Delicious vegan stuffed aubergines (dolma) recipe
A meat-free version of a Cypriot classic
January 2021
Here's another of my adaptations of a family classic. A delicious and healthy vegan recipe for stuffed aubergines (and anything else you want to stuff!. Yes 🍆 lovers, aubergines are food too...
Patlican dolmasi as we call it is stuffed aubergines (dolma) oven cooked in a rich tomato sauce. Dolma/dolmades is much more than just vine leaves - we stuff everything. Aubergines, artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes and even onions.
While trimming down after the holidays I was fantasising about food as usual. This popped into my head and I realised that it's actually a super healthy meal. With a few modifications, I managed to make it low-calorie and free of simple carbs. Don't worry - it's just as delicious as the regular version.
Dolmas are usually stuffed with either rice and minced meat or just rice. Neither are unhealthy, but while trying to get the cals down as much as possible I had to go without both. I chose to use vegan mince because it's low calorie and actually quite tasty.
Naturally, in a Mediterranean family, we'd eat this with some fresh crusty bread and yoghurt. While the aubergines are the star of this show, I include tomatoes and peppers too to make a fuller plate. When I'm cutting I need big healthy meals which fill me up (without bread).
This vegan stuffed aubergines recipe serves 4 hungry people who are watching their calories or 6 if you're serving it with bread. Im not vegan so l eat mine with dairy yoghurt but vegan alternatives are available.
The base of the stuffing is the same as for rice or meat dolmas. Throw in a handful of pudding rice if calories aren't a concern for you. If you're a meat eater just swap the vegan mince for minced beef too and you'll have yourself the original recipe. If you want to make it more indulgent, take it a step even further and add a generous layer of grated parmesan on top for the last 30 mins of cooking.
This way of cooking is so versatile. Explore for yourself and enjoy.
Vegan stuffed aubergines Recipe
Want to lower your meat consumption or calories without forsaking taste? Try this tasty and rich vegan version of stuffed aubergines - a Cypriot Classic.
Serves 4
Equipment
-
Deep baking tray
-
Aluminium foil
Ingredients
For the stuffing
-
180g Vegan mince
-
1 large Onion, Chopped
-
3 Tomatoes, Chopped
-
1 Handful Fresh parsley, Chopped
-
2 Handfuls Fresh coriander, Chopped
-
3 tsp Salt
-
2 tsp Pepper
-
1/2 tsp Dried mint
-
1/2 Lemon, Squeezed
-
50g Tomato purée
Everything else
-
4 large Aubergines
-
4 small Red bell peppers
-
6 Tomatoes
-
1 Onion
-
1/2 Lemon, Squeezed
-
Spray oil
-
2 tsp Salt
-
1/2 tsp Pepper
-
250g Tomato purée
-
1.2 Itr Hot water
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C
-
In a bowl add the vegan mince, 1 chopped onion, 3 chopped tomatoes, parsley, coriander, dried mint, 3 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper, 1/2 lemon squeezed and 50g tomato puree and mix well.
-
Wash the aubergines and trim the stork area. You can leave it on to cook and it's edible but I like to tidy up around it a bit
-
Vertically peel 2cm stripes into the skin all the way around and then cut them evenly down the middle (vertically).
-
Using a smaller knife, carefully cut around a 1cm boarder from the edge of each half and keep slicing into the middle from the sides until the centre comes out. Try to take it out in one tidy piece and leave them to one side.
-
Cut the top off the 4 red peppers and remove all seeds. Cut around the stork from the lid and remove.
-
Cut the top off 4 tomatoes and carve out the insides. I like to squeeze the meaty inside part to remove as much water as possible and chop them up and mix into the stuffing. Cut around the stork from the lid and remove.
-
Tightly arrange all of the veg in a deep oven pan. Unless you have a huge oven you'll probably have to split it between two pans (like I do!).
-
Fill all of your veg with stuffing one by one and place them back into the pan.
-
Put the lids back onto the tomatoes and red peppers and place the part you cut out of the aubergines upside down on top of them like a hat.
-
Spray all of the vegetables with about 40 sprays of 1 cal spray oil and evenly cover everything with 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and the juice of half a lemon.
-
Mix 250g tomato purée with the hot water and pour it around the edges and a bit over the top of the veggies too.
-
Slice two tomatoes and an onion into rings and cover the whole dish in them. These will give a huge amount of flavour, protect the vegetables below and also taste great when they're a bit burned!
-
Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours.
-
Remove the toll from the top, spoon some of the juice over the vegetables and then cook uncovered tor another 30-40 minutes or until the juice has reduced to a nice thick consistency and the tomatoes and onions on top have browned and burned a bit.
