Intensely flavorful, this savory Italian Stuffed Eggplant recipe is made from roasted eggplant filled with a comforting, hearty mixture of spicy sausage, brown rice, diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, all topped with a crispy Panko topping.
Anything stuffed is absolutely amazing to serve! And that definitely is the case with these golden, crispy Italian Stuffed Eggplants. We’re talking serious next-level eggplant parmesan here!
The sausage and brown rice stuffing creates such a cozy comfort food feel with such satisfyingly savory flavors that you might forget this dish is all about the eggplant. And that’s ok! Made like a twice baked potato, these eggplant boats deliver the good stuff in spades and will have your family asking for veggies all the time!
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Stuffed Eggplant Ingredients
- medium sized eggplants- more long than round
- ground sausage
- yellow onion
- minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- diced tomatoes
- brown rice
- eggs
- shredded parmesan
- salt & pepper
If you love our #1 Louisiana Dirty Rice Recipe, you’ll love these sausage stuffed eggplants!
How to Make Sausage Stuffed Eggplant
Make the eggplant boats. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Use a paring knife to make an incision around the inside of the eggplant (about ¼-1/2 inch in), marking the center portion you will scoop out. Then make horizontal and vertical slices in the “to-be-scooped” center portion to make the center easier to scoop out after roasting. Just be careful to not cut the skin.
Brush both skin and flesh sides of the eggplants with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. After baking, use a spoon to scoop scored insides out of eggplant halves to create boats. Use a fork to mash up the scooped insides.
Make the stuffing. Brown sausage and onion in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Drain away excess fat. Return to skillet but not to heat. Add in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Stir in drained tomatoes, cooked rice and parmesan cheese. Mix in mashed eggplant and beaten eggs as a binder.
Assemble. Generously stuff empty boats with filling. Mix together panko and parsley. Top each boat with lots of bread crumbs. Drizzle with melted butter.
Bake. Put back into 350° oven and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven when bread crumbs are golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. (Eggplant boats might need a couple of minutes under the oven’s broiler to achieve desired browness.)
What To Serve With Stuffed Eggplant
These rice and sausage eggplants are really a complete meal all unto themselves. Meat, starch, veggies. Check, check, check. However if you feel like your eggplant looks too lonely on the plate by itself, consider serving it with:
- Simple Green Salad with Mayo Vinaigrette
- Italian Green Bean Salad
- Broccoli Apple Slaw
- even a hot bowl of Creamy Tomato Basil Soup + salad!
How to Store, Freeze & Reheat
Stuffed eggplant actually stores, freezes and reheats well. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator covered tightly for 2-3 days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. (I prefer the oven over the microwave for this dish to keep the panko topping crisp.)
If you want to make a meal in advance or make a full recipe but freeze half for later, stuffed eggplant is good for that too! Simply put together these sausage & rice eggplant boats and freeze the ones you want to save before baking them. Just leave off the panko topping, wrap tightly, and they should keep for about 2 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, add panko topping with butter and bake according to recipe.
Other Rice & Sausage Recipes You’ll Love
- Louisiana Dirty Rice
- Beef & Mushroom Rice
- Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage & Spinach
- Easy Louisiana Sausage Jambalaya
- Louisiana Dirty Rice Stuffed Peppers
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW!
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Italian Stuffed Eggplant with Sausage & Rice
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants, halved and scored
- olive oil, extra salt & pepper
- 1 pound ground sausage
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1.5 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
Panko Topping
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Use a paring knife to make an incision around the inside of the eggplant (about ¼-1/2 inch in), marking the center portion you will scoop out. Use the knife to make horizontal and vertical slices in the "to-be-scooped" center portion to make the center easier to scoop out after roasting. Do not cut the skin.
- Brush both skin and flesh sides of the eggplants with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- While eggplants are roasting, brown sausage and onion in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Drain away excess fat. Return to skillet but not to heat. Add in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Stir in drained tomatoes, cooked rice and parmesan cheese. Mix in beaten eggs as a binder and set aside.
- Use a spoon to scoop scored insides out of eggplant halves to create boats. Use a fork to mash up the scooped insides. Stir mashed eggplant into the sausage rice mixture to complete filling. Generously stuff empty boats with filling.
- Mix together panko and parsley. Top each boat generously with bread crumbs. Drizzle with melted butter. Put back into 350° oven and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven when bread crumbs are golden brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
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