10 Delicious eggplant recipes for dinner

3-Meatball-Stuffed Eggplant (for 2)

Are you starting to notice a trend here?

Yep, stuffed eggplant is the way to go! In this case, we’re stuffing the whole thing with zesty meatballs and marinating the dish in a homemade tomato sauce – your Italian grandmother would be so proud!

Ingredients:

For the stuffed eggplants:

• 2 small eggplants
• 8 oz ground beef
• 1 green chili pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sweet paprika

For the tomato sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil (for the sauce)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1¼ cups tomato sauce
• rosemary and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. Wash the eggplants and gently run a rolling pin back and forth over them to smash the pulp inside.
2. Add the ground beef, chili pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika to a bowl and mix well.
3. Slit the eggplants down the middle lengthwise and stuff the insides with the ground beef mixture. Make meatballs from the leftover ground beef mixture.
4. Add the diced onion, olive oil, and rosemary to a saucepan over medium heat. Season the tomato sauce with pepper and stir it into the saucepan once the onions have cooked. Place the stuffed eggplants and meatballs in the saucepan, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 25 minutes. Garnish the finished dish with fresh parsley.

4-Eggplant Meatball Casserole

Hasselback Eggplant Stuffed With Ground Meat Over A Bed Of Mashed Potatoes

When the days start to get longer and colder, nothing tastes better than a warm and hearty casserole.

In this case, we opted for a recipe with eggplant, mashed potatoes, and ground beef, making it not only fast and easy to make, but also fast and easy to eat given how tasty it is.

Ingredients:

For the mashed potatoes:

• 2 lbs floury potatoes
• 3 tbsp butter
• nutmeg to taste
• 8 fl oz milk

For the meatballs:

• 8 oz ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Extra:

• 1 eggplant
• 2 large skewers
• 10 oz tomato sauce
• 3 oz shredded mozzarella

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Peel and chop the potatoes into equal-sized pieces and boil in hot water until soft. Drain the water and mash the potatoes with butter and milk and season with nutmeg. Spread the mashed potatoes over a casserole dish and smooth out the top.
2. Mix the ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the eggplant in half and cut off the stem.
4. Lay each eggplant half between two large skewers and slice the eggplant (the skewers will keep the knife from cutting all the way through).
5. Cut the eggplant halves completely after every 6th incision.
6. Fill the eggplant sections with the ground beef mixture and place them on top of the mashed potatoes in the casserole dish.
7. Pour tomato sauce over the hasselback eggplants, sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top, and cook for 30 minutes until the cheese turns golden brown and starts to bubble.

If you don’t notice it when you’re sliding the casserole into the oven, you’ll certainly see it when you take your first bite – the meatballs pair perfectly with the eggplant, and the added combination of mashed potatoes, tomato sauce, and cheese makes this dish simply heavenly!

5-Mediterranean Eggplant Roll

Eggplant is not only a common feature in Mediterranean cuisine, but it’s also one of the most beloved vegetables in the region. And why wouldn’t it be?! The nightshade is both nutritious and delicious, and it’s also quite versatile in terms of how you can use it, as can be seen in this mouthwatering roulade recipe incorporating beef, ham, and plenty of cheese!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggplants
• 20 oz ground beef
• 2 eggs
• parsley
• 4 oz bread crumbs
• 1 day-old bread roll, cut into pieces
• 3 oz parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp pepper
• 5 slices of ham
• 4 slices of cheese (Gouda, Muenster, or Monterey Jack)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the eggplants into thin, even slices and grill them all on both sides in a pan. Arrange all the roasted slices on a sheet of parchment paper, as shown in the video, and let them cool down.
2. Mix the ground beef, eggs, parsley, bread crumbs, day-old roll, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together by hand.
3. Spread the meat mixture over the eggplant slices – make sure to leave about a 3-inch margin at the top. Then distribute the ham slices, followed by the cheese slices, over the ground beef.
4. Use the sheet of parchment paper to help you roll up the dish – keep it tight so none of the ingredients fall out. Place the eggplant roll-up on a sheet pan and cook for 15 minutes.