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Home » Recipe Index

Lentil and Tomato Stuffed Eggplant (Vegetarian)

Published: Aug 7, 2020 Modified: Apr 24, 2025 ·by Amber Bogardus / This post may contain affiliate links.

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These Zesty Lentil Stuffed Eggplants will have you saying "Yes!" to adding a meatless option to your dinner plans next week! Tender eggplants are stuffed with lentils, tomatoes, and spices to create a delicious and hearty dish!

A baked eggplant half filled with a tomato and lentil mixture, topped with a drizzle of white sauce and chopped herbs, served on a dark plate with a fork nearby. Green leaves and a baking tray are in the background.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've never used lentils as a stuffing before! I love lentils! I really like lentil soup; it's absolutely one of my favorite fall soups - I've just never really experimented with lentils.

This Stuffed Eggplant recipe is a great meatless option for your dinner menu next week! And as a meat eater myself, this lentil stuffing a great dupe for ground beef!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients:
  • Steps to Prepare:
  • If you enjoyed this Stuffed Eggplant, you may also enjoy these other recipes from the blog!
  • Lentil and Tomato Stuffed Eggplant (Vegetarian)

Ingredients:

  • Eggplants: These tender vegetables can be found in the produce section, usually near the squash and zucchini.
  • Olive Oil: You'll need this to cook the onion and help bind the seasonings to the lentils.
  • Canned Lentils: I like canned (or bagged) lentils for this recipe, as they are easy and quick to prepare, making it more likely that I'll actually fix this dish during a busy week!
  • Onion: I prefer a yellow, sweet onion for this recipe.
  • Seasonings and Spices: I find that lentils benefit from seasoning liberally. So you'll need Brown Sugar, Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder, Dried Thyme, Cumin, Onion Powder
  • Liquids: Tomato Paste, Balsamic Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Low Sodium Veggie Broth
  • Tomatoes: I love Roma tomatoes for this recipe, they are delicious and sweet!
  • Garnishes: Non-Dairy Yogurt Alternative and Fresh Parsley

Steps to Prepare:

My personal opinion, this recipe was rather simple, just a little lengthy. It helps to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go so you don't make your kitchen a complete mess!

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400° and roast the eggplants.

You'll want to start with washing your eggplants, cutting them in half, and scooping out the pulp. Be sure to leave about a ¼ inch of flesh around the eggplant, so it will keep its shape.

Drizzle olive oil on the eggplant, sprinkle sea salt, and roast for 30 minutes.

STEP 2: Start preparing the lentil stuffing.

While the eggplant is resting, start preparing the filing by pulsing the eggplant pulp you removed in a food processor until it is broken down to a large grain. (See image)

Gather and prep your all of your stuffing ingredients (refer to the recipe card), drain and rinse the lentils.

Add the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, dried thyme, cumin, and onion powder to the food processor, and pulse a couple more times to combine. Set aside.

STEP 3: Sweat the onions.

Heat a large pot over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil, red pepper flake, and the chopped onions. Cook the onions until they are translucent, about 4 or 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Stir in the tomato paste, cooking it for about 90 seconds. Add the balsamic and soy sauce and stir.

STEP 4: Combine the prepared stuffing with the cooked onions.

Add the seasoned eggplant pulp from the processor, the lentils, and the vegetable broth. Cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the diced Roma tomatoes, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove the eggplants shells from the oven, and decrease the temperature to 350°.

Stuff the eggplants with the prepared stuffing, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove the eggplants from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, and top with non-dairy yogurt alternative and fresh chopped parsley.

If you enjoyed this Stuffed Eggplant, you may also enjoy these other recipes from the blog!

  • Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowl with Avocado Crema
  • Crispy Chickpea "Chicken" Nuggets
  • Vegetarian Black Bean and Corn Taquitos

I hope you enjoyed this Lentil Stuffed Eggplant recipe! If you try it, please rate it and leave a comment below! (That's so helpful for my site!) I'd love to hear about your experience making it! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@atoastedcrumb) so I can repost it to stories!

A baked eggplant half filled with a lentil and tomato mixture, topped with white sauce and chopped parsley, is served on a dark plate. Nearby are empty plates, cutlery, and a baking dish with more filling.

Lentil and Tomato Stuffed Eggplant (Vegetarian)

Amber Bogardus
Tender eggplants stuffed with lentils, tomatoes, and spices.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe SaveSaved! Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 131 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Eggplants halved, pulp removed and reserved
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 2 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ½ Yellow Onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • ⅓ cup Vegetable Broth
  • 1 15oz Can Lentils drained and rinsed
  • 2 Roma Tomatoes diced

Garnishes

  • 1 tablespoon Non-Dairy Yogurt Alternative
  • Fresh Chopped Parsley

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the pulp of each half. Leave about ¼ of eggplant flesh around the rim. Place the reserved pulp in a food processor.
  • Place the eggplants on a baking sheet or rimmed pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes while you prepare the stuffing.
  • Process the removed eggplant pulp by pulsing the food processor a couple of times.
  • Add the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, thyme, cumin, and onion powder to the processor and pulse a few more times to combine.
  • Heat a pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Add the diced onion and red pepper flake, cook for 4 - 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, and stir.
  • Add the eggplant pulp mixture, drained lentils, and vegetable broth to the pot and let it cook down for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the chopped Roma tomatoes, and let cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Remove the eggplants from the oven and lower the temperature to 350°.
  • Stuff each eggplant with the stuffing, and place back in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly.
  • Top with non-dairy yogurt alternative and fresh chopped parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 688mgPotassium: 740mgFiber: 9gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 1366IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg
Keyword eggplant, lentils, stuffed eggplant, vegan, vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was in the comments!
Share the love!Mention @atoastedcrumb or tag #atoastedcrumb!

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Trackbacks

  1. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Bowl with Avocado Crema - A Toasted Crumb says:
    September 11, 2024 at 2:24 am

    […] Lentil Stuffed Eggplant […]

    Reply
A woman in a green top smiles while holding a small cucumber. She stands behind a wooden table with a cutting board, sliced cucumbers, and a bowl of vegetables. The background is a plain, light-colored wall.

Welcome!

Hi! I'm Amber! I'm a Dallas, TX based food blogger specializing in family recipes, entertaining tips, and fresh eats!

A Toasted Crumb is a place for foodies to connect, hone in on their cooking skills, and learn more about the flavors they love!

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