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Home Quick and Easy

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef

By:Nagi
Published:30 Mar '16Updated:24 May '21
83 Comments
Recipe v

Eggplant smeared with Chermoula, a simple Middle Eastern Moroccan spice paste made with everyday spices, baked until crispy on the surface and molten inside, then topped with a delicious spiced minced / ground beef. At 459 calories a serving, this Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef is one of those simple, amazing meals that just happens to be healthy!

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef with cucumber and tomato salad

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef

I promised you more recipes that taste amazing, are satisfying and yet low in calories. And this one hits it out of the park.

Other than using lean ground beef (mince), I didn’t do anything to convert this into a “skinny” version. This is simply how I make it.

The key is the baked eggplant has been smeared with a Middle Eastern spice called Chermoula before cooking. I use a recipe very slightly adapted from this one by Yotam Ottlenghi, from his cookbook Jerusalem which happens to be one of my all time favorites.

When you cut into the surface of an eggplant, slather on the spice paste then bake it, magic happens. The eggplant becomes juicy inside and forms a beautiful crust on the surface. It’s a perfect flavour and texture combo.

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef - A simple but amazing spice mix forms the base of this incredible meal that happens to only be 460 calories a serving.

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef smeared with chermoula before baking, and result after baking

The original recipe for this baked eggplant by Yotam is vegetarian and is topped with bulgar. But I really love this topped with beef because……well, to be honest, bulgar is not a pantry staple in my household. Whereas I’m always looking for interesting ways to use ground beef!

Oh, the spice paste serves double duty here because I use it for the beef too!

Cooked ground beef mix for Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef

A dollop of yoghurt and a simple salad on the side and dinner is served.

460 calories for this entire plate. Can you believe that? It’s really satisfying. You won’t miss carbs because it’s so substantial – it’s 2 eggplant halves per person. It’s loaded with flavour, different textures, and I really think this is a unique way to use run-of-the-mill ground beef to make something a little different and yet is so easy to make.

Happy hump-day everyone! Counting down the days until the weekend! – Nagi x


More ways with eggplant

  • Greek Moussaka (Eggplant Beef Bake) – the Greek version of Italian lasagna, made with layers of eggplant instead of pasta sheets. Epic!

  • Grilled Eggplant with Yoghurt Sauce – simple and fabulous!

  • Grilled Miso Glazed Japanese Eggplant – caramelised with a Japanese miso glaze!

  • Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant with Couscous – slathered with Middle Eastern price rub and roasted until tender

  • Eggplant is also commonly used in Thai Red and Green Curry

  • Indian style Eggplant Curry

  • Eggplant Parmigiana

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef with yoghurt topping and cucumber tomato sald

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Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef with yoghurt topping and cucumber tomato salad

Moroccan Baked Eggplant with Beef

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 55 mins
Dinner
Middle Eastern
4.85 from 19 votes
Servings2
Tap or hover to scale
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  • 55
A delicious, unique, EASY way to serve up eggplant and minced / ground beef! The spice mix is adapted from one by the great Yotam Ottolenghi from his fabulous cookbook "Jerusalem".

Ingredients

Chermoula Paste

  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 2 tsp each cumin and coriander powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp pure chili powder (Note 1) (or cayenne pepper), adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • Rind of 1 lemon (use fine grater)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Eggplant

  • 2 medium eggplants , about 20cm/8" long (Note 1)
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 1/2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 small onion , finely diced
  • 200 g beef mince , lean
  • 1 tbsp cilantro/coriander , finely chopped

Salad

  • 1 tomato , deseeded and diced
  • 1 cucumber , small, diced
  • 1 tsp cilantro/coriander , finely chopped
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • Pinch of sumac (optional)
  • Salt and pepper

