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Italian Stuffed Eggplant Boats are filled with a hearty combination of lean ground beef, mozzarella and pecorino cheeses, vegetables, herbs, olives and capers then roasted with tomato sauce. They’re savory, aromatic and a great way to enjoy late summer baby eggplants.
This Stuffed Italian Eggplant recipe is a great dish to make during the late summer months of August and September when lots of different types of eggplant are available at farmers’ markets or in your backyard garden! It’s made with small- to medium-sized “Italian” eggplants that are halved, hollowed out, stuffed with a savory filling, then baked with tomato sauce until tender.
And, although this recipe is related to my Sicilian-style stuffed baby eggplants with small slits that are filled with a light mixture then simmered in tomato sauce, this is a more traditional, boat-style (hence, the name) stuffed vegetable. It’s more akin to my stuffed zucchini recipe in which the vegetable is sliced in half, hollowed out, then filled with a delicious stuffing and baked.
Some of my other favorite stuffed vegetable recipes include Sausage Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers, Ground Beef and Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers, Italian-Style, Stuffed Zucchini, Stuffed Sicilian Cucuzza Squash and Sausage Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms.
This recipe was inspired by traditional Calabrian stuffed eggplant recipes (called melanzane farciti or melanzane ripiene alla calabrese) that I grew up with. All of my cousins (on both sides) are half Calabrese. So, my two aunts regularly made lots of dishes from the southern Italian region of Calabria.
I’ve put my own spin on this roasted eggplant by making it very veggie-forward. In addition to the ground beef and eggplant pulp, that make up most of the filling, I’ve included diced bell peppers, tomatoes, capers and olives. All these ingredients, along with onion, garlic and herb aromatics, contribute so much flavor, texture, color and nutrients to the final dish. Plus, they all just scream summer!
Eggplants naturally have a deep, earthy flavor and meaty texture that makes them so versatile to work with. They’re a popular ingredient in Italian food and cooking, especially in the southern regions, and are great grilled, roasted, pickled, pureed in soups, mashed into “meatballs” or stuffed as in this recipe. Any way you prepare eggplant, it always seems to deliver on both flavor and texture!
These Italian stuffed eggplant boats are hearty, rich, savory, packed with incredible flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tender! Plus, they have a built in sauce as they’re baked with a fragrant tomato basil sauce.
Enjoy them as an entrée for lunch or dinner and make them year-round with any eggplant variety that you have available. Mangia bene!
Ingredients
- Eggplant: This recipe was designed to be made with a variety of eggplant known as “Italian eggplant” or any eggplant that has a similar size and shape, such as “meatball” eggplant”, lucilla or fairy tale eggplants. These varieties are often plentiful in summer at farmers’ markets and in home gardens and can often be found year-round. Ideally, the eggplant that you use will be about 4” long a just a little plump. Common, large globe eggplant are too large for this recipe as written, but can be used if cut down into a size approximately 4” long x 2” wide.
- Ground Beef: I used a lean ground beef here with a lean-to-fat ratio of 93/7. A lean mixture is best here as the meat cooks in the eggplant, so all of its juices (and fat) end up in the final dish. Almost any ground meat can be used here, such as turkey, chicken, pork, lamb or even Italian sausage. The fattier the meat, the richer the final dish will be.
- Eggs and Bread: Cubed day-old bread adds lightness to the eggplant filling and absorbs all the juices, while eggs act as a binder to hold everything together.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella is creamy and melts well in the stuffing, while grated pecorino cheese adds salt and a sharp, savory flavor to the eggplant stuffing.
- Onions, Garlic, Herbs: Aromatics for the stuffing, adding loads of flavor. I used chopped fresh basil and parsley. Fresh mint and oregano are also great option.
- Tomato Basil or Marinara Sauce: Placed on the bottom of the baking pan and the stuffed eggplant are arranged on top of it. It adds moisture to the cooking process, but also provides a complementary built-in sauce for the finished dish. Use homemade marinara or your favorite store-bought variety.
