Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)

Name: Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 2 - 4
Ingredients: 2 x 250g/8oz eggplants; 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 1/2 tsp EACH coriander, paprika; 1 tsp cumin; 3/4 tsp All Spice powder; 1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, ginger, turmeric powder; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 garlic clove; 1/2 onion; 250g / 8oz beef or lamb mince; 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt; 2 tsp tomato paste; 1/4 cup water; yoghurt; 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves; 2 tbsp pinenuts

User Reviews

4.9

207 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Eggplant sweating
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings
2 - 4
Calories
450 kcal
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
Middle Eastern

Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)

Paige Becker

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Recipe video above. A delicious, unique, EASY way to serve up eggplant and minced / ground beef or lamb! Think of this as a midweek take on traditional Arabic stuffed eggplant that's usually hollowed out.Don't worry if you don't have every single spice. There's so many in this spice mix, it will still be tasty even if you're missing one...or two, even three!Serves 2 as a main with a small side salad, or 4 as a meal with a starch (flatbread, couscous) and a substantial side (like this Pumpkin Salad, roast veg, chickpea salad), or 4 as a generous starter.

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Ingredients

Servings

Eggplant

2 x 250g/8oz eggplants (aubergines), ~17cm/7" long (Note 1)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (or more oil)

Chermoula spice mix (Note 2)

1 1/2 tsp EACH coriander, paprika
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp All Spice powder
1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, ginger, turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Spiced beef or Lamb topping

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove , finely minced
1/2 onion , finely chopped
250g / 8oz beef or lamb mince , lean if you can (chicken, turkey, pork also ok)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
2 tsp tomato paste (Note 3)
1/4 cup water

To Serve

yoghurt , plain
2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped (sub parsley)
2 tbsp pinenuts , toasted (Note 4)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
Sweat eggplants (recommended, see Note 5 to skip) - Cut eggplants in half then score with 2.5cm / 1" diamonds. Rub surface with salt, getting some into the slits. Place face down in a colander and set aside for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze like a sponge to remove excess water, pat surface dry.
Mix Chermoula spice mix ingredients in a bowl. Remove 3 teaspoons for the meat and set aside. Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining spice mix and mix into a paste.
Roast eggplant - Place eggplant on baking tray. Slather spice mix onto the surface. Roast for 45 minutes until softened.
Spiced topping - Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 1 minute. Turn heat up to high, add lamb/beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red. Add reserved spices and salt, then cook for a further 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in water, cook for 1 minute until it's juicy but not watery.
Assemble - Top eggplant with beef/lamb. Sprinkle over coriander, dollop with yogurt and pine nuts. Finish with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired!

Notes

Eggplant/aubergine - Don't get too hung up on eggplant size. I always provide weight and measurement because they vary so much in size - what is a "medium eggplant"??! If you have giant ones, you'll just have a thinner layer of topping (there's enough flavour in this dish you won't feel robbed). If you have tiny ones, pile it on higher or reserve leftover meat for another purpose.
Spice subs - With so many in this spice mix, it's fine if you're missing one...or even three! Just dial up some of the others to make up for flavour. Specific subs:
Garlic powder - onion powder, or fresh garlic
Ginger - more garlic
Turmeric powder - saffron
Tomato paste - or sub water + paste with 1/4 cup crushed tomato or passata. I offer this as a suggestion as I always seem to have a partial bottle of passata in the fridge!
or sub water + paste with 1/4 cup crushed tomato or passata. I offer this as a suggestion as I always seem to have a partial bottle of passata in the fridge!
Toasting pinenuts - Small skillet, no oil, medium heat, toss until golden and smells toasty. Remove from pan straight away.
Eggplant sweating - Draws out excess water so you don't end up with water in the eggplant halves that dilutes eating flavour. Removing bitterness from eggplant - generally speaking, this has been bred out of eggplants sold these days. I've never had a problem.
Don't have time to sweat? Just cut 2 x 3cm/1" slits in the skin so the water escapes while roasting. Also, expect to add 5 to 10 min to roasting time.
Yogurt tip - To make the yoghurt even tastier, mix 1/4 cup of yoghurt with 1/2 garlic clove, minced, a small squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavours develop. I do this for company. :)
Make ahead - Roast the eggplant and meat filling. Fully cool both, uncovered, then put into containers in the fridge. Re-warm both using method of choice (juice up the meat with a splash of water if needed) then assemble!
Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Not convinced cooked eggplant will freeze well but the meat will be fine for 3 months!
Nutrition per serving, using lean beef - 2 eggplant halves (i.e. one whole eggplant) per serving. This is a satisfying meal even by itself!
All spice - mixed spice
Garlic powder - onion powder, or fresh garlic
Ginger - more garlic
Turmeric powder - saffron
Cinnamon - more all spice

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 536g Calories 450cal (23%) Carbohydrates 22g (7%) Protein 32g (64%) Fat 28g (43%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 15g Trans Fat 0.4g Cholesterol 78mg (26%) Sodium 1594mg (66%) Potassium 1206mg (34%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 297IU (6%) Vitamin C 13mg (14%) Calcium 61mg (6%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2- 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 450 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	536g
Calories	450cal	23%
Carbohydrates	22g	7%
Protein	32g	64%
Fat	28g	43%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Polyunsaturated Fat	5g	29%
Monounsaturated Fat	15g	75%
Trans Fat	0.4g	20%
Cholesterol	78mg	26%
Sodium	1594mg	66%
Potassium	1206mg	26%
Fiber	9g	36%
Sugar	11g	22%
Vitamin A	297IU	6%
Vitamin C	13mg	14%
Calcium	61mg	6%
Iron	5mg	28%