To Serve

  • Yoghurt , plain thick (Note 1)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Mix the Chermoula Paste ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Cut each eggplant in half horizontally, then use a small knife to cut diamonds into it without piercing the flesh. Turn the eggplant over and make 2 x 1cm / 1/3" incisions in the skin of each eggplant - excess water seeps out while roasting.
  • RESERVE 2 teaspoons of the Chermoula Paste and slather the rest onto the surface of the eggplant. Place onto a baking tray, spray with olive oil (or other oil or drizzle with oil) and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until eggplant is soft and cooked through and the surface is nice and crusty. Remove from oven.
  • Meanwhile, heat a non stick fry pan over high heat. Add pine nuts and quickly toast until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
  • Add 1/2 tbsp olive oil into the skillet and heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Then add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go. When the beef is mostly cooked, but still has bits of pink, add the reserved 2 tsp of Chermoula. Cook until the beef is browned and fragrant - about 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Remove beef from the stove. Mix through pine nuts and cilantro/coriander. Set aside.
  • Salad: Combine ingredients in a bowl.
  • Pile beef onto eggplants. Serve with salad on the side, yoghurt to dollop on the eggplant and extra lemon wedges.

Recipe Notes:

1. This recipe calls for ground chilli powder, not Chilli Powder as sold in America which is a mix of other spices. In Australia, Chilli Powder sold in supermarkets is plain ground dried chilli which is what is required for this recipe. Cayenne pepper is a perfect substitute.
2. 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.
3. Nutrition per serving - 2 eggplant halves (i.e. one whole eggplant) per serving, plus side salad. The serving size is quite generous - this is a very satisfying meal!
Middle Eastern Eggplant with Beef Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 536gCalories: 459cal (23%)Carbohydrates: 21.7g (7%)Protein: 34.8g (70%)Fat: 27.7g (43%)Saturated Fat: 5.1g (32%)Cholesterol: 89mg (30%)Sodium: 659mg (29%)Potassium: 1240mg (35%)Fiber: 8.9g (37%)Sugar: 10.5g (12%)Vitamin A: 450IU (9%)Vitamin C: 26.4mg (32%)Calcium: 60mg (6%)Iron: 20.2mg (112%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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83 Comments

  1. Mike says

    May 28, 2022 at 8:39 pm

    5 stars
    Yum!!! I only had chicken mince and was missing pine nuts so used chopped walnuts instead plus finely chopped mushrooms and green peppers which I sautĂ©ed with the onion and garlic – delicious!!

    Reply
  2. Amy Morgan says

    May 20, 2022 at 10:18 am

    5 stars
    So yummy!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 20, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      Thank you Amy! I am glad that you liked it!! N x

      Reply
  3. Jennifer G Weigel says

    August 26, 2021 at 2:13 am

    5 stars
    I love this Moroccan eggplant. The second time I made it I changed it a bit. I made a double batch of the paste ( 1/2 for thick rounds of eggplant, 1/2 for roasted chicken breast, chopped in bite sized pieces, (coated the chicken in paste ). Baked together, served over couscous and topped with feta and Greek yogurt.

    Reply
  4. Jackie Hadj Hamou says

    June 29, 2021 at 4:14 am

    5 stars
    Nagi Nagi Nagi !!!!
    This is amazing!! All my friends know that everything i cook virtually comes from you here in France! We love you !

    Reply
  5. Ulrike says

    November 2, 2020 at 2:39 am

    5 stars
    Loved this moroccan spiced dish. The smell of the chermoula paste made my mouth water well before the meal was ready. Made double so the next day I heated up the minced beef with some red wine, passata and rice and placed the re-heated aubergine on top. Divine!

    Reply
  6. Sophie says

    October 1, 2020 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Will be making again and again.
    Adding lemon juice and garlic to the yoghurt makes a big difference for the whole dish – glad I noticed that tip in the notes

    Reply
  7. sheena says

    June 4, 2020 at 8:31 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for another delicious recipe

    Reply
  8. Fardeenah says

    April 4, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    This look like a great recipe Nagi. Thanks for all the great suggestions and recipes regarding the meal planning at the moment; it’s super super helpful. For this recipe, I don’t have pine nuts at home. Is there any other nuts I can substitute it with?

