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!
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.
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!
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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Yoghurt , plain thick (Note 1)
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Mix the Chermoula Paste ingredients together in a small bowl.
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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.
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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.
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Meanwhile, heat a non stick fry pan over high heat. Add pine nuts and quickly toast until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
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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.
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Remove beef from the stove. Mix through pine nuts and cilantro/coriander. Set aside.
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Salad: Combine ingredients in a bowl.
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Pile beef onto eggplants. Serve with salad on the side, yoghurt to dollop on the eggplant and extra lemon wedges.
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!
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!)
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!
Glad you enjoyed this one Katy!! N x
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?
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
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
Hi June! You just mix it in with the other Chermoula paste ingredients 🙂 N x
Whole? Do you grate it, or chop it?
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!
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
Not at all June, my fault, I should have clarified 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!!