Description
A hearty, cheesy baked casserole with tender eggplant, savory ground beef, tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants, about 700 g, diced
- 450 g ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 400 g canned diced tomatoes
- 240 mL tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 120 g shredded mozzarella
- 40 g grated Parmesan
- 30 mL olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant: Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss diced eggplant with about 15 mL olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15–20 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Cook the beef: Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and ground beef. Cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking up the beef, until browned.
- Make the sauce: Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes.
- Combine: Add the roasted eggplant to the beef mixture and gently stir to combine.
- Assemble: Transfer everything to a 23 × 33 cm baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
- Rest and serve: Let it rest for 5–10 minutes, then garnish with parsley.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, substitute ground beef with lentils or a meat alternative.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers or zucchini for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45–50 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg