This couscous stuffed aubergine recipe makes a tasty vegan meal. The aubergine is stuffed with a filling of couscous, tomatoes, chickpeas and fresh herbs and is great eaten warm and freshly roasted as well as cold the next day. You can also eat the couscous stuffing as a salad.
I really do think stuffed vegetables are underappreciated. What's not to love about roasted vegetables made even better with a delicious stuffing. These roasted aubergines are stuffed with couscous, onions, garlic, tomatoes and chickpeas as well as fresh herbs. A delicious lemon, garlic and tahini sauce is then drizzled over the top.
Unlike a lot of my recipes, these aubergines are not hot and spicy but they are totally delicious and packed with flavour. It's important to use a good well seasoned stock to flavour the couscous and to then taste and season the filling well too.
Ingredient notes for couscous stuffed aubergines
Do check out the recipe card further down the post for full recipe details. Basically to make this recipe you'll need:
- Aubergines
- Couscous - You can use white or wholemeal couscous. These days I like to use wholemeal couscous as it has a little more texture.
- Stock - I usually use vegetable stock for this made up from a stock cube or stock pot. But, if you have homemade stock then feel free to use that instead. If you are not bothered about keeping this meal vegan, feel free to use chicken stock instead.
- Onion - Either a red or a brown onion is fine.
- Garlic - I usually use fresh garlic but you can use a paste or puree instead.
- Tomatoes - I usually use 3 regular salad tomatoes but you can replace them with one beef tomato or even cherry tomatoes.
- Chickpeas - I use half a 400g tin of chickpeas but if you really like chickpeas you can add more. If you are opening a 400g tin and need inspiration for what to do with the rest of the tin, they are lovely mixed with a few spices and air fried or roasted.
- Fresh herbs - I like to stir in a little fresh coriander (cilantro) for freshness. If you are not keen on coriander then mint or parsley also work really well in this recipe.
- Tahini - This is for the dressing. Make sure you mix it well otherwise the end of the jar will end up being solid!
- Lemon - This is for the tahini dressing. I'm sure you could use a bottle of lemon juice but I always prefer to use fresh lemons.
- Seaoning - A little salt and black Pepper. I always add a little to the dressing. Depending on the stock that you use you may need to add a little seasoning to the couscous filling as well.
How to make couscous stuffed aubergines
These stuffed aubergines are very easy to make and there is a printable recipe card further down the post too.
First just halve and remove some of the flesh from the inside of the aubergines. Brush them with oil and roast in the oven (although I'm sure you could air fryer them too!)
While they are cooking, cook the couscous according to the pack instructions which normally means just covering in boiling stock and then fluffing up with a fork after 5 minutes. You can use water instead of stock but stock adds a little more flavour.
At the same time, gently fry the onion, then add the garlic, tomatoes, chickpea and chopped aubergine flesh. Add a tablespoon or two of water if it seems to dry. Cover the pan and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Make sure the aubergine is soft and cooked through before taking the pan off the heat.
You also need to make the dressing by whisking together the tahini, water, lemon juice and crushed garlic. I always add half the lemon juice first. Then taste it and add more later if I feel it needs it.
When everything is ready, stir the couscous into the cooked vegetables along with the herbs. Then spoon the couscous mixture into the aubergine halves. Drizzle with the tahini dressing.
Can you adapt the recipe?
Yes you can! Feel free to use different pulses instead of chickpeas. Why not use the filling as a stuffing for beef tomatoes, peppers or marrows?
You can also add extra vegetables. Diced peppers, sweetcorn or peas are a lovely addition too.
What can you do with the leftovers?
I store any leftover roasted aubergine halves in the fridge separately from the couscous. You can reheat the stuffed aubergines in the microwave or eat them cold depending on your tastes.
How long can you keep the leftovers?
The leftovers should keep well for about 3 days in a sealed box in the refrigerator.
What to eat with these couscous stuffed aubergines
I think these couscous stuffed aubergines make a delicious vegan main meal. However the couscous and vegetable filling is just as delicious when it isn't stuffed inside anything. You could eat it as a side dish for fish, chicken or lamb.
The inspiration for this recipe
When I first made and published this recipe on my blog it was because I was taking part in a challenge as part of the now defunct, Secret Recipe Club. I was assigned to recreate a recipe from the blog, Smells Like Brownies.
Well with a name like that I at first expected to find a blog full of baking and sweet treats. Imagine my delight when I immediately saw a really great savoury recipe. And another. And another. I soon discovered that Smells Like Brownies is the absolute best kind of food blog. There are some really really enticing looking desserts but luckily there are just as many, in fact more equally enticing healthy and savoury recipes.
I chose to make these couscous stuffed eggplants as the picture just jumped out at me when I saw it.
How I adapted the recipe
The original recipe for the couscous stuffed aubergines contains black beans but I used chickpeas instead as I had leftovers from another recipe. I'd happily eat any kind of bean in these! I have to admit I made extra filling rather than discarding some of the flesh. I love aubergines and it seemed a shame to waste any of it. It turned out to be a wise move.
