Slow Cooker Aubergine, Pepper and Mozzarella Bake
Eating more vegetables and cutting out the meat from some meals is a great way to cut back, eat on a lower budget and increase your intake of vitamins and other good things all in one go! As is customary in January, I am trying to eat lighter meals at the moment, and this dish is one I recently developed for the slow cooker.
Packed with roasted vegetables cooked with only a tiny bit of oil, this roasted aubergine, courgette and pepper bake is full of goodness and flavours. I don’t know about you but I find it hard to eat cold food like salads in the winter, preferring a warming bowl of soup or stew. So a hot vegetable dish is perfect, especially served with crusty bread or a wholemeal roll on the side. My slow cooker aubergine, pepper and mozzarella bake was great on a wintry day.
The roasted vegetables are layered up with an onion, garlic and tomato sauce, with mozzarella pearls on top of each layer. There is just enough mozzarella without it being excessively cheesy – however if you aren’t watching the calories feel free to throw some more in!
A delicious vegetarian slow cooker dish.
- 1 red onion diced
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 aubergine (eggplant) sliced and roasted for 25 mins approx. in a tiny bit of oil
- 2 (bell) peppers sliced and roasted as above, I used one red and one yellow
- 3 large courgettes (zucchini) sliced and roasted as above
- 125 g mozzarella pearls
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
-
First roast your sliced aubergine, peppers and courgettes for 25 minutes in a little oil. Allow to cool.
-
Next, oil your slow cooker pot lightly to stop the cheese sticking.
-
In a bowl mix the red onion, garlic, tin of tomatoes, salt and pepper and oregano to make the tomato sauce.
-
Place half of the sauce in the base of the slow cooker pot.
-
Top with slices of aubergine, peppers and courgette. Add half of the mozzarella pearls on top.
-
Do another layer - the rest of the tomato sauce, a layer of courgette slices, with the rest of the aubergine and pepper slices on top. Add the rest of the mozzarella pearls and a sprinkle a little oregano on top.
-
Cook on low for four to six hours.
Adding the second layer.
On serving, tasty roast vegetables covered in cheese, so good!
Look out for more vegetarian recipes from me soon, I’m finding it a great way to cut the calories and save some pennies.
I’ve gathered some fabulous aubergine recipes from fellow food bloggers to tempt your tastebuds:
- Aubergine coconut curry from Knead Whine
- Tofu, aubergine and water chestnut stew from From Plate To Pen
- Roasted aubergine macaroni cheese from Kavey Eats
- Vegan aubergine ‘meatballs’ from Supergolden Bakes
- Aubergine chickpea bake from Nadia’s Healthy Kitchen
- Spicy aubergine tortilla wraps from Citrus Spice
- Aubergine pizza from Planet Veggie
- Baked breaded aubergine slices from Eats Amazing
I’m linking up with several challenges with this recipe:
- Meat Free Mondays from Tinned Tomatoes
- Credit Crunch Munch with Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4 All (hosting this month)
- Extra Veg with Fuss Free Flavours (hosting this month) and Utterly Scrummy Food for Families
- Slow Cooked Challenge which I host on alternate months with Farmersgirl Kitchen, who is hosting this month
Pin this recipe for later!
I’m so glad I’ve found your blog. My husband bought a slow cooker a few months ago and it’s really changed the way we, well he, cooks. This will be a great resource however he and my daughter both hate aubergines 🙁 so I doubt we’ll be making this one. x
Great! Maybe not this one for you but hope you will find something you like on here 🙂
I love my slow cooker and I’m always looking out for new recipes to try out on it! This looks pretty yummy so it’s next on my list 🙂
Marvellous stuff, thanks for visiting Kaytee
I am going to try this very soon. Bubs has taken to having a nap at 5pm which means I’m stuck under a sleeping child instead of preparing dinner. I’m going to be using my slow cooker a lot from now on, because the meal basically cooks itself. You’ve SO many totally delicious slow cooker recipes! I’m going to have a long browse at your blog, and try not to drool on the keyboard. 😉
What an annoying time for a nap! Slow cooker does sound like the answer 🙂 Thanks Michelle, glad you like my recipes
Lucy, I love this aubergine bake, it’s exactly my type of veggie meal! I am considering finally buying a slow cooker and this might be one of the first few things I make 🙂
Glad to hear you like it Monika, do let me know if you do try it!
mmm that looks really tasty, love the addition of mozzarella
I love slow cooking, I need to do it more so will have to try this recipe!
Looks delicious! I love aubergine based dishes 🙂
Thanks Nadia, thanks for visiting 🙂
This sounds absolutely delicious, Lucy! Love mozzarella! Look forward to seeing what more vegetarian recipes you come up with! 🙂
Thanks Sarah! A new one coming up tomorrow you might like 🙂
I have not eaten dinner yet and this is actually making my tummy growl! It was quiet until I saw this recipe. 🙂 Looks like healthy and really tasty use for a slow cooker. Yum xx
I wanted to show that a slow cooker isn’t just for meaty dishes, this worked really well. Glad it made you hungry too!
I must try this as it look soo good! My daughter loves ratatouille so I know she would go crazy for this!
[…] Slow Cooker Aubergine, Pepper & Mozzarella Bake from BakingQueen74 looks just fabulous and reminds me of a cross between ratatouille and pizza! […]
Great use of the slow cooker Lucy, and also it is nice to see a slow cooked veggie dish, I find when I cook aubergines they soak up oil like a sponge, and this is lovely and healthy.
Thanks for sharing with #ExtraVeg & #Creditcrunchmunch