When it comes to stuffed vegetables, you might not have strayed too far from good old peppers and mushrooms. But once you’ve tried using the humble aubergine, I hope you’ll agree that it beats both! The reason stuffed aubergines work so well is that soft flesh, that soaks up the flavours of your filling additions so wonderfully. They’re also the perfect shape for loading up with goodness to make two pleasing little boats! This Mexican-inspired take on stuffed aubergines is so easy and delicious.
What goes in these stuffed aubergines?
The flesh of the aubergines is first scooped out before the skins are roasted to get them nice and soft. Along with the flesh, the spicy, garlicky filling includes onion, tomato and protein-rich black beans and quinoa. Once sprinkled with cheese and popped back in the oven for a final roast, the end result is a tender outer shell piled with a flavour-packed Mexican mixture. I like to top it off with fresh avocado, coriander and a dollop of yoghurt.
A vegan and gluten-free meal
This wholesome recipe is naturally gluten-free. It can also be made lactose-free and vegan-friendly by using vegan cheese and dairy-free yoghurt (this one by Coconut Collaborative is great).
I hope you have fun creating your tasty aubergine boats! It’s a great meal to try when you’re in the mood for something a little different. Don’t forget to let me know how you got on in the comments below, or by tagging your photos on Instagram @BlueSkyEating. Enjoy! 🙂
Mexican Stuffed Aubergines
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 red chilli (deseeded and finely chopped)
- 120g cherry tomatoes (chopped into halves)
- 250g cooked quinoa
- 1 400g tin black beans (drained)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- A sprinkling of grated vegan cheese
- 1 avocado (chopped)
- Coconut yoghurt (for topping, optional)
- Fresh coriander (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
- Slice the aubergines in half. Carefully scoop out the flesh and roughly chop it up.
- Rub a little olive oil and salt onto the hollowed aubergine halves and place on a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion and heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
- Fry the onion on a medium heat for approx 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for another minute.
- Add the aubergine flesh and cherry tomatoes. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and let everything cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the drained black beans and cooked quinoa. Let them heat through, giving everything a good stir.
- Fill the baked aubergine skins with your frying pan mixture and sprinkle some grated vegan cheese on the top.
- Bake for another 20-25 minutes.
- Top with the chopped avocado. I also added some coconut yoghurt and fresh coriander (optional).
Please note that nutritional information is based on estimated quantities and therefore not always 100% accurate.
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