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Baked eggplant boats stuffed with ground beef, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese

Stuffed Eggplants with Ground Beef, Chickpeas, Feta & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Tender baked eggplant boats filled with savory ground beef, chickpeas, and eggplant, then topped with feta, fresh tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 690
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 medium eggplants
  • 1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • Eggplant flesh from the scooped-out eggplants, chopped
  • 1 lb 500 g ground beef
  • 1 15 oz / 425 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 8–10 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
  • 2 medium fresh tomatoes diced
  • 5 oz 150 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning optional
  • Fresh parsley for serving

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving about a ½-inch shell. Chop the removed flesh into small pieces.
  3. Brush the eggplant shells with olive oil, season lightly with salt, and place them on a baking sheet.
    Halved eggplant shells brushed with olive oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet
  4. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened.
  5. Add the chopped eggplant flesh and cook for another 5 minutes.
  6. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
  7. Stir in the chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, and oregano if using. Cook for another 2–3 minutes.
    Ground beef sautéing in a pan with chickpeas and diced eggplant filling
  8. Fill each eggplant shell generously with the meat mixture.
    Unbaked eggplant boats stuffed with ground beef, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and feta on a baking sheet
  9. Top with the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh diced tomatoes, and crumbled feta.
  10. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the eggplants are completely tender and the tomatoes have softened.
  11. For a lightly golden top, switch the oven to broil for the last 2–3 minutes.
    Baked eggplant boats stuffed with ground beef, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese on parchment paper

Notes

If your eggplants are especially large or firm, bake the empty shells for 10–15 minutes before adding the filling. This will help them become soft and creamy during the final bake.
The exact cooking time may vary depending on the size of the eggplants. They are ready when the shells can be easily pierced with a fork. Add salt carefully, as feta and sun-dried tomatoes are already naturally salty.