Tender roasted eggplant boats filled with aromatic ground meat and topped with luscious béchamel sauce and a golden layer of cheese. A dish found on tables across Greece because it's pure Mediterranean comfort food in every bite.
Eggplant doesn't get enough credit for it's textural adaptability and capacity to absorb tons of flavor. But this Greek-style recipe really highlights those wonderful characteristics of eggplant, a much loved vegetable in traditional Greek cuisine.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
In Greek cuisine, stuffed eggplants—known as melitzanes gemistes—are a traditional and versatile dish, the exact composition of which varies across regions and households.
This take on the classic features a hearty meat-forward filling that's made extra luscious by the addition of the carved out eggplant pieces, cooked down and softened to a silky finish.
The hollowed-out eggplant boats serve as a delicious vessel for the meat filling, roasting to soft perfection while absorbing the aromas of the flavoring ingredients - onions, garlic, and tomatoes, seasoned with classic oregano, plus a touch of cinnamon to enhance the warmth.
Finally, the topping of béchamel and grated hard cheese adds a luxurious creaminess that browns beautifully in the oven.
Whether you're feeding a cozy table for two or larger gathering, this recipe is the kind of dish that everyone will love to the last bite.
Ingredients for Greek-Style Stuffed Eggplant Boats
Eggplant:
- Eggplants: The main vegetable used to create the "boats" for the stuffing, adding texture and absorbing the savory filling.
Filling:
- Ground Beef: The meaty base for the filling, offering rich flavor.
- Aromatics: Yellow onion (finely diced) for sweet earthiness and minced garlic for umami.
- Tomato: finely diced whole tomato for moisture and tanginess plus tomato paste to deepen the umami flavor.
- Olive Oil: Used to sauté the filling ingredients.
- Seasoning: Salt, black pepper, and dried oregano make up the earthy, savory base - a touch of cinnamon adds warmth and complexity.
- Sugar: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Egg White: Binds the filling together.
Topping:
- Béchamel sauce (butter, flour, milk, egg yolk, salt, nutmeg): A creamy, smooth sauce that complements the savory filling.
- Greek Kefalotiri or parmesan cheese: A sharp cheese that adds flavor and a crispy golden crust when baked.
- Fresh parsley: Finely chopped fresh parsley brings a nice contrast of freshness and color.
How to Make Ground Beef Stuffed Eggplants
Prepare the eggplants:
Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the center, creating shallow “boats.”
Lightly salt them and let them sit while you prepare the filling in order to draw out extra moisture and any bitterness.
For extra creaminess (and hidden veg!) in the meat sauce, chop up the scooped out eggplant center so it can be cooked down and included in the filling. This is optional but really adds a nice texture to the filling.
Make the beef filling:
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, then add garlic and cook for a minute more until aromatic. Add the chopped eggplant, cover and cook down until soft and reduced. Again this is optional but highly recommended.
Stir in the rest of the filling ingredients all at once (the ground meat, tomato, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and sugar).
Simmer until most of the moisture evaporates, then set aside to cool while you make the béchamel.
Make the béchamel:
In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Slowly add milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Once it's thickened, remove from heat and stir in salt and nutmeg.
Assemble and bake:
Stir the egg yolk into the béchamel and the egg white into the filling.
If the filling is still hot you can also temper the egg white (add ½ cup or so of the hot filling to it little by little until you have a slurry - then mix that back into the main filling.) Set aside.
Pat each eggplant boat dry and then fill with the meat mixture. Swirl about a ¼-1/2 cup of water in the pan to get all the sauce and then pour it into the roasting dish around the eggplant.
Spoon béchamel over the top, and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 180°C (360°F) for 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Substitutions & Variations
Using Zucchini Instead of Eggplant:
Zucchini makes a very good substitute for eggplant in this recipe (or why not do both in one roasting dish). Follow the same directions as for eggplant.
Note that since zucchini has a higher water content than eggplant, they will have a slightly firmer texture. If you want them more tender and soft, you may want to lightly salt and roast them for about 10–15 minutes before filling to avoid sogginess. If using zucchini you may want to do this while you make the filling for more efficient timing.
Other Ground Meat Options:
Not a fan of beef? You can easily swap in other ground meats.
Ground lamb offers a richer, more traditional Greek flavor. Ground turkey or chicken are leaner options that still pair very well with the spices and béchamel. Just be sure to adjust seasoning slightly to taste, as lean meats can be milder in flavor.
Add Rice or Bulgur for a One Pot Meal:
Replace either the chopped eggplant or 50 grams of ground beef (one fifth of the whole amount) with about a half cup of rice (or bulgur) and a quarter cup of water to make it a one pot meal.
Serving Suggestion
Greek-style stuffed eggplant is perfect on its own or served alongside traditional Mediterranean dishes. For a bright palate cleansing contrast pair it with a fresh Greek salad, made with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and Kalamata olives, dressed with olive oil and lemon.
If you're looking for more sides, try lemon feta orzo, or a serving of warm pita bread to soak up any leftover sauce. For dessert, finish off the meal with classic baklava (or take a shortcut with easy puff pastry baklava) for a sweet, flaky conclusion to this Mediterranean feast.
Recipe
Stuffed Eggplants with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 2 whole eggplants
beef and tomato filling
- 225 grams ground beef about ½ lb
- ¾ cup yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or mashed
- 1 large tomato finely diced
- 1 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon sugar
- pinch cinnamon
- 1 egg white
bechamel
- 500 ml milk approximately 2 cups
- 50 grams flour approximately 6 tablespoons
- 50 grams butter approximately 3 tablespoons
- 1 egg yolk
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon nutmeg
garnish
- ½ cup Greek kefalotiri or parmesan cheese or see recipe post for alternatives
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 360°F.
Prep the eggplants
- Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the centers to form shallow boats. Lightly salt and let sit while you prep the filling.
Optional step
- Chop the scooped-out eggplant flesh to cook into the filling for added creaminess and texture.
Make the meat filling
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic and (optionally) chopped eggplant. Cover and cook until eggplant is tender and reduced.
Add remaining filling ingredients
- Stir in ground meat, tomato, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and sugar. Simmer until most moisture evaporates. Set aside to cool.
Make the béchamel
- In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in milk and cook until thick. Remove from heat and stir in salt and nutmeg.
Finish prep
- Stir egg white into the cooled meat filling. Stir egg yolk into the béchamel. (If filling is still hot, temper the egg white first.)
Assemble
- Pat eggplant halves dry. Fill with meat mixture, top with béchamel, and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake
- Bake at 180°C (360°F) for 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let cool slightly before serving.
Garnish
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and (if you like) more cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Related Recipes on Cristina’s Kitchen
If you enjoyed this Greek-style stuffed eggplant recipe, you might also love other Mediterranean-inspired dishes from Cristina’s Kitchen.
Consider trying Chickpea Rice-Stuffed Leeks in Spiced Tomato Sauce, which offers a similar comforting, tomato-based flavor profile.
You may also like Spinach-Artichoke Quiche with Feta and Sundried Tomato, a savory and satisfying dish that features Mediterranean ingredients like feta and sun-dried tomatoes.
Comments
No Comments