This delicious recipe is a perfect seasonal taste for summer! It uses fresh eggplant, tomatoes, basil and oregano that are abundant at the farmer’s market or even in your own backyard these days. This dish is reminiscent of lasagna, but doesn’t have any noodles. I made it with grass fed beef, but it would be equally delicious with sausage or lamb. With all the fresh ingredients it just screams summer!
What is your favorite way to prepare eggplant?
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 pound meat (grass fed beef, sausage or lamb)
- 1 3/4 cups diced tomatoes (with juices) or 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pasta sauce
- 1™ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Peel eggplant and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add eggplant slices and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Drain well!
- Melt butter over medium high in a skillet. Add chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in beef and continue cooking until the beef is cooked through. Stir in diced tomatoes, sauce, and spices and mix well.
- Arrange half the eggplant slices in an 8x8 inch pan. Spread half the sauce over the eggplant and top with half the cheese. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices and tomato mixture. Reserve the rest of the cheese.
- Cover pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 5-10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted.
adapted from about.com
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http://thischickcooks.net/2012/06/25/beef-tomato-and-eggplant-bake-like-grain-free-lasagna/
sounds delicious!! i love eggplant! i must say, i make a pretty mean vegan/gf eggplant “parmesan” :) haha
I don’t see the recipe — am I missing it? Would love to try it..
Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Lisa! I’ve got it fixed now :)
What a great idea! Great use of eggplant, which I don’t always like….
Lisa, I stumbled onto the recipe by scrolling down past the first 2 photos to the line that says “What is your favorite way to prepare eggplant?” Below that is another line of 4 photos and just below that on the left side of the window is a “page 1 2″. Click on the 2 and you will see the recipe.
Thanks, Bob. I’ve got it fixed to show up correctly. I appreciate your help with the issue. Have a nice day!
I just bought to gorgeous eggplants at the market. This looks wonderful.
What a great way to serve eggplant! Growing up, I didn’t eat eggplant, ever, because my family didn’t like it. One of my former roommates introduced me to eggplant, and I’ve been looking for recipes that include eggplant ever since. Bookmarked!
This looks great, too.
This bake looks absolutely fabulous. I love using eggplants with tomatoes. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe on Allergy-Free Wednesdays!
[...] Beef, Tomato and Eggplant Bake | This Chick Cooks In Main Course On June 25th, 2012 This delicious recipe is a perfect seasonal taste for summer! Part of the pleasure for me of tucking into a lovely, hearty, saucy lasagna is the surprise of what I’ll find inside. The hot layers hold within them all sorts of delicious little morsels that entice me bite after bite—the al dente noodles, the savory, robust sauce, the little bits of vegetables and meats, the fresh herbs and the bubbly, melted cheeses—playfully keeping me guessing what my next delightful bite will contain. [...]