    Reply
  9. Ai says

    January 2, 2020 at 10:01 am

    5 stars
    thank you for your great recipe, I wish I can bring you all my home grown vege every day so useful , they are growing so much, I use them all in all your recipe. so yummy

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 3, 2020 at 12:39 pm

      I love homegrown veggies! I’m hoping to set up a veggie patch soon 🙂

      Reply
  10. Yasmeen says

    December 23, 2019 at 3:54 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for another great recipe! Easy to follow instructions and fast cleanup is a bonus,
    I doubled the amount and added a side of rice, was perfect for my family of 4. My kids who aren’t big eggplant fans ate it all up. Big thumbs up from me 🙂

    Reply
  11. Rimz says

    September 25, 2019 at 9:48 pm

    Hi Nagi no video for this recipe ?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 26, 2019 at 7:56 pm

      Not just yet Rimz!

      Reply
  12. Mike says

    August 4, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    Hi Nagi, this looks great and I going to try this very soon but I always thought you needed to salt eggplant to get the acids out before cooking – do you normally do this? If so, why does this recipe not need this to be done? Just curious as I have always salted them in the past only because every recipe seems to say to do that.

    Also, when you say the rind of one lemon do you mean zest or the actual rind? It’s a bit confusing so could you clarify please?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 4, 2019 at 11:48 pm

      Hi Mike, you can salt if you prefer but I don’t find it necessary for the eggplants we have here, as they aren’t bitter. Also yes, the zest of one lemon – N x

      Reply
      • Mike says

        August 6, 2019 at 9:30 pm

        4 stars
        Thanks Nagi – just finished eating this and really enjoyed it. This will definitely be cooked again 🙂

        Reply
  13. WesternWilson says

    January 31, 2019 at 1:25 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi, this was **incredible**!!! I am not an eggplant fan but in this recipe it is buttery, melt-in-your-mouth delishuss. Thankyou.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 31, 2019 at 6:20 pm

      I’m so glad I’ve converted you! 🙌🙌

      Reply
  14. Rochelle Kay says

    October 28, 2018 at 12:34 am

    5 stars
    This was so delicious! I am always hesitant when trying new types of cuisine, but I do like Moroccan cuisine so far. My husband loved this recipe! (PS: your recipes never disappoint!)

    Reply
  15. Katy Ionis says

    October 9, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    5 stars
    Yumm, made this tonight and we loved it!! I had pretty large eggplants so I doubled the meat, and chermoula recipes for the two eggplants. I added a good deal more seasoning to the beef (more cumin, coriander, cayenne, plus aleppo pepper and pomegranate molasses). Also maybe due to the size of the eggplant they took close to 50 minutes to cook through and I turned up the heat higher partway through to help them along. We loved the way the chermoula crisped up on the eggplant and all of it together was delicious!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 12, 2018 at 1:33 pm

      Glad you enjoyed this one Katy!! N x

      Reply
  16. marsha steffen says

    February 10, 2018 at 11:17 pm

    Hi Nagi, I just found your recipe in a popsugar article and it sounds really tasty. I’m cooking for one so do you think the prepared meat topping would freeze well? Also, what type of chilli is in your ground chilli powder? I have ground ancho on hand…so you think this would this work?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 12, 2018 at 10:21 am

      Hi Marsha! Yep, the topping will most definitely keep well! Ancho will work great with this, it will add a beautiful smokey element 🙂 YUM! N x

      Reply
  17. June Sanford says

    May 7, 2016 at 8:26 am

    I can’t figure out what to do with the lemon rind listed in the recipe for the paste.

    I made your recipe for enchiladas yesterday and it was delicious

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 9, 2016 at 3:58 pm

      Hi June! You just mix it in with the other Chermoula paste ingredients 🙂 N x

      Reply
      • JuneC says

        May 11, 2016 at 9:18 am

        Whole? Do you grate it, or chop it?

        Reply
        • Nagi says

          May 13, 2016 at 1:09 pm

          Hi June! I grate the rind off using a fine grater 🙂 That’s what gets mixed into the paste. I will clarify that step in the recipe!

          Reply
          • June says

            May 14, 2016 at 4:09 am

            Thanks. That is what I thought should be done with it but I wanted confirmation. You must have a lot of very experienced cooks that visit your site, no one, except me, questioned you.

            Thanks again
            June

          • Nagi says

            May 14, 2016 at 11:18 am

            Not at all June, my fault, I should have clarified 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!!

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