Do this irresistible, easy recipe for stuffed eggplant: oven-roasted eggplant halves topped with Moroccan spiced lamb or beef. Low-cal, low-carb, low effort and totally scrumptious!
Moroccan stuffed eggplant
You’ll usually hear me declaring fairly passionately that I feel eggplant is without doubt one of the most underrated greens round. They’re low-cost. They’re meaty. They usually’re fabulously versatile, utilized in cuisines worldwide like Asian, Italian, Greek and Indian, ready via numerous cooking strategies together with frying, steaming, roasting and simmering.
Right this moment, we’re smearing, roasting and stuffing. Nicely, topping, not scooping-and-stuffing, in a fashion that provides it a semi-stuffed vibe. Consider this as a mid-week tackle conventional stuffed eggplant dishes you discover in Arabic delicacies that entails hollowing out eggplants, stuffing with rice, meat, herbs and nuts, usually baked in a tomato sauce. Sounds magnificent, doesn’t it? And it’s. however there’s much more pots and pans concerned! We’re going easy at the moment. You may make this tonight, after work!!
Good shut up of mentioned comfortable juicy eggplant!
Substances in Moroccan stuffed eggplant
The bottom flavouring for this Moroccan stuffed eggplant is a do-it-yourself Chermoula spice combine which does double obligation because the spice paste for the eggplant in addition to flavouring the meat filling.
Chermoula spice combine
Chermoula is a Center Japanese / African spice combine that is available in each moist paste and dry spice combine kind. We’re utilizing the dry mix at the moment.
The spices – Nearly all of the spices are pantry staples, however don’t make a particular journey out in case you’re lacking one or two…and even three! There’s sufficient within the mix that you would be able to substitute with one thing else – ideas are within the recipe notes.
Olive oil and lemon juice – These are used to make the paste. I like to make use of lemon juice so as to add a little bit of tang in addition to slicing down on the oil required to make a smear-able paste.
The meat filling (lamb or beef)
Right here’s what you must make the meat filling. You should use lamb or beef, although if I had my decide I’d select lamb because it’s a basic pairing with Center Japanese flavours.
3 teaspoons of the Chermoula spice mix is used to flavour the filling. Along with this, now we have garlic and onion for aromatics, and somewhat tomato paste to bind the filling collectively.
The eggplant
Select eggplants round 250g/8oz and 17cm/7″ lengthy. Don’t fear about precise dimension – regulate toppings accordingly. If you find yourself with bigger eggplants, the topping layer may be barely thinner, however the dish will nonetheless be filled with taste.
Salt helps take away moisture from eggplants. Extra on this beneath!
Toppings
And lastly, the toppings! It actually finishes this dish so I urge you to make use of them. The pine nuts are an ideal crowning glory, although different nuts will make an sufficient substitute (almonds, macadamia, walnuts, or seeds).
For those who’re anti-coriander/cilantro, change with parsley!
Find out how to make Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant
As talked about above, I name it stuffed as a result of describing it as a “topped” eggplant simply doesn’t appear to seize the essence of this dish. 😂 However truly, it’s not correctly stuffed – which implies no scooping mandatory, which implies it’s simpler to make. Win!
Sweating the eggplant (really helpful)
Sweating the eggplant to take away extra water is a really helpful however not important step. It seasons the flesh in addition to drawing out extra water that in any other case swimming pools within the eggplant which dilutes flavour whenever you’re consuming it. However you may largely get round this downside by merely slicing slits within the pores and skin to let the water escape because it roasts.
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Reduce the eggplant in half lengthwise. Maintain the cap/stem in tact and reduce via it, it helps maintain the eggplant collectively as soon as roasted and comfortable.
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Diamonds – Utilizing a small sharp knife, reduce 2.5cm/1″ diamonds into the flesh, slicing down so far as you might be snug with out piercing the flesh.
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The mentioned diamonds!
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Salt – Sprinkle the floor with salt and rub it in. It’s good to get it into the slits however even in case you simply rub the floor, the salt will make it’s method into the slits.
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Sweat for half-hour. I put the eggplant the other way up in a colander to permit the water to drip out.
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Squeeze like sponge to take away the surplus water then pat the floor dry.
Making the “stuffed” eggplant
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Combine the Chermoula spice mix in a bowl. Measure out 3 teaspoons and put aside for the meat.
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Paste – Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining chermoula and blend to kind a paste.
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Smear the paste onto the floor of the eggplant.
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Roast for 45 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) or till the eggplant is softened. Typically it takes longer – don’t neglect to examine the perimeters.
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Spiced meat – A fast prepare dinner! Sauté the garlic and onion, the prepare dinner the lamb with the reserve Chermoula spice mix. Lastly, add the tomato paste and water to make the filling “juicy” (quite than dry and crumbly).
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Assemble – High the roasted eggplant with the lamb filling. Dollop on yogurt, sprinkle with pine nuts and coriander then dig in!
