Italian Style Meatball Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 oz.) Rosina Italian Style Meatballs thawed and crumbled
- 2 fresh, whole eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the flesh to create a hollow boat. Dice the scooped-out flesh of the eggplant and set aside. Place the eggplant halves in a baking dish. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Next, add the garlic and reserved chopped eggplant and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crumbled meatballs to the vegetables and stir to combine; season with the dried Italian herbs, salt and black pepper. Add the marinara sauce and stir to combine all ingredients. Continue to cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Turn off the heat and using a spoon scoop the vegetable mix into the eggplant halves. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil after 30 minutes and top each eggplant with shredded Parmesan cheese. Place the uncovered dish back into the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and serve with additional warmed marinara sauce.