Recipe for stuffed aubergines with quinoa and tomato salad

Stuffed aubergines with quinoa, potato and tomato salad

Stuffed aubergines with quinoa, potato, tomato, garlic and rosemary served with a fresh tomato salad with feta, basil and balsamic glaze. A colourful and filling dish that is perfect for a vegetarian dinner.

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Stuffed aubergines with quinoa are an easy and flavourful dish in which baked aubergines are filled with a delicious mixture of cooked quinoa, potato, tomato, onion, garlic and rosemary. The dish is filling, vegetable-based and full of flavour, without requiring complicated techniques or hours of work in the kitchen.

The soft texture of the aubergine goes really well with the mild potato, slightly nutty quinoa and fresh tomatoes. Together with rosemary, garlic and a fresh tomato salad with feta, you get a vegetarian dish that works both for everyday meals and as an attractive dish to serve guests.

For this recipe, a good frying pan 28 cm is useful for frying the onion and garlic and mixing the potatoes into the filling. A chef's knife makes it easy to chop vegetables, rosemary and garlic, while a walnut chopping board provides a stable work surface for both the aubergines and the tomato salad.

Ingredients for stuffed aubergines with quinoa

• 2 aubergines
• 1 baking potato, approx. 300 g
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 dl cooked quinoa
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 tsp. chilli powder if you want a spicy version

Tomato salad

• 400 g small tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 50 g feta
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tbsp. balsamic glaze

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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 225°C.
2. Halve the aubergines lengthways and place them on a baking tray, cut side up.
3. Bake the aubergines in the oven for approx. 15 minutes, until they begin to soften.
4. Peel the baking potato, cut it into small cubes and boil the cubes in lightly salted water until tender.
5. Dice the 2 tomatoes.
6. Finely chop the onion.
7. Finely chop the garlic.
8. Fry the onion and garlic in a pan over medium heat until soft and lightly aromatic.
9. Stir the cooked potatoes into the pan with the onion and garlic, then turn off the heat.
10. Remove the aubergines from the oven and carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Roughly chop the aubergine flesh.
11. Mix the potato mixture with the diced tomatoes, cooked quinoa and chopped aubergine flesh.
12. Stir the chopped rosemary into the filling and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
13. If you want a hotter version, you can mix 1 tsp. chilli powder into the filling.
14. Divide the filling between the hollowed-out aubergines.
15. Sprinkle with a little extra rosemary and bake the aubergines in the oven for approx. 10 minutes at 225°C.
16. Meanwhile, make the tomato salad: Cut the small tomatoes and red onion into wedges.
17. Toss the tomatoes and red onion with feta and fresh basil leaves.
18. Drizzle the tomato salad with balsamic glaze just before serving.
19. Serve the stuffed aubergines warm with the fresh tomato salad.

Why are stuffed aubergines with quinoa a good vegetarian dish?

Stuffed aubergines with quinoa are a good vegetarian dish because they have substance, texture and plenty of flavour. The aubergine provides a soft and juicy base, while quinoa and potato make the dish more filling. Tomato, garlic and rosemary add freshness, depth and aroma.

The dish is also easy to serve as a main course because the aubergines are already in individual portions. Together with the tomato salad, you get a meal that feels light, vegetable-based and satisfying.

What goes well with stuffed aubergines?

Here, the stuffed aubergines are served with a fresh tomato salad with feta, basil and balsamic glaze. The salty feta and sweet balsamic glaze go well with the mild flavour of the aubergine and the warm quinoa filling.

You can also serve the dish with a piece of good bread, a green salad, tzatziki, hummus or oven-roasted vegetables. If you want to make the meal extra filling, you can add a simple yoghurt dressing or a little extra feta on top.

Can stuffed aubergines be made in advance?

Yes, stuffed aubergines can easily be prepared in advance. You can bake and hollow out the aubergines, make the filling and assemble them earlier in the day. Keep them in the fridge and finish baking them when they are ready to be served.

The tomato salad tastes best freshly made, but you can cut the tomatoes and red onion in advance. Ideally, wait until just before serving to add the feta, basil and balsamic glaze so the salad stays fresh and looks appealing.

Variations on stuffed aubergines with quinoa

The recipe can easily be varied to suit your taste and what you have in the kitchen. For example, try adding chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, courgette, peppers or spinach to the filling. This adds extra flavour and more vegetables.

You can also replace the feta in the tomato salad with mozzarella, goat's cheese or a plant-based cheese if you want a different flavour profile. If you want to make the dish more spiced, chilli, cumin or smoked paprika go really well with aubergine and quinoa.

Serving

Serve the stuffed aubergines with quinoa straight from the oven while the filling is warm and the aubergines are tender. Serve them alongside the fresh tomato salad for a contrast between the warm filling and the cool salad.

The dish works well as a vegetarian dinner, a meal for guests or a vegetable-based everyday meal when you want something that is easy, filling and looks attractive on the plate.

A good pot is useful for boiling the potatoes until tender before stirring them into the filling. It can also be used to cook quinoa if you do not already have cooked quinoa ready.

See pots from ONYX COOKWARE here