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Close-up of Spanish stuffed eggplants filled with ground meat, onions, peppers, and cheese, garnished with fresh parsley.

Spanish Stuffed Eggplant (Berenjenas Rellenas)

Baked eggplants stuffed with seasoned ground meat, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and melted cheese—a classic Spanish delight.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 4
Calories 509 kcal

Ingredients
  

Roasted Eggplant

  • 2 large eggplants approximately 2 ½ pounds total weight
  • Good quality olive oil for drizzling
  • Salt to taste

Filling

  • 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef pork, or lamb
  • 2 cups finely diced yellow onion
  • 1 ¼ cups finely diced green pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 ½ cups finely diced fresh tomatoes approximately 4 Roma tomatoes
  • 6 ounces finely grated mozzarella cheese

Equipment

  • Box grater

Instructions
 

Roasting the Eggplant

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Wash the eggplants thoroughly and cut them in half lengthwise.
  • Using a chef’s knife, score the flesh of each half in a diamond pattern to facilitate even cooking.
  • Place the eggplant halves on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle the top with a generous amount of good quality olive oil and sprinkle with salt to taste.
  • Bake the eggplants in the preheated oven for approximately one hour, or until they are browned on top and tender inside.

Preparing the Filling

  • In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil until it shimmers.
  • Add the ground meat and season with a small amount of salt while browning. Stir occasionally until the meat is fully cooked.
  • Remove the meat from the skillet using a slotted spoon or spider to drain excess fat, and set it aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the finely diced onion and green pepper until the onion is golden brown and fragrant.
  • Add the minced garlic and continue sautéing until it releases its aroma.
  • Sprinkle in the sea salt, black pepper, oregano, and fresh parsley. Stir to combine and allow the spices to bloom for approximately 30 seconds to one minute.
  • Incorporate the diced fresh tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the skillet.
  • Return the cooked meat to the skillet and reduce the heat to low, allowing the mixture to simmer gently.

Combining the Eggplant and Filling

  • Once the roasted eggplants have cooled slightly (approximately 10 minutes), use a metal spoon to scoop out the flesh from each half, placing it in a bowl.
  • Use the spoon to break up any large clumps of eggplant flesh.
  • Add the eggplant flesh to the skillet containing the meat mixture. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional minute. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Assembling the Stuffed Eggplants

  • Carefully spoon the prepared filling mixture back into the hollowed-out eggplant shells, ensuring they are filled generously.
  • Top each stuffed eggplant with a portion of the grated mozzarella cheese.
  • Broil the stuffed eggplants for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbling.

Notes

Serve the Spanish Stuffed Eggplants (Berenjenas Rellenas) as a main course, garnished with freshly chopped parsley.