These lentil stuffed eggplants are the perfect dinner for Meatless Monday (or any day of the week, really!). Eggplants are such a versatile ingredient. Whether we use them in a dip, simply roasted as a side dish, or as a vessel for a hearty filling, they always add a smoky depth of flavor. That kind of flavor can be hard to find in vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Tahini and eggplants are a match made in heaven. We made a similar version of these lentil stuffed eggplants with a yogurt sauce, but the nuttiness of tahini made a much better pairing. The key to tahini sauce is to thin it out with a bit of water. When you first start whisking, it will form a weird, oily texture. Don’t fret – just keep whisking and it will eventually turn smooth.
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These stuffed eggplants are the perfect Meatless Monday dinner that your whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup shallots, minced
- 1/3 cup fennel, chopped finely
- 2 tsp finely minced garlic
- 1 3.4 oz container shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 1/3 cup shredded carrot
- 1 can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 cups chopped curly kale
- 1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
Tahini sauce:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp Ras El Hanout seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pinch cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the inner flesh, leaving a relatively thick layer so the “boats” aren’t too thin. Brush both sides of eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Put eggplant boats in oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- Cook lentils according to package directions in vegetable broth (veggie broth makes them more flavorful, but you can sub for water if you’d prefer.
- In a separate pan, heat olive oil over medium. Add shallots and chopped fennel and sauté 5-7 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add chopped mushrooms and carrots to pan and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms have softened.
- Add fire roasted tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, salt, paprika, turmeric, pepper, coriander, cumin, kale, and 1 cup cooked lentils into your shallot-fennel mix. Cook for approximately 7-10 minutes to let tomatoes reduce.
- In a small separate pan, toast 1/2 cup of walnuts, stirring frequently, until toasted and fragrant. Add to lentil mixture.
- Fill eggplant boats with lentil mixture. Return to oven and cook for 10 additional minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all ingredient for tahini sauce until smooth and creamy. When eggplant boats are finished, drizzle with tahini, pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley.
Notes
If you can’t find Ras El Hanout seasoning, you can substitute with another Moroccan or Middle Eastern spice blend.
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