Turkish-Style Eggplants with Ground Meat
Juicy, appetizing, and very filling - perfect for the festive table. Turkish-style eggplants with ground meat take some time but are quite simple to make. During the fresh vegetable season, it’s a great way to treat family and guests to a bright, flavorful oriental dish.
Updated : 08 September, 2025
Easy
About 45 min.
Ingredients
3
Eggplant
50 milliliters
Vegetable oil
0.5 teaspoon
Basil
Filling
500 grams
Ground meat
150 grams
Tomato
1
Onion
3
Garlic
2 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
5 grams
Basil
5 grams
Mayoran
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Keep in mind that the exact amount of ingredients depends on the size of your eggplants. I used medium-sized ones, not too long. If you have leftover filling, you can add it to soup.
Step 2
Wash and dry the eggplants. Peel the skin off in strips, alternating with areas of intact peel. Make a deep lengthwise cut in each eggplant without cutting through.
Step 3
Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Then rinse and pat dry. Note: sometimes there’s no need to remove bitterness, especially in young or special varieties that are not bitter.
Step 4
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the eggplants on all sides until soft and golden. Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Step 5
Transfer the eggplants to a baking sheet lined with foil. Gently spread the cut edges apart to form a cavity.
Step 6
Prepare ingredients for the filling. You can use any ground meat: lamb, beef, pork, or a mixture.
Step 7
Peel tomatoes and dice them finely. To peel easily, score shallow crosses on the skin and blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. The skin will come off easily.
Step 8
Dice the onion finely.
Step 9
Peel and chop the garlic finely.
Step 10
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent.
Step 11
Add ground meat and garlic, stir to break up clumps. Simmer, stirring, for 15-20 minutes.
Step 12
Add chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until excess liquid evaporates.
Step 13
At the end, season the filling with herbs, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
Step 14
Stuff the eggplants with the filling. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 25-30 minutes.
Step 15
Sprinkle the cooked Turkish-style eggplants with chopped fresh herbs and serve. Enjoy!