Description
A comforting Turkish classic made with tender sautéed eggplant layered with savory ground beef, tomatoes, and peppers, all baked together until rich and bubbling. This hearty dish is full of deep flavor and perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium eggplants, sliced into 1 cm rounds
- 500 grams ground beef
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium green peppers, chopped
- 3 medium tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until soft and fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
- Stir in the chopped green peppers, grated tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the chopped parsley and remove from heat.
- In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and lightly sauté the eggplant slices on both sides until slightly golden and tender.
- Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in a wide baking dish. Spread a portion of the beef mixture over the top. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used, finishing with the beef mixture.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and fully heated through.
- Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Salt the eggplant slices and let them sit for 20 minutes before cooking to reduce bitterness.
- Allow the dish to rest after baking for cleaner slices.
- You can substitute ground lamb or turkey for the beef if desired.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg