These roasted stuffed cheesy eggplants are so delicious. The softness of the eggplant, plus the gooeyness of the cheese, and crunchiness of the croutons makes this such a delightful dish. And it’s so easy and quick to make! You can eat it on its own, or next to pasta, or even on a baguette.
Roasted eggplants are my absolute favorite. And I actually think it’s everyone in my families favorite too because anytime I have a recipe with roasted eggplants everyone walks by and munches on the roasted eggplant before the dish is even completed.
When my dad was visiting me in Ireland a few months back, he wanted to eat a stuffed eggplant dish. So I looked in the fridge for ideas of what to stuff it with, and I decided to go with olives and tomatoes, onions and cheese. I last minute decided to add in the croutons for a nice crunch. I’m happy to report it satisfied my dad’s craving and he loved it!
Details
So you’re going to start by cutting the eggplants in half horizontally, and brushing it with olive oil that’s mixed with garlic powder. Salt and pepper the eggplants then bake them in the oven.
While that’s baking you’re going to saute the onions until it softens, then add in the garlic, tomatoes, and olives. I used green olives, but you can use black olives, if you prefer. Saute them together for two minutes then add in the butter and chopped basil. Season with some salt and black pepper.
When the eggplant is done you’re going to smash the eggplant meat with a fork so that you can make room for the stuffing. Stuff the eggplant with the tomato mixture and sprinkle it with mozzarella cheese. Gently press the croutons into the cheese and season with more salt and pepper. Put it back in the oven until the cheese has melted. And that’s it! So easy!
You can switch things up if you don’t have all of the ingredients. For example, I think mushrooms or bell peppers would be also be delicious.
Easy Cheesy Roasted Stuffed Eggplants
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants cut in half horizontally
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ onion diced
- 5 cloves of garlic minced
- 4 medium sized tomatoes diced
- 15 green olives sliced
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ tbsp butter
- fresh basil chopped
- croutons
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small ramekin or bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic powder and brush onto each eggplant half. Season with sea salt and black pepper and put it in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
- Add the remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a pan on medium high heat. Saute the onions until it softens.
- Then add in the garlic, tomatoes, and olives. Mix them together for 2-3 minutes, then add in the butter and chopped basil. Season with some salt and pepper.
- Once the eggplant is done, press down on the eggplant meat with a fork to make room for the filling. Fill each eggplant with the tomato filling and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Gently press the croutons into the eggplant and season with more salt and pepper. Put the eggplants back into the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned. Garnish with some fresh chopped basil and enjoy!
