Turkey Stuffed Aubergine Parmigiana

Love Italian cuisine? So do we! Our Turkey Stuffed Aubergine Parmigiana recipe is a tasty, high-protein twist on the classic Italian dish, also known as Melanzane alla Parmigiana.

We’re switching it up from the classic layers of aubergine, tomato, and cheese and instead adding lean turkey mince for a protein hit, mixed with aubergine flesh, herbs and spices and a rich homemade tomato sauce.

We then use the aubergine skins to hold the mixture, before topping with tangy cheddar and parmesan and baking in the oven until golden and bubbling.

At only 205 calories per serving, our Turkey Stuffed Aubergine Parmigiana is a super light recipe – so we recommend serving it up as an entrée, a side dish or with your favourite accompaniments.

Plus, you can even freeze any leftovers or bulk-batch this recipe, so you’ve got our healthy Parmigiana ready for any busy days ahead.

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Suitable for freezing: yes

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 small aubergines, halved lengthways
• Low calorie oil spray
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 120g 2% fat turkey breast mince
• 200g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp oregano
• ¼ tsp red chilli flakes
• 20g light mature cheddar
• 10g parmesan, grated
• Fresh basil, torn

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
2. Place aubergine onto a baking tray flesh side up, spray with low-calorie oil spray and season with black pepper before popping into the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
3. Whilst the aubergine cooks, start the filling by sautéing onion and garlic in a large frying pan with some low-calorie oil spray for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Add turkey mince to the pan and brown all over.
6. Cover with chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika, cumin, oregano and red chilli flakes and stir well.
7. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the turkey mince is cooked through and the sauce starts to thicken.
8. Once the aubergine is cooked, leave them to cool slightly and then remove the flesh from the skins to create a boat for the filling.
9. Add the aubergine flesh to the turkey mince and simmer for 2-3 minutes to bring the filling together.
10. Add mixture to the aubergine boats and sprinkle with cheddar and parmesan. Place back into the oven for 15 minutes until cheese is golden.
11. Serve topped with basil.

Short for time but want to still enjoy tasty, nutritious food? Bulk prep our Turkey Stuffed Aubergine Parmigiana and freeze for up to 3 months. Simply defrost the portion in the fridge before baking in the oven at 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 until piping hot.

Looking for some more low-calorie recipes to help you stay on track? Check out our tasty Lentil Dal, which comes in at less than 350 calories and our low-fat Prawn Egg Fried Rice with only 325 calories and 5g fat per serving. Choosing lighter options never tasted so good!