This recipe is designed to be a beneficiant dinner for two with a small facet salad, or 4 as a meal with a starch (flatbread, couscous) and a considerable facet (like Honey Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad, roast veg, chickpea salad), or 4 as a beneficiant starter.
For the eggplant alone, it’s a mere 450 energy for an entire eggplant (ie 2 halves). To be sincere, that alone makes for a satisfying meal – you may have protein and greens coated! Although I do like so as to add one thing contemporary on the facet, even when it’s just a few contemporary cucumber and tomato.
So, it’s low calorie, low carb, easy to make and a one thing totally different to make with beef mince quite than the standard Spag Bol. What do you suppose?? Really feel like giving giving this a go? I HOPE SO! – Nagi x
Watch the way to make it
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Straightforward Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook dinner: 40 minutes
Complete: 55 minutes
Dinner
Center Japanese
Servings2 – 4
Faucet or hover to scale
Substances
Chermoula spice combine (Observe 2)
Spiced beef or Lamb topping
Directions
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Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
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Sweat eggplants (really helpful, see Observe 5 to skip) – Reduce eggplants in half then rating with 2.5cm / 1″ diamonds. Rub floor with salt, getting some into the slits. Place face down in a colander and put aside for half-hour. Gently squeeze like a sponge to take away extra water, pat floor dry.
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Combine Chermoula spice combine elements in a bowl. Take away 3 teaspoons for the meat and put aside. Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining spice combine and blend right into a paste.
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Roast eggplant – Slather spice combine onto the eggplants. Roast for 45 minutes till softened.
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Spiced topping – Warmth oil in a non stick skillet over medium excessive warmth. Cook dinner onion and garlic for 1 minute. Flip warmth as much as excessive, add lamb and prepare dinner, breaking it up as you go, till you not see purple. Add reserved spices and salt, then prepare dinner for an extra 1 minute. Add tomato paste and prepare dinner for 1 minute. Stir in water, prepare dinner for 1 minute till it is juicy however not watery.
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Assemble – High eggplant with beef combination. Sprinkle over coriander, dollop with yogurt and pine nuts. End with an additional drizzle of additional virgin olive oil, if desired!
Recipe Notes:
2. Spice subs – With so many on this spice combine, it’s positive in case you’re lacking one…and even three! Simply dial up among the others to make up for flavour. Particular subs:
- All spice – combined spice
- Garlic powder – onion powder, or contemporary garlic
- Ginger – extra garlic
- Turmeric powder – saffron
- Cinnamon – extra all spice
3. Tomato paste – or sub water + paste with 1/4 cup crushed tomato or passata. I provide this as a suggestion as I all the time appear to have a partial bottle of passata within the fridge!
4. Toasting pinenuts – Small skillet, no oil, medium warmth, toss till golden and smells toasty. Take away from pan right away.
5. Eggplant sweating – Attracts out extra water so that you don’t find yourself with water within the eggplant halves that dilutes consuming flavour. Eradicating bitterness from eggplant – typically talking, this has been bred out of eggplants bought today. I’ve by no means had an issue.
Don’t have time to sweat? Simply reduce 2 x 3cm/1″ slits within the pores and skin so the water escapes whereas roasting. Additionally, anticipate so as to add 5 to 10 min to roasting time.
This recipe requires floor chilli powder, not Chilli Powder as bought in America which is a mixture of different spices. In Australia, Chilli Powder bought in supermarkets is obvious floor dried chilli which is what’s required for this recipe. Cayenne pepper is an ideal substitute.
6. Yogurt tip – To make the yoghurt even tastier, combine 1/4 cup of yoghurt with 1/2 garlic clove, minced, a small squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Put aside for half-hour to let the flavours develop. I do that for firm. 🙂
Leftovers will maintain for 3 days within the fridge.
Diet per serving, utilizing lean beef – 2 eggplant halves (i.e. one entire eggplant) per serving. It is a satisfying meal even by itself!
Diet Data:
Serving: 536gEnergy: 450cal (23%)Carbohydrates: 22g (7%)Protein: 32g (64%)Fats: 28g (43%)Saturated Fats: 5g (31%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 5gMonounsaturated Fats: 15gTrans Fats: 0.4gLdl cholesterol: 78mg (26%)Sodium: 1594mg (69%)Potassium: 1206mg (34%)Fiber: 9g (38%)Sugar: 11g (12%)Vitamin A: 297IU (6%)Vitamin C: 13mg (16%)Calcium: 61mg (6%)Iron: 5mg (28%)
Initially revealed in March 2016. Majority spruced up in 2023 with a greater, extra streamlined recipe with higher flavour, glowing new pictures and a model new recipe video!
Proof of eggplant fondness
Lifetime of Dozer
Can’t even whiteboard recipe concepts with out Mr D hovering round.
