topping gets golden and slightly crispy to create a flavorful crust that contrasts with the tender filling.
Barefoot Contessa Stuffed Eggplant Recipe