Eggplant is an Italian staple. Although eggplant parmesan is the popular recipe, my favorite is a slightly lighter option that my grandmother used to make, eggplant boats. With the option to be vegetarian and loaded with peppers, onions and mushrooms, this recipe lets the vegetable rainbow take center stage rather than covering them up with breadcrumbs. Baked in the oven and topped with a bit of shredded mozzarella, this classic can feel both hearty and cozy in the winter and refreshing in the summer all thanks to the variety of veggies.
Eggplant Boats
Ingredients
- 2 Medium eggplants
- 1 Medium onion
- 1 Medium bell pepper
- 8 oz Container white button mushrooms
- 1 Cloves garlic
- 2 Cups tomato sauce
- ½ Cup parmesan cheese
- 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
- 2 links Italian sausage if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Begin by cutting the eggplants lengthwise and hollowing them out. This can be done by cutting around the edge of each half, leaving about a quarter inch rim. Then score the inside portion into squares and scoop them out using a spoon. Reserve these pieces to sautee or steam and re-fill the boats later
- In a large 9x13 pan cover the bottom with a thin layer of sauce so the eggplant halves don’t stick while baking & set aside
- Cut and dice the bell pepper and onion
- In a small sautee pan combine the peppers and onions, but leave the mushrooms to be sauteed separately
- Cook the peppers and onions until just done
- Next, cook the mushrooms in the same pan. The mushrooms get cooked separately as the flavor can tend to overpower other vegetables when they are sauteed together.
- Lastly, cook the eggplant pieces from earlier. These can either be sauteed or steamed quickly in the microwave.
- If you’d like to add italian sausage, cook the two links now and then slice into thin pieces to mix with the filling veggies
- Once all the filling vegetables have been cooked it’s time to fill the boats
- Begin by spreading a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the boats followed by a sprinkling of parmesan cheese
- Next add in a layer of peppers and onions and mushrooms
- If you’ve elected to add sausage add that now, followed by another layer of veggies
- The boats should be full with the filling looking a bit mounded on the top
- Layer more sauce on top of the veggies to finish, but don’t add too much as you don’t want them to end up soggy
- Finally sprinkle your remaining parmesan cheese on top
- Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for 35-45 minutes, cooking until the eggplant becomes tender
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top. Return the pan to the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts and becomes bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then serve warm
