Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan Boats
These Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan Boats are a delicious low-carb twist on classic eggplant parmesan. Tender roasted eggplant halves are filled with a hearty Italian-style ground turkey meat sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese, and baked until perfectly tender. A healthy, satisfying dinner the whole family will love.
- Prep Time: 20 MINS
- Cook Time: 45 MINS
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 SERVINGS 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: BAKED
- Cuisine: ITALIAN INSPIRED
Ingredients
Scale
For the Eggplant Boats
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Filling
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- Reserved eggplant flesh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Topping
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the center flesh, leaving a sturdy shell around the edges. Chop the removed eggplant flesh and set aside.
- Place eggplant halves in a baking dish.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add ground turkey and cook until browned.
- Stir in onion, garlic, carrots, and chopped eggplant flesh. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Spoon the filling evenly into the eggplant shells.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30–45 minutes, or until the eggplant is fork tender.
- Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Broil for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- For extra cheesy eggplant boats, add shredded mozzarella before broiling.
- Ground beef or Italian sausage can be substituted for the turkey.
- Salting the eggplant before baking can help remove bitterness.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.