This recipe is a staple in many households for a reason: it takes humble ingredients like eggplant and ground meat and turns them into something incredibly comforting. The traditional way to make this is to deep fry the eggplants before stuffing them, but I find that turns them into oil sponges that feel too heavy to eat on a weeknight.
Instead, I roast the eggplants first. You still get that silky, melting texture, but with a fraction of the mess. The key is the filling—a simple tomato and beef stew that seeps into the eggplant flesh as it bakes. I used to rush the “sweating” step with the salt, but don’t skip it; it removes that bitter edge that large eggplants can sometimes hide.
Ingredients
- 4 medium eggplants (look for firm ones with shiny skin)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ lb (8 oz) ground beef (or brown lentils for vegetarian)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (canned diced tomatoes work in a pinch)
- 2 green peppers (I use Italian frying peppers or bell peppers), chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup water or broth (for the pan)
- Fresh parsley or mint for garnish
- Sumac or toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the Eggplant: Wash the eggplants. I like to peel alternating strips of skin (zebra style) so they look nice and are easier to cut later. Cut a long slit down the middle of each one, but don’t cut all the way through the bottom or ends.
- Salt and Sweat: Sprinkle salt inside the slit and on the skin. Let them sit for 15 minutes. You’ll see beads of water form—wipe these off firmly with a paper towel.
- First Roast: Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the eggplants all over with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25–30 minutes until they feel soft when you poke them.
- Make the Filling: While eggplants roast, heat the rest of the oil in a skillet. Sauté onions until soft, add garlic, then the ground beef. Cook until the pink is gone. Stir in the tomatoes, peppers, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until it looks like a thick sauce.
- Stuff: Take the eggplants out (turn oven down to 375°F). Use a spoon to push the insides down, making a cavity. Fill them generously with the meat mixture.
- Final Bake: Arrange them snugly in a baking dish. Pour the ¼ cup water into the bottom of the dish—this steams them and prevents burning. Bake for 20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Texture: Roasting creates a creamy, buttery texture in the vegetable without the greasiness of frying.
- Presentation: Serving a whole stuffed vegetable always looks impressive on the plate, even though it’s actually quite rustic.
- Flavor Balance: The sweetness of the cooked peppers and onions balances the savory beef and earthiness of the eggplant perfectly.
Chef’s Tips for Perfection
- Choosing Eggplants: Try to pick eggplants that are relatively straight and uniform in size. If they are curved, they are hard to brown evenly and might tip over when stuffed.
- Vegetarian Swap: If you want to skip the meat, brown lentils or even chickpeas make a fantastic substitute. Just cook them in the tomato sauce the same way you would the beef.
- Don’t Drown It: When adding the water to the baking dish, just add enough to coat the bottom. You want to steam them gently, not boil them.
Storage and Reheating
These hold up surprisingly well in the fridge for 3–4 days. The flavors actually get a little deeper the next day. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F covered with foil so they don’t dry out, or microwave them individually.
Nutritional Notes
Eggplant is low in calories but absorbs fat easily. By roasting instead of frying, we keep the calorie count much lower (around 380 per serving depending on the beef fat content).
Roasted Stuffed Eggplant with Spiced Beef and Tomato Sauce
