Description
Minced Beef and Eggplant is a savory and hearty dish featuring tender eggplant and seasoned ground beef cooked together in a rich, aromatic tomato-based sauce. Perfect over rice, couscous, or with flatbread.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large eggplant, diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb (450g) minced beef
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced eggplant and cook for 5–7 minutes until browned and softened. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the minced beef, breaking it up with a spatula, and cook until browned and no longer pink.
- Add cumin, cinnamon, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the meat evenly in the spices.
- Return the eggplant to the skillet, then add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- This dish can be served with rice, couscous, or even mashed potatoes for a hearty meal.
- To make it lighter, substitute part of the beef with cooked lentils or use lean ground meat.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day and can be used as a filling for wraps or stuffed peppers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Sautéing and Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean / Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: minced beef and eggplant, ground beef recipe, eggplant stew, Mediterranean beef dish, beef skillet dinner