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This stuffed eggplant recipe features tender roasted eggplant filled with a creamy, cheesy mixture and baked until lightly golden. It’s a perfectly portioned, low carb main dish made with simple ingredients and big flavor.
Featured Comment
“The twice baked eggplant is a firm favourite of mine – also family, friends, and neighbours. I could go on but think you get where I am going with this.”
– Jane
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Low Carb and Satisfying: A hearty baked eggplant recipe that delivers comfort food flavor without heavy carbs.
- Cheesy, Creamy Filling: The eggplant is baked until tender and filled with a rich, cheesy mixture similar to a twice baked potato.
- Simple and Adaptable: Easily change the cheese or add cooked chicken to make the dish your own.
This stuffed eggplant is one of my husband’s favorite meals, and it’s easy to see why. Roasting the eggplant softens it and brings out a gentle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the creamy, cheesy filling. Every bite feels rich and satisfying without being heavy. I love that it’s filling but still balanced, and just the right size to enjoy together without feeling like too much.
If you eggplant recipes, you might also like some of our other perfectly portioned eggplant and vegetable-based recipes. Try our Eggplant Parmesan for one, a flavorful single serving Caponata, or our Chicken Tagine for one, all made with simple ingredients and sized just right.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this twice baked eggplant recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Eggplant: Use one medium eggplant with smooth, glossy skin that feels firm and heavy. This helps the eggplant bake up tender while holding its shape.
- Onions: Yellow or sweet onions add natural sweetness and depth as they cook.
- Garlic: Adds rich, savory flavor to the filling.
- Cheese: Cheddar and Parmesan provide a salty, slightly sharp flavor and brown well when baked. Monterey Jack or smoked gouda can be used for a milder or smoky option.
- Olive oil: Used to cook the vegetables and add richness. Extra virgin olive oil adds more flavor, but any olive oil works.
- Salt, pepper, and herbs: Salt enhances flavor, black pepper adds mild heat, and basil and oregano give the dish a classic Italian flavor.
- Egg: Helps bind the filling so it holds together after baking.
Recipe Variations
This baked stuffed eggplant is easy to customize. Try one of these simple options:
- Cheese Swap: Replace the cheddar with goat cheese for a creamier filling with a mild tang. Keep the Parmesan for structure and flavor.
- Spicy Eggplant: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling for gentle heat without overpowering the dish.
- Vegetarian Boost: Stir in chopped spinach or mushrooms to add more texture and flavor while keeping the recipe meat free.
- Protein Addition: Mix in diced cooked chicken or turkey for a more filling meal.
How To Make Stuffed Eggplant
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Eggplant halves are roasted until tender, then the flesh is scooped out and chopped. The chopped eggplant is cooked with onions and garlic before being mixed with cheese, herbs, and an egg to form the filling. That mixture is spooned back into the eggplant shells and baked until hot and lightly golden.
Expert Tips
- Use the Right Baking Dish: Choose a small baking dish that fits the eggplant halves snugly. This keeps them upright and helps them bake evenly.
- Don’t Over-Scoop: Leave a thin border of flesh inside the eggplant skins so they hold their shape after stuffing.
- Watch the Final Bake: Bake until the filling is hot and lightly golden on top. Overbaking can dry out the eggplant.
- Optional Vegetable Add-Ins: Chopped spinach or tomatoes can be mixed into the filling for added color and flavor without changing the texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can prepare and stuff the eggplant up to one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bake until heated through.
The eggplant is done when the flesh is tender and the filling is hot with a lightly golden top.
No. Roasting the eggplant softens it and removes excess moisture without the need for salting.
Freezing is not recommended. Eggplant can become watery and lose its texture after freezing and reheating.
A small to medium globe eggplant works best because it has sturdy skin and enough flesh for stuffing.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this twice baked eggplant recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Stuffed Eggplant
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
- 9.5-inch oval baking dish , or use an 8×8 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt plus ⅛ tsp
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus ⅛ tsp
- ¾ cup chopped onions
- 2 cloves garlic -minced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 large egg -beaten
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove the stem and cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Drizzle each half with ½ tablespoon olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool until easy to handle. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
- Scoop out the eggplant flesh, leaving the skins intact. Chop the flesh into small pieces and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped eggplant and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a bowl, mix the cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and the egg. Stir in the cooked eggplant mixture.
- Spoon the filling back into the eggplant skins.
- Place the stuffed eggplant halves in a lightly buttered baking dish and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, until hot and lightly golden on top.
Notes
- Use the Right Baking Dish: Choose a small baking dish that fits the eggplant halves snugly. This keeps them upright and helps them bake evenly.
- Don’t Over-Scoop: Leave a thin border of flesh inside the eggplant skins so they hold their shape after stuffing.
- Watch the Final Bake: Bake until the filling is hot and lightly golden on top. Overbaking can dry out the eggplant.
- Optional Vegetable Add-Ins: Chopped spinach or tomatoes can be mixed into the filling for added color and flavor without changing the texture.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Awesome eggplant recipe. Second time making it I changed the herbs and added green chili salsa with pepper jack cheese. It was delish.
This recipes looks so amazing. Could it be done with the little miniature eggplants…. Just modify baking times?
Yes, just slice the small eggplants to roughly the same size as called for in the recipe (1/4-inch slices) – the baking time should stay the same.
Delicious! My friend gave me some eggplant from her garden. I came to One Dish Kitchen, looking for a fairly simple recipe. The hardest part was scooping the eggplant out of the skin without breaking the skin. I wasn’t completely successful, but it was fine. I put the eggplants back on the baking pan that I used in the first step . . . it would have been better to use a baking dish or casserole, because the cheese mixture kind of escaped from the eggplant skin. Despite the presentation, the taste was delicious. My husband loved it! I have enough left for another meal.
Is the calorie count for 1 eggplant or 1/2 an eggplant? The picture shows half an eggplant on a plate, but the recipe calls for 1.
For 1/2 stuffed eggplant.
This recipe is delicious, I’ve made it several times but I have to say, yesterday I made it again using boars head Wisconsin smoked cheddar cheese and OMGGG!!! It was amazinggggg!!!!
That sounds wonderful! So happy you love the recipe.
Hi Joanie, have been making your recipes for a while now. Suddenly dawned on me, I have not posted to say how good they are. The twice baked eggplant is a firm favourite of mine also family, friends, neighbours could go on but think you get where I am going with this. Keep recipes coming Joanie. Many thanks Jane from the UK
Wow!!! My second recipe from this “series” and I’m amazed! The flavor in this was terrific, I could eat it every day. It’s a little “rich” because of the eggplant but that is not a negative thing. Thank you so much for this!
I love this recipe too and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it. Thank you.
That was amazing! The only thing I’ve done different is I did put some bacon bits on top of it yummy! And I cut up a tomato and let bake with the rest of it! Very good fantastic recipe!
This was soooo good! I used only half the cheese and added beet greens I wanted to use up. Outstanding!
I’m cooking for one can I use a Chinese eggplant. They are smaller. And would the cooking time be the same
The size of the eggplant used in the recipe weighs about 1.5-pounds. I recommend using an eggplant or two eggplants that are roughly the same size.