Air Fryer Recipe
Ratatouille Stuffed Aubergine
A simple, flavourful ratatouille stuffed aubergine, just right for cooking in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 courgette, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- Halve the aubergines lengthways, then scoop out some of the flesh to make a hollow centre, leaving enough around the edges to hold their shape.
- Dice the scooped-out aubergine flesh and set it aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent.
- Add the diced bell peppers, courgette, and reserved aubergine flesh. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Spoon the ratatouille mixture into the hollowed-out aubergine halves, pressing down gently to pack in the filling.
- Put the stuffed aubergines in the preheated air fryer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the aubergines are tender.
- If desired, scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the top during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Remove from the air fryer and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pre-cooking the ratatouille drives off excess vegetable water before it goes into the aubergine shell. The air fryer’s fast convection then softens the aubergine flesh while drying and lightly browning the exposed filling; a little oil improves heat transfer and stops the cut edges becoming leathery.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket that can hold four aubergine halves in a single layer; in a smaller single-drawer model cook in batches rather than stacking, while dual-zone air fryers may need the halves swapped between drawers halfway as the outer edges often run hotter.
Common pitfalls
- Aubergine shell still firm at 20 minutes? The walls were left too thick; scoop to about 1–1.5 cm next time, and return the halves for 4–6 minutes at 170°C to finish softening without scorching the filling.
- Watery puddle in the basket? The tomatoes, courgette or diced aubergine were not simmered down enough; cook the filling until glossy rather than soupy before stuffing, or drain briefly before spooning it in.
- Filling browning before the aubergine is tender? The top is too exposed to the heating element; cover loosely with foil for the first 10 minutes, then uncover to finish and add Parmesan only near the end.
- Aubergine halves collapsing when lifted? Too much flesh was removed or the filling was packed too tightly; leave a sturdier rim and use a fish slice or perforated spatula to support the skin when removing.
Variations & substitutions
- Use cherry tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes for a sweeter filling, but halve them and simmer a little longer because they release juice more slowly.
- Swap Parmesan for crumbled feta; add it after cooking or in the final 2 minutes only, as feta softens and browns faster than Parmesan.
- Add a spoonful of cooked lentils or chickpeas to make it more substantial, but keep the quantity modest so the filling still heats through in the same 15–20 minute window.
- Replace dried thyme and oregano with fresh basil, parsley or thyme; add delicate herbs after air frying so the airflow does not dry them out and dull their flavour.
Storage & reheating
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 6–8 minutes, adding Parmesan after the first few minutes if using.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
