Vegetarian or not, you’ll love this Meatless Monday meal! This meal puts a twist on a classic eggplant parm and I guarantee you won’t even miss the pasta! Stuffing the eggplant with the eggplant parmigiana filling makes for a fun meal with minimal cleanup, since everything is cooked in the same dish. This eggplant parm also cuts calories because the eggplant is baked and not breaded. The next time you’re craving Italian take-out, why not try making this dish instead? It will leave you (and your wallet) feeling great! This dish is modified from Delish, original recipe found here.

Timing:

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients: (makes 2 eggplant boats)

• 1 eggplant, cut in half
• 1 1/3 cup marinara sauce
• 3/4 onion, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Oregano
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 3/4 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 Cups Mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Fresh Basil for a topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bottom of a baking dish, spread about.a cup of marinara sauce.

Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon. Leave about a 1/2 inch border around the eggplant. Put the removed eggplant aside.

Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the middle

Place the eggplant boats in the baking dish on top of the marinara sauce. Drizzle some olive oil inside the boats.

Heat some olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until softened. Add the removed eggplant, garlic,oregano, salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the eggplant is tender.

Cook the onion, removed eggplant, garlic and oregano in a skillet

Transfer the skillet contents to a bowl and add the beaten egg chopped tomatoes, about 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of marinara sauce. Mix together well. Evenly distribute the mixture into the eggplant boats in the baking dish. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and bread crumbs.

Place the mixture inside the eggplant boats

Bake for 45 minutes, until the eggplant is tender and the cheese is melted. When you serve the boats, top them with the marinara sauce from the bottom of the baking pan. Top with basil and enjoy!