Description
A comforting and elegant Mediterranean dish featuring tender eggplant boats filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, fluffy rice, fresh dill, and lemon, topped with melted feta cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggplants (about 1.5 lbs / 680g each)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (for salting eggplants)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash eggplants and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh, leaving ¼ inch attached to skin to create boats.
- Sprinkle eggplant boats with salt, place cut-side down on a baking sheet, and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out bitterness. Chop the scooped-out flesh into small cubes.
- Rinse rice under cold water. In a saucepan, combine rice, broth, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef, breaking it up, then drain excess fat. Add onion and cook until soft (3-4 minutes).
- Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in cooked rice, chopped eggplant flesh, fresh dill, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pat eggplant boats dry with paper towels. Drizzle inside with remaining olive oil. Fill boats generously with the beef and rice mixture.
- Place boats in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour ¼ cup water or broth into the bottom of the dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes until eggplant is tender.
- Sprinkle with feta cheese in the last 5 minutes of baking. Optionally broil for 1-2 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.
- Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, garnish with parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve warm.
Notes
Salting the eggplants is crucial to remove bitterness and excess moisture. Do not overcook the rice as it will continue to cook in the oven. For a vegetarian version, swap beef for lentils or mushrooms. The dish can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed eggplant h
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 520
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 22
Keywords: Mediterranean, stuffed eggplant, ground beef, rice, dinner, gluten-free, meal prep, comfort food, Greek recipe