Recipe
Couscous Stuffed Aubergine with Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 100 g uncooked couscous
- 150 ml vegetable stock I use a stock cube or stock pot to make it
- 1 onion diced
- 1 large clove of garlic crushed
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes diced
- 200 g tin of chickpeas Or black beans
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander cilantro
For the Tahini Sauce
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 1 small clove of garlic crushed
- 50 ml water
- 1 lemon juice
- pinch black Pepper
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C
- Cut each aubergine in half. Score and then scoop out the flesh from the inside leaving about 1cm left attached to the skin.
- Brush the aubergines with a little oil, place them cut side down on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- While the aubergines are roasting, cover the couscous with boiling stock and leave it to soak it up.
- Heat a little oil in a sauce pan and cook the onion over a gentle heat until softened then add the garlic. Cook for another minute then add the tomatoes, diced aubergine flesh and chickpeas. Let simmer for about 10 minutes until the aubergine pieces are cooked through.
- Make the sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients. I just used a fork but you could use a food processor.
- Stir the couscous into the vegetables mixture along with the coriander. Spoon this mixture into the aubergines halves.
- Serve the tahini sauce drizzled over the aubergines .
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Vegan Recipes
Why not try one of my other vegan recipes:
Or how about trying my kabocha squash stuffed with black quinoa? Or aubergine in chilli bean paste?
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you try this stuffed aubergine recipe. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Monika
These look so yummy, the combination of flavours sounds really nice. This is definitely my kind of dish:)
Corina
So pleased you like them Monika!
Nicole @ yumsome
Ooh, Corina - this looks uber-gorgeous. So much so, in fact, that I am going to make it for dinner tonight. Like, errrr, right now!
Corina
I do hope you enjoyed it Nicole!
Nicole @ yumsome
Absolutely gorgeous, Corina!
Corina
Aww thank you Nicole!
Basement Bakehouse
Yummy! I've recently discovered that I like aubergines, after years of swearing blind that I couldn't stand them! I'm going to give these a go!
Corina
I love it when that happens! Although I always wish I'd tried the offending food earlier!
hijackedbytwins
Oooh this looks so good. I love finding new ways to use aubergines! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Corina
So pleased you like it! I'm a big aubergine fan but a little bit stuck in a rut so this was something a bit new for me too.
prateekdasgupta
I love couscous and i love eggplants. I have had something similar with the eggplant grilled on top of the couscous but this is different, lovely recipe!
Corina
I think I've often done it that way around in the past! It's always good to have a few variations up your sleeve!
Amy CookingAdventures
These look just lovely!
Corina
Thank you Amy!
Heidi Roberts
This recipe has everything in it I love - will be trying soon!
Corina
Thanks Heidi! I hope you enjoy it.
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery
I've been on a big tahini kick lately - it adds such a lovely, unexpected flavor to foods. This sounds delicious!
Corina
I need to use tahini more often. I hadn't used it for ages before I made this recipe but I really like it!
champagne-tastes
btw I don't see a whole lot of people using the sela theme- nice taste 😉 I use it too!
Corina
Great minds!
champagne-tastes
I LOVE this! I haven't tried a whole lot of eggplant recipes (I usually make parmesan with it), but I need to branch out. This sounds amazing!
Corina
I probably need to branch out and make eggplant with parmesan! It's one of my favourite vegetables but a lot of the time I just roast it as side dish.
taramkimball
This looks amazing. I'm going to have to try it.
Corina
I do hope you like it!
Sue/theviewfromgreatisland
This looks wonderful, I can almost smell it now! I 'm always on the lookout for new and exciting meatless meals 🙂
Corina
Thank you Sue!
Renee Nicole's Kitchen
This looks so hearty, which is not something I usually think about vegetarian food. Loving the couscous filling!
Corina
Thank you! It is quite filling which I always think is great - I hate to get too hungry between meals!
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com
Oh wow - this is such a lovely recipe! So my kind of food - simple, healthy and I am sure very tasty!! Really wish I was having this for my lunch today 🙂 Pinning to my Must Make board!! Eb x
Corina
So pleased you like it! I wish I was having it more often too. x
Mandy Mazliah
This is just the kind of food I love to eat - must try this recipe and I will also check out Smells Like Brownies as sounds like it'll be full of lovely recipes. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare
Corina
I'm so pleased you like them and I'm sure you'll love Smells Like Brownies too!
Elaine @ foodbod
Love love love!
Corina
Aw thank you Elaine!
Elaine @ foodbod
xxx
Farrah
I love stuffed veggies! :] These look so good! (So glad I don't dislike eggplant anymore!!)
Corina
Stuffed veggies are great aren't they? In fact, I used to avoid them thinking they were boring but over the last few years I've completely changed my mind. Luckily I've always liked aubergine!
Julie
Beautiful! SO wish hubby liked eggplant. I will b making this for myself one of these nights soon.
Corina
My hubby is not a big fan of aubergine either so I can't make meals like this all the time but luckily I can get away with it every now and again!
Wendy Klik
OH these are right up my alley. We are having these for Meatless Monday very soon.
Corina
They are delicious so hope you enjoy!
Kathy Walker
What an unusual dish! It has all of the ingredients that say "Make me!" And, I will! Great SRC selection.
Corina
Thank you and I hope you like it Kathy!
Laura
I love aubergines, looks yummy !
Corina
Thank you Laura! I am a big aubergine fan too!
why i am not skinny
this is DEFINITELY going on my *make* list!
They truly look like delicious (and are healthy too!)...
Great SRC choice
Corina
Thanks! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!