7 Tips for Making Stuffed Stuff, from Eggplants to Mushrooms to Peppers and More

Let’s just be honest from the outset so as not to cause any controversy further down the line: stuffing stuff takes more time and effort than simply cooking it. It’s true that a stuffed butternut squash filled with jambalaya could simply be jambalaya with dice butternut squash in, and all the same, ingredients would be at play. However, that negates the experience.

Eating stuffed foods is just a lot of fun. It’s more than the sum of the ingredients. It’s the love and time that goes into it. It’s the way we eat stuffed mushrooms versus mushroom stuffing. The whole attitude is different, and going into the game with that mindset is important. Stuffing stuff adds steps, but it’s not without reason.

Now that we have that out of the way, it’s time to get excited about today’s culinary adventure. It’s time to explore the fun world of stuffed foods, something that is done around the globe and has an integral part in just about every type of cuisine, from Chinese dumplings to Polish perogies to Italian ravioli and Indian samosas.

Those Stuffing Vegetables

Source: Hungry Man Kitchen/Youtube

Without a doubt, one cannot get into stuffed foods and negate to delve into stuffed vegetables. It’s as if some were simply made to be stuffed, and others still have seemingly worked their way into the stuffing scene.

• Stuffed peppers are an absolute classic, and for those with peppers growing, they are nearly a necessity come September and October, when pepper plants seem to go crazy. Peppers do wonderfully stuffed with grains of any sort—rice, quinoa, risotto—and a blend of vegetables. The basic tip for cooking stuffed peppers: Always cook the empty pepper first.
• Stuffed squashes, particularly those winter squashes, are amazing and perfectly suited for the task. Once those seeds are scooped out, there is already a wonderful little cavity waiting for a treat to be put in it. Squash is so versatile when roasted, it can be stuffed beforehand for a hot meal, or it can be cooled and filled with salad for something new. Get the protein tip: Always save those seeds, toast them, and serve them with the squash.
• Stuffed eggplant definitely works, even if it requires removing meat from the center of the eggplant to make room for goodies. It’s easy, really: just cut cubes into the center of the bisected eggplant, much like we do when dicing avocadoes, only leaving a decent layer of eggplant inside the skin. Then, stuff it! The make-life-easier-tip: Always leave the stem on the eggplant because it holds the skin in place.
• Stuffed mushrooms, while not technically vegetables, are usually treated as such, and they are amongst the most popular appetizers going. Like squashes and peppers, white button mushrooms, portabellas, and cremini have a built-in cavity that begs to be stuffed. It’s just a matter of wiggling the stem free. Our tip for the stuffed mushrooms: Always take the time to choose mushrooms of adequate size.

Other Stuff for Stuffing

Source: Yeung Man Cooking/Youtube

Of course, it’s not just vegetables that get stuffed. Stuffed dishes are found in nearly every cuisine, and often this takes the form of a stomach-stuffing carb. These are dishes that change up the game a little and, like stuffed vegetables, offer an extra measure of enjoyment.

• Stuffed pasta comes in lots of forms. Cannelloni, tortellini, manicotti, and ravioli are popular forms. Usually, stuffed pasta has featured ingredients inside them, and rather simple sauces poured over them. Though meat and cheese have long been the filling in canned versions of these, there are tons of vegetable fillings that hit the mark. And the tip for using them: Always cook the filling first, so it has time to cool before handling it.
• Dumplings aren’t necessarily stuffed in every cuisine (see: “chicken” and dumplings), but there are loads of dumplings that do get stuffing. These can be served steamed, fried, or stewed in a tasty sauce. Otherwise, dumplings usually come with a dipping sauce and make great appetizers and finger foods. A tip for stuffing dumplings: Never overfill the wrapper because the filling will break free and ruin the package.
• Stuffed bread and pastry were inevitable. Sandwiches are pretty close to being stuffed, but these recipes take stuffing bread to a different level. There are so many options for stuffing bread of different types: calzones, empanadas, bourekas, samosas, “sausage” rolls, and more. There is also just hollowing out a loaf of bread and shoving stuff into it. An obvious tip for stuffing bread: Never go too heavy on liquids.

Always Give It a Shot and Never Stop Stuffing

Have we even come close to covering what can be used to create a stuffed dish? Of course not! We haven’t covered stuffed cabbage, stuffed potatoes, stuffed artichokes, stuffed tomatoes… Where there is a potential vessel and will to put something inside that vessel, there is likely a dish worth tasting.

Related Content:

• 25 Stuffed Veggie Dishes You Can Feel Good About Stuffing Yourself With
• Stuffed and Baked Dairy-Free Pastas Ideas for an Italian-Inspired Thanksgiving!
• 15 Stuffed Squash Recipes To Dazzle At The Thanksgiving Table
• 12 Savory Stuffed Plant-Based Dishes for Sukkot
• With Tears in Her Eyes: Mother Dog Refuses to Leave Dead Puppies Cruelly Stuffed in Bag

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!