- Tomato and Bell Pepper: This is a very vegetable-forward dish. Diced tomatoes and bell peppers add flavor, texture, color and nutrients–all great things! Having said this, you can leave these ingredients out if you prefer a more simple dish.
- Olives and Capers: Along with the tomato and bell peppers, olives and capers amp up the innovation in this Italian stuffed eggplant recipe. I love using them here (along with some of the caper juice) to round out the flavors with brininess and umami (savoriness). But, if olives and capers are not your thing, or if you don’t have any on hand, you can leave them out.
How to Make Italian Stuffed Eggplant Boats
Here are the main steps for making this Italian stuffed eggplant recipe:
- Prepare the eggplant: Rinse and pat dry the eggplant. Cut off and discard the thick stems. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit or other small spoon or paring knife, carefully remove the center pulp from each eggplant, leaving about ¼- ½” thick flesh in the shell. Try not to tear the sides or bottom.
- PRO-TIP: There’s no need to peel the eggplant. The smaller varieties, like what is used here, have tender skin. Plus, the skin helps to hold together the stuffed eggplant.
- Rough chop the eggplant pulp.
- Sauté the eggplant: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat, then add the eggplant pulp, onion, garlic and (optional) red pepper flakes. Cook until the eggplant and onion have softened a bit, about 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Then, pour in the caper juice and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits off the bottom. Turn off the heat.
- PRO-TIP: The eggplant will cook more in the oven, so it does not need to be fully cooked at this point.
- Fold in the bread and season with salt and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well-combined, then set aside. Let the bread sit and soften in the eggplant mixture for at least 5 minutes while you are preparing the rest of the recipe.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the tomato, bell pepper, shredded mozzarella cheese, chopped herbs, olives, pecorino cheese, eggs and capers and mix well.
- Fold in the eggplant/bread mixture and mix again. Add in the ground beef and gently mix until all ingredients are well combined. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the ingredients to meld together before stuffing the eggplant.
- PRO-TIP: It’s a great idea to pan-fry a small amount of the stuffing mixture and taste test to check seasonings before stuffing the eggplant. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Preheat oven to 375˚F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Place some tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold all the eggplant. Or, use more than one baking dish or roasting pan.
- Stuff the eggplant: Season the inside of each eggplant half with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Then, generously stuff each eggplant with a mound of the filling using a small spoon or your hands. Nestle the stuffed eggplants on top of the sauce (they can touch each other). Then drizzle them lightly with a small amount of olive oil.
- PRO-TIP: If you have filling leftover after having stuffed all the eggplant, form them into small meatballs and pan-fry them for a delicious snack!
- Roast the eggplant: Cover the baking pan loosely with foil. Then, bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. At this point, (optionally) top each pepper with a bit more tomato sauce and some shredded mozzarella and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. The eggplant are finished cooking when they have reached an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- PRO-TIP: The roasting time is approximate and may be a bit more or less based on the size of the eggplant. Use a stem thermometer to test the internal temperature.
- Let the roasted stuffed eggplant rest for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a serving platter. Either drizzle some sauce from the pan over them or serve the sauce on the side.
More Delicious Eggplant Recipes
If you love this Italian stuffed eggplant, here are a few more Italian eggplant dishes for you to try out:
- Polpette di Melanzane ~ Eggplant Meatballs without Meat
- Eggplant Milanese ~ Italian Fried Eggplant Cutlets
- Creamy Eggplant Soup
- Pasta alla Norma (Sicilian Eggplant Pasta)
- Easy Marinated Grilled Eggplant (Melanzane Grigliate)
- Sicilian-Style Stuffed Eggplant ~ “Buttoned Up”
- Bucatini with Ricotta, Slow-Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes
- Roasted Vegetable Caponata without Tomatoes
- Roasted Baby Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs
- Ciambotta ~ Italian Summer Vegetable Stew (Giambotta)
- Pesto Roasted Vegetables
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe was designed to be made with a variety of eggplant known as “Italian eggplant” or any eggplant that has a similar size and shape, such as “meatball” eggplant, lucilla or “fairy tale” eggplants. Ideally, the eggplant that you use will be about 4” long a just a little plump. Common, large globe eggplant are too large for this recipe as written, but can be used if cut down into a size approximately 4” long x 2” wide.
