Roasted and Stuffed Smothered Eggplant (Freezer-friendly)
2
Points®
Total time: 1 hr 15 min • Prep: 30 min • Cook: 45 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
This delicious vegetarian casserole comes ready in four portion-controlled packages. Freeze them individually for sensational single meals.
Ingredients
Uncooked eggplant
2 medium, sliced lengthwise (do not peel)
Olive oil
2 tsp(s)
Onion
1 large, chopped
Carrots
1 large, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
Red bell pepper
2 medium, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
Garlic
3 clove(s), large, chopped
Mushrooms
3 medium, portobello, caps, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
Fresh parsley
2 tbsp(s), chopped
Fresh thyme
1 tbsp(s), or 1 tsp dried thyme
Table salt
⅛ tsp(s), or to taste
Canned tomato sauce
15 oz, or 2 cups homemade tomato sauce
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 400°F.
2
Rub cut sides of eggplants with oil. Place on a nonstick baking sheet cut-sides up. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (eggplant should not be cooked entirely through). Remove from oven and flip over with a spatula; let cool on baking sheet. Leave oven on.
3
Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrot and peppers. Sauté until soft and slightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms. Increase heat to high and continue to sauté until mushrooms soften and release their juices, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and thyme; season to taste with salt and pepper.
4
Scoop out flesh of cooled eggplant with a soup spoon, leaving about a 1/4-inch of eggplant flesh in skin. Coarsely chop flesh and add to mushroom mixture; mix well.
5
Fill each eggplant shell with about 1 1/2 cups of filling. Place stuffed eggplant shells in a nonstick 9 X 13-inch pan. Spoon 1/2 cup of tomato sauce over each stuffed eggplant shell. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool. Yields one stuffed eggplant half per serving.
6
Freezing and thawing instructions: Freeze each eggplant half, topped with sauce, in individual containers. Thaw and microwave. Or, reheat for about 15 to 20 minutes in a 350°F oven.
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