The exact cook time can vary. Read below for our tips!
If you like the taste and texture of roasted eggplant, this vegetarian air fryer stuffed eggplant recipe should be on your list of recipes to try!
Made with fresh vegetables like bell peppers and tomatoes, a few common spices, and some shredded cheese, these eggplant halves are filling (pun intended), flavorful – and so easy to make.
You can enjoy this eggplant dish on its own or pair it with side dishes like rice, pasta, quinoa, couscous, or bulgur for a well-balanced meal.
Ingredients
Here are the air fryer stuffed eggplant ingredients you’ll need to make the recipe at home:
- Eggplant – Use a medium or large, firm eggplant with no soft spots or bruises.
- Cheddar cheese – Alternatively, you can use shredded mozzarella. Crumbled feta cheese and shredded parmesan cheese also work.
- Garlic – We recommend fresh chopped garlic, but you can also use granulated garlic or garlic powder.
- Onion – For extra flavor and texture. Yellow, white, or red onions all work.
- Tomato – Use a ripe tomato for the best flavor. Adds juiciness.
- Bell pepper – Adds sweetness and a pop of color. You can use a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper depending on your preference.
- Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil for extra flavor, but light olive oil or another cooking oil such as avocado, canola, or sunflower oil will also work.
- Salt – To enhance the overall flavor.
- Paprika – For extra flavor and color. You can use sweet, hot, or smoked paprika.
- Coriander – For a hint of citrus and a slightly earthy taste, but you can skip it if you don’t like the taste. You can also use dried oregano instead if you prefer.
Recipe Tips
- Use a medium or large eggplant that is firm and has no soft spots for easier filling (but make sure it will fit in your air fryer).
- Adjust the seasonings to your taste. You can also season the eggplant halves with salt and pepper before stuffing if you like.
- Feel free to change up the vegetables for the filling to suit your liking.
- You can add cooked quinoa, couscous, or bulgur to the filling.
- You can also make it non-vegetarian by adding cooked ground beef or pork to the stuffing. Keep in mind that the cooking time will likely vary – make sure the meat is cooked through.
Step by Step Instructions
Here we’ll show you how to make air fryer stuffed eggplant with step-by-step process photos. If you’re a visual person, you may find it helpful to compare as you cook at home.
Or, if you prefer, you can skip to the detailed recipe card with all the exact ingredient amounts, cooking times, and instructions at the end of this post.
First, preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes or until it indicates that it is preheated.
In the meantime, wash the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon or fork to carefully scoop out some of the flesh, leaving it intact close to the skin.
In a bowl, mix the chopped eggplant flesh with the chopped garlic, onion, tomato, bell pepper, oil, salt, paprika, ground coriander (optional), and grated cheese.
You can save some cheese to put on top later.
Stuff the eggplant halves with the filling and then place them in the air fryer basket without overlapping.
Air fry the stuffed eggplant at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the eggplant halves.
Air fry for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. If you use different ingredients for the filling, the exact cooking time may vary.
Serve the stuffed eggplant hot or warm, garnished with fresh herbs (optional).
Storage Tips
If you have stuffed eggplant leftovers, allow them to cool slightly, then store them in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge.
They will keep for up to 2 to 3 days – any longer and they will likely become very soft due to the moisture content of the eggplant and the filling. That’s why we recommend eating leftovers sooner rather than later.
The halves reheat nicely in the air fryer, at a lower temperature such as 300 degrees Fahrenheit for just a few minutes. You can even add a little more cheese if you like!
Alternatively, you can also reheat leftovers in the microwave or the oven.
Related Recipes
If you’re looking for more tasty vegetarian recipes for the air fryer, have a look at these options:
- Air Fryer Cauliflower Steak
- Stuffed Tomatoes in the Air Fryer
- Tasty Stuffed Zucchini
- Polenta Fries in the Air Fryer
- Air Fried Cabbage Steaks
- Air Fried Vegetable Skewers
- Homemade Air Fried Falafel
Air Fryer Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 small onion, chopped (yellow, white, or red)
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/3 bell pepper, chopped (color of choice)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon paprika
- 1/3 teaspoon coriander, ground (optional); or dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated; more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes or until it indicates that it is preheated.
- Meanwhile, wash the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or fork, carefully scoop out some of the flesh, leaving it intact close to the skin.
- In a bowl, mix the chopped eggplant flesh with the other ingredients – chopped garlic, onion, tomato, bell pepper, oil, salt, paprika, ground coriander (optional), and grated cheese. You can reserve some of the cheese to put on top later.
- Stuff the eggplant halves with the filling and place them in the air fryer basket without overlapping.
- Air fry at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the eggplant halves and air fry for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender. The exact cooking time may vary.
- Serve the stuffed eggplant hot or warm, garnished with fresh herbs (optional).
Notes
- Use a medium or large eggplant that is firm and has no soft spots for easier filling (but make sure it will fit into your air fryer).
- Adjust the seasonings to your taste. You can also season the eggplant halves with salt and pepper before stuffing if you like.
- Feel free to change up the vegetables for the filling to suit your liking.
- You can add cooked quinoa, couscous, or bulgur to the filling.
- You can also make it non-vegetarian by adding cooked ground beef or pork to the stuffing. Keep in mind that the cooking time will likely vary – make sure the meat is cooked through.
- You can substitute mozzarella cheese for grated cheddar. Crumbled feta and shredded parmesan cheese also work well.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