Besides its size, Italian eggplant tends to be more tender and contain less seeds that regular large globe eggplant. They can be used in any eggplant dish, and are especially great in Italian eggplant dishes like caponata.
For more on the different varieties of eggplant, click here.
No. Do not peel the eggplant in this recipe. The skin is tender and will soften further during the cooking process. Plus, the skin helps to hold the stuffed eggplant boat together.
Yes, but you will not need as much breadcrumbs as bread. I would start with about ¾ to 1 cup breadcrumbs. If you use too many breadcrumbs, the filling will be dense and unappetizing.
TOP TIPS FOR ITALIAN STUFFED EGGPLANT BOATS
- Prep: Do not peel the eggplant. It is tender and will soften further during the cooking process. Plus, the skin helps to hold the eggplant boats together.
- Ground Beef: I used a lean ground beef here with a lean-to-fat ratio of 93/7. A lean mixture is best here as the meat cooks in the eggplant, so all of its juices (and fat) end up in the final dish.
- Substitutions/Variations:
- Add some pine nuts and raisins/currants to the filling for more Sicilian-ness.
- Almost any ground meat can be used here, such as turkey, chicken, pork, lamb or even Italian sausage. The fattier the meat, the richer the final dish will be.
- Swap out the ground meat for a can of cannellini beans or chickpeas for a vegetarian stuffed eggplant.
- Make Filling in Advance: If you want, you can stuff the eggplant and hold them, raw, in the refrigerator for up to one day before baking. Bring them to room temperature before baking.
- Serving: Enjoy as a hearty entrée with a large green salad or sautéed vegetables. Don’t forget the crusty bread to sop up all the wonderful sauce and fare la scarpetta!
- Storage: To store leftovers, cool the stuffed eggplant completely, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. The stuffed eggplant do not need to be completely thawed before reheating.
More Great Recipes to Try
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Italian Stuffed Eggplant Boats with Ground Beef and Cheese
Equipment
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Pulp/center from 8 Italian or other similar small eggplant, rough chopped (See INSTRUCTIONS.)
- 1 cup small diced yellow onion (about ½ large onion)
- ¼ cup rough chopped garlic (about 8 cloves)
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 Tbsp caper juice/brine from caper jar
- 2½-3 cups diced, day-old bread
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 heaping cup small-diced tomato flesh (about 8 small plum tomatoes; remove pulp; do not need it for this recipe)
- 1 large bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, small diced (preferably yellow, orange or red; about 1 cup diced)
- 4 ounces shredded mozzarella + (optional) more for top
- ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and parsley)
- ½ cup pitted and rough chopped black, oil-cured olives
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
- 1 pound lean ground beef (I used 93/7 grass fed beef)
For the Eggplant:
- 2-3 cups marinara or tomato basil sauce (either homemade or store bought)
- 8 Italian or other similar small eggplant (about 2 ½-3 pounds); see Notes.
- Pinch salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients according to specifications above.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Prepare the eggplant: Rinse and pat dry the eggplant. Cut off and discard the thick stems. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit or other small spoon or paring knife, carefully remove the center pulp from each eggplant, leaving about ¼- ½” thick flesh in the shell (as if you are carving out a boat). Try not to tear the sides or bottom. (NOTE: There’s no need to peel the eggplant. The smaller varieties, like what is used here, have tender skin. Plus, the skin helps to hold the stuffed eggplant together.)8 Italian or other similar small eggplant
- Set the eggplant shells aside. Note that the inside eggplant flesh will likely start to turn brown, and this is ok. Next, rough chop the eggplant pulp and set it aside.
