2 Deliciously Stuffed Eggplant Recipes

With their striking violet skin and unique shape, eggplants are one of the most eye-catching vegetables in the grocery store. Unfortunately, even though they might taste great, their appearance often goes unappreciated once they've become part of a dish. But with these two recipes, we'll show you how to turn your eggplant into a feast for the eyes (and the mouth) by cutting them into two different shapes. It's super easy and the results are amazing!

1. Stuffed & Sliced Eggplant

You'll Need:

• 1 eggplant
• ½ yellow bell pepper
• ½ green bell pepper
• 4 oz ground chorizo
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• salt & pepper to taste

Here's How:

1. Cut the eggplant into even slices. 

2. Use a glass to cut uniform circles out of the eggplant slices and set the skins aside for later.

3. Dice the bell peppers and eggplant circles, mix with the ground chorizo, eggs, and corn starch, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, lay a few of the eggplant slices with skin in the pan and fill them with the prepared mixture.

5. Fry the filled slices on both sides until golden brown, and if you some have filling left over, feel free to fry it up like an omelet. Serve the fried eggplant slices with your favorite dip, like ranch, ketchup, sour cream, or whatever your heart desires.

2. Diamond-Cut Eggplant

You'll Need:

For the stuffed eggplant:

• 1 eggplant
• 4 oz ground beef
• ½ onion, chopped 
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp flour
• salt & pepper to taste 
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ onion, chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1½ cups water
• 1 pinch sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Here's How:

1. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score the eggplant with a diamond pattern, making sure not to cut all the way through. One easy way to do this is to place the eggplant halves between 3 wooden cooking spoons and cut until the knife hits the spoons, which is as deep as you'll want to go.

2. Mix the ground beef with the onions, egg, and flour, and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cut the tops off each of the eggplant halves and cut each half into 2 pieces (3 if the eggplant is really big). Stuff the spaces between the diamond cuts on each piece with the ground beef mixture and smooth out the surface.

3. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the diamond side of the stuffed eggplants until golden brown.

4. In the meantime, prepare the homemade tomato sauce. Sweat the onion, garlic, and tomato paste in some vegetable oil. Add the water and season with sugar, salt, pepper, and any other spices you want to throw in. Lay the fried eggplant pieces diamond side up in the tomato sauce, cover the pan with a lid, and let cook for 15 minutes. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and a side salad for a truly unforgettable dish.

If diamonds aren't your style, come up with your own design. These easy eggplant recipes let you show off your artistic side, and are sure to impress your family, friends, and taste buds!