recipe

Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Beef: the must-try alternative recipe to eggplant parmesan

Total time: 1H30

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 4 people

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By Editorial Team

Ingredients

mincemeat

200 g

breadcrumbs

100 g

egg

Eggplants

garlic

1/2 clove

tomato sauce

300 g

parsley

Basil

powdered cheese

2 tbsp (30 ml)

grated smoked cheese

Olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Stuffed Eggplant is a filling, flavorful, and easy weeknight meal to please a hungry family. This is a Mediterranean-flavored alternative to eggplant parmesan. This go-to weeknight dinner features ground beef seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs. The breadcrumbs are mixed into the filling rather than used for frying, which means there’s less added oil in this recipe.

How to make Stuffed Eggplants

Start by making the mincemeat stuffing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, egg, powdered cheese, and minced garlic. Add minced fresh basil leaves and mix with gloved hands until well combined. Add tomato sauce and mix again. Grate smoked cheese for later.

Slice the eggplants in half, then into thin planks, keeping the stem end in tact to make a fan shape. Place the sliced eggplant in a large baking dish. Salt each slice of eggplant and cover with minced beef filling. Top with grated cheese. Repeat with the second layer of eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplants, arranging them in the baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil to coat.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the eggplants are soft. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the tomato sauce and basil leaves and spoon it over the eggplants in the baking dish. Cover again and bake for 40 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle the grated smoked cheese around the baked eggplant in the baking dish. Bake for 5 more minutes to melt the cheese.

How to Stuff the Eggplants

These eggplants are first sliced into a fan shape. Then you’ll fill each layer of eggplant with plenty of beef filling, topped with cheese. The key is to keep the stem end on the eggplant, which holds the flaps in place.

Can you freeze Stuffed Eggplants?

Yes, you can freeze these stuffed eggplants. To do so, allow the dish to cool fully to room temperature. Then cover the dish well with several layers of plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or place the eggplant in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To defrost the dish, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then place in a baking dish and reheat in a hot oven until heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly again.

What to serve with Stuffed Eggplants

This is a Mediterranean-inspired recipe, so it’s delicious with other dishes from the region. A fresh Greek salad made with ripe tomatoes and cucumbers is a nice, refreshing complement to the cheesiness of this meat dish. Or, serve a chewy grain tabbouleh salad made with plenty of parsley and grains for a healthy side dish.

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºC). Pour the minced meat into a bowl.

Step 2

Add breadcrumbs and egg, salt, pepper, and cheese. Grate the garlic, cut the basil and parsley and add to the mixture. Mix.

Step 3

Add two tablespoons of tomato sauce and mix again.

Step 4

Cut the eggplant in half. Cut slices longways in that half without cutting the top off. The eggplant should remain in a fan shape. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper on each slice.

Step 5

Place a layer of the meat mixture on each eggplant slice and add grated smoked cheese. Repeat the step with the other half of the eggplant.

Step 6

Put olive oil in an oven dish and place the eggplants on top. Add more oil to each of the eggplants. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 180ºC (356ºF).