These stuffed eggplant parmesan boats are a healthier alternative to the classic eggplant parmesan! Filled with flavor and and a hearty ground turkey meat sauce, you won’t feel like you’re missing much!
I’ve never been a big fan of eggplant parmesan to be honest, but I do like eggplant and try to use it in dishes whenever a can. It has a soft meaty texture and a very delicate flavor so it’s the perfect vessel to hold a robust meat sauce!
The great thing about this recipe is that you can make and assemble these a few days in advance and leave them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them!
I use lean ground turkey instead of beef in my sauce to cut down on calories but you can definitely use beef, chicken, or even ground sausage if you prefer.
I also love that these reheat great, and can easily be wrapped in tinfoil and brought to work for lunch. You could even make a side of pasta to go with it if you wanted to.
These are similar to zucchini boats but more filling in my opinion. Eggplant are way more substantial so just one of these fills me up versus a couple of zucchini.
Here’s how to make it…
PrintStuffed Eggplant Parmesan Boats
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 eggplant (halved)
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 yellow onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 carrots (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon dry italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out some of the flesh, chop it up and set aside (it’s going in the sauce). Place the eggplant halves in a baking dish.
- In a large skillet add in some oil, and add in your ground turkey to brown. When its almost cooked through add in your chopped onions, garlic, carrots, and the chopped eggplant you scooped out. Cook for about 5 more minutes.
- Add in seasonings and 1 cup of your favorite tomato sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes.Turn off the heat and using a spoon to scoop meat mixture into the eggplant boats.
- Cover the baking dish with tinfoil and put it in oven for 30-45 minutes or until eggplant is cooked through. Remove the tinfoil and add parmesan cheese on top and put under the broiler for a few minutes to melt. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Super easy, and super delicious! I love eating like this when I’m trying to cut down on carbs. It kind of tricks my mind into thinking I’m having pasta because the flavors are all there. 🙂
I hope you love this recipe!
Talk to you soon friends, take care!
XO
