Spanish Stuffed Eggplant (Berenjenas Rellenas)

Are you looking for a tasty way to cook eggplant? Try our Spanish stuffed eggplant (berenjenas rellenas). It's easy to make, healthy, and super satisfying.

If you are wanting other recipes that use ground beef, try our Salisbury steak or our sloppy Joe sliders.

Jump to:

• About
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• Variations
• How to Make Spanish Stuffed Eggplant
• Recipe FAQs
• Serve
• Expert Tips
• Other Ground Beef Recipes You'll Love
• Recipe
• Comments

About

Spanish stuffed eggplant or Berenjenas rellenas is a very popular recipe in Spain. It also has many different variations since this dish is so well liked. It seems each family has their own spin on it to cater to their own individual tastes.

In Spanish, berenjenas means eggplant, and rellenas means stuffed.

Traditionally, the filling for the stuffed eggplant is made with meat like ground beef, pork, or ground lamb, but can easily be adapted for vegetarians. Cooking methods for the eggplant also vary ranging from roasting, boiling, and grilling.

Different spices are used for Berenjenas rellenas depending on what meat you use, but everyone can agree on sea salt and black pepper. If you eat cheese, we totally recommend using Manchego, Parmesan, or mozzarella and putting it under the broiler to brown for the finishing touch on this Spanish recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

• Scoring the eggplant with a diamond pattern allows the steam to escape while roasting.
• Drizzling the eggplant with olive oil before roasting in the oven helps the top of the eggplant to nicely caramelize.
• Browning the meat in oil in the skillet and seasoning with salt gives the first layer of flavor for the filling and allows the meat to be properly drained of fat.
• Blooming the spices and deglazing the skillet with the juice of the fresh Roma tomatoes adds more layers of flavor to the filling.
• Browning the thick layer of cheese under the broiler is the perfect finishing touch to add extra flavor to the berenjenas rellenas.

Ingredients

The ingredients for Spanish stuffed eggplant (berenjenas rellenas) recipe are easy to find year round at your local grocery store. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients!

• Vegetables: We used eggplant, green pepper, and Roma tomatoes.
• Aromatics: We used freshly minced garlic and yellow onion.
• Meat: We used 80/20 ground beef that was well drained, but feel free to use 90/10.
• Spices: We used sea salt, freshly grated black pepper, oregano, and fresh parsley.
• Cheese: We used freshly grated mozzarella cheese using a box grater on the small hole.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Pork Version: Use ground pork and season with rosemary instead of oregano.
• Lamb Version: Use ground lamb and season with cinnamon instead of oregano.
• Want this meatless? Try a mixture of lentils and grated carrots with sautéed mushrooms.
• Don't want fresh tomatoes? Substitute with ½ cup of tomato sauce.
• Want different cheeses? Try freshly grated Parmesan or Manchego.

How to Make Spanish Stuffed Eggplant

Gather all the ingredients for the Spanish stuffed eggplant (berenjenas rellenas). Chop up the onion, green pepper, and parsley, and mince the garlic.

1. Wash two eggplants and cut in half lengthwise, then score in a diamond pattern with a chef's knife. (image 1)
2. Place the eggplant on a baking tray lined with foil and drizzle olive oil on top then sprinkle with salt. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour. (image 2)

3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil until it's shimmering, then brown the hamburger. Sprinkle on some salt while the meat is cooking. Remove the meat from the skillet with slotted spoon or spider to drain the fat. (image 3)
4. In the same skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sauté the onion and green pepper until the onion is golden brown. (image 4)

5. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. (image 5)
6. Bloom the spices (sea salt, black pepper, oregano and fresh parsley) for 30 seconds to 1 minute. (image 6)

7. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, using a wooden turner to scrap any brown bits (fond) off the bottom of the pan. (image 7)
8. Mix in the cooked hamburger and reduce the heat to low. (image 8)

9. Take the roasted eggplant out of the oven when it's browned on top and soft inside. Allow the eggplant to cool for 10 minutes. (image 9)
10. Scoop the cooked flesh out of the eggplants and put it in a bowl. Break up any large clumps using the metal spoon. (image 10)

11. Add the cooked eggplant to the skillet, stir, and cook for a minute. Taste and adjust seasonings. (image 11)
12. Stuff the eggplant meat mixture in the hollowed out eggplants. (image 12)

13. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese and broil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. (image 13)
14. Serve your Spanish stuffed eggplant (berenjenas rellenas) as a main course and garnish with fresh parsley. (image 14)

Recipe FAQs

Serve

If you are looking for more Spanish traditional ideas to round out your meal of berenjenas rellenas, we suggest serving Spanish stuffed eggplant along with Spanish rice or arroz con tomate, Spanish tapas like olives, cheeses, and patatas bravas, ensalada mixta, a chilled Spanish gazpacho, or a Spanish flan for dessert.

If you are looking for a more American slant to round out your meal, we suggest a crispy green salad like Chick-fil-A side salad, Panera tomato soup, tomato and olive salad, a crusty bread like our rosemary bread, and finish off your meal with a light and airy maple mousse.

Expert Tips

• When scoring and scooping, be careful not to puncture the outer skin.
• Deglaze the skillet with juice of the fresh tomatoes and scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden turner to release the brown bits (fond).
• Change up the meat. Season lamb with cinnamon and pork with rosemary.
• To make this for brunch, use a spicy sausage and scrambled eggs.

Other Ground Beef Recipes You'll Love

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