- Sauté the eggplant: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat, then add the eggplant pulp, onion, garlic and (optional) red pepper flakes. Cook until the eggplant and onion have softened a bit, about 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally. The eggplant will cook more in the oven, so it does not need to be fully cooked at this point.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, Pulp/center from 8 Italian or other similar small eggplant,, 1 cup small diced yellow onion, ¼ cup rough chopped garlic, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Then, pour in the caper juice and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits off the bottom. Turn off the heat.2 Tbsp caper juice/brine from caper jar
- Fold in the bread and season with salt and pepper. Stir until all ingredients are well-combined, then set aside. Let the bread sit in the eggplant mixture for at least 5 minutes while you are preparing the rest of the recipe so that the juices will soften the bread.2½-3 cups diced, day-old bread, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the tomato, bell pepper, mozzarella, chopped herbs, olives, pecorino cheese, eggs and capers and mix well.1 heaping cup small-diced tomato flesh, 1 large bell pepper,, 4 ounces shredded mozzarella, ½ cup chopped fresh herbs, ½ cup pitted and rough chopped black, oil-cured olives, ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 3 large eggs,, 2 Tbsp capers,
- Fold in the eggplant/bread mixture and mix again.
- Add in the ground beef and gently mix until all ingredients are well combined. If you are so inclined, pan-fry a small amount of the stuffing mixture and taste test to check seasonings before stuffing the eggplant. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the ingredients to meld together before stuffing the eggplant.1 pound lean ground beef
- Preheat oven to 375˚F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Place some tomato sauce on the bottom of a nonstick baking dish that is large enough to hold all the eggplant. Or, use more than one baking dish or roasting pan.2-3 cups marinara or tomato basil sauce
- Stuff the eggplant: Season the inside of each eggplant half with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Then, generously stuff each eggplant with a mound of the filling using a small spoon or your hands. Nestle the stuffed eggplant halves on top of the sauce (they can touch each other) and drizzle them lightly with a small amount of olive oil.
- Roast the eggplant: Cover the baking pan loosely with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 30 minutes. At this point, optionally top each pepper with a bit more tomato sauce and some shredded mozzarella and return to the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. The eggplant are finished cooking when they have reached an internal temperature of 165˚F. Use a stem thermometer to test the internal temperature.
- Let the roasted stuffed eggplant boats rest for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a serving platter and either drizzle some sauce from the pan over them or serve the sauce on the side. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- This recipe was designed to be made with a variety of eggplant known as “Italian eggplant” or any eggplant that has a similar size and shape, such as “meatball eggplant” or “lucilla” eggplant. Ideally, the eggplant that you use will be about 4” long a just a little plump. Common, large globe eggplant are too large for this recipe as written, but can be used if cut down into a size approximately 4” long x 2” wide.
- I figured on one eggplant (2 stuffed halves) per person, but this may be more or less depending on the size of the eggplants. Adjust accordingly.
- Do not peel the eggplant. The skin is tender and will soften more during the cooking process. Plus, the skin helps to hold the eggplant boats together.
- If you don’t have any caper juice, use 1 tablespoon wine vinegar.
- The filling mixture may be a bit wet and that is okay.
- The roasting time is approximate and may be a bit more or less based on the size of the eggplant.
- The eggplant can be stuffed and held, raw, in the refrigerator for up to one day before baking. Bring them to room temperature before roasting. While you technically can freeze the raw stuffed eggplant, I do not recommend it as it will compromise the quality and texture of the dish.
- If you have filling leftover after having stuffed all the eggplant, form them into small meatballs and pan-fry them for a delicious snack!
- To store leftovers, cool the stuffed eggplant completely, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months. The stuffed eggplant do not need to be completely thawed before reheating.
