Eggplant and Lentil Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

What Is Eggplant and Lentil Stuffed Tomatoes?

Eggplant and lentil stuffed tomatoes is a Mediterranean-style vegetable main. Ripe tomato shells hold a skillet filling of browned eggplant, brown lentils, fresh herbs and toasted walnuts, and the oven finishes the tomatoes until the skins wrinkle.

What Makes This Recipe Anti-Inflammatory?

Eggplant skin contains nasunin, an anthocyanin found in the purple peel. Lentils add fermentable fiber. Gut bacteria ferment that fiber in the colon and produce short-chain fatty acids.

Tomatoes supply lycopene, the carotenoid behind their red color. Extra-virgin olive oil provides oleocanthal, and walnuts provide alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3. The filling leaves out breadcrumbs, melted cheese, white rice and ground meat.

Ingredients

• 8 medium ripe tomatoes (about 6 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 1/3 cup walnut halves, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Step 1

Combine the rinsed lentils and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still whole and do not fall apart. Drain them.

Step 2

While the lentils simmer, preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the top off each tomato and scoop out the pulp with a small spoon, leaving a wall about 1/4 inch thick so each shell stands on its own. Roughly chop the pulp and set it aside. Sprinkle the inside of all eight shells with a total of 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and set the shells cut side down on paper towels to drain.

Step 3

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant in a single layer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring only once or twice, until the cubes slump and the edges turn dark golden.

Step 4

Lower the heat to medium and add the red onion. Cook for about 4 minutes, until it turns translucent. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, until they smell fragrant. Add the reserved tomato pulp and the remaining salt and cook for about 6 minutes, until the liquid evaporates and the mixture holds together on a spoon instead of running.

Step 5

Toast the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until they smell toasted, and transfer them to a plate. Off the heat, fold the drained lentils, parsley, mint and lemon juice into the eggplant.

Step 6

Spoon the filling into the eight tomato shells, mounding it above the rim, and stand them in a baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Bake for 25 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and give when pressed but the tomatoes still stand. Scatter the toasted walnuts on top.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

InflammaScore

1 Good! Very low inflammation potential

Q&A

Q1: Which tomatoes hold up best in the oven?
A1: Choose medium ripe tomatoes that are firm to the touch and stand on their own. A tomato that is too ripe collapses in the oven under the filling, even with a 1/4 inch wall. Press the side of each tomato and skip any that feels soft.

Q2: Can I use canned lentils instead of dried ones?
A2: Yes. Rinse and drain canned lentils well, then skip the simmering in Step 1 and fold them in at the end of Step 5. They are already soft, so this removes one saucepan, though the texture is slightly softer than lentils cooked from dried.

Q3: Why does my eggplant taste bitter or turn spongy?
A3: Spongy cubes mean the pan was crowded or the eggplant was stirred too often, so the cubes steamed instead of browning. Undercooked eggplant can taste bitter. Cook it in a single layer over medium-high heat, leave it undisturbed for several minutes, and never cover the skillet.

Q4: Can I make part of this recipe ahead?
A4: The filling keeps for up to two days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make it the day before, cool it, and fill and bake the tomatoes when you are ready to eat. Chilled filling is easier to mound above the rim because it holds its shape.

Q5: How do I reheat baked stuffed tomatoes without turning them soggy?
A5: Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, until the centers are warm. Uncovered heat lets the moisture the tomatoes release evaporate instead of trapping it, so the skins stay firm. The microwave heats them faster but steams the skins and leaves them soft.

The filling comes together in one skillet while the lentils simmer, so this dinner fits a weeknight. Extras pack well for lunch the next day.