Vegan Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffed baked eggplant with lentils and vegan cheese! This is a simple weeknight dinner, side dish or entrée which contains wholesome ingredients. The recipe is plant-based, relatively low-carb, and easy to make!

📝 Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• 1 onion (diced)
• 3-4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 tbsp oil ((or water, if oil-free))
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 plum tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups of cooked lentils (e.g. canned)
• 1 batch vegan cheese sauce (or 7 oz of store-bought vegan cheese)
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/3 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Fresh herbs (to garnish)
• Red pepper flakes (to taste (optional))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 410 degrees Fahrenheit (210 degrees Celsius) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2Cut the eggplants in half (lengthwise) and scoop out about 2/3 of the flesh leaving a 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick border around the skin.
3. 3Process the scooped out eggplant flesh in a food processor and set aside. Check the step-by-step photos above in the blog post.
4. 4Place the eggplant "boats" on a baking sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 20 minutes.
5. 5Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes.
6. 6Add garlic, eggplant flesh, all spices, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, maple syrup, and vegetable broth. Put a lid on the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes.
7. 7Add tomatoes and cooked lentils and cook for a few more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt/pepper/spices to taste.
8. 8Prepare the vegan cheese sauce or use store-bought vegan cheese.
9. 9Once the eggplants have been in the oven for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and stuff each half with the lentil eggplant mixture.
10. 10Add vegan cheese and bake for another 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!