Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Turkey

Name: Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Turkey
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3-4 medium eggplants (about 3 inches wide by 5 inches long) (1400 g); 1 lb ground turkey (also works with ground lamb, beef, plant-based meat, or 2 cups cooked lentils) (454 g); 1 onion, diced (150 g); 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped (20 g); 1½ tsp salt (9 g); ½ tsp pepper (1 g); ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (0.5 g); 1 tsp cumin (2 g); ¾ tsp allspice (1.5 g); ½ tsp ground coriander (1.3 g); ½ tsp sumac (1 g); ½ tsp cinnamon (1 g); ¼ tsp ground cloves (0.6 g); ¼ tsp ground cardamom (0.5 g); ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (0.5 g); 2 medium tomatoes, diced (1½ cups) plus their juices (240 g); 2 cups cooked basmati rice (370 g); ¼ cup fresh dill (4 g); ¼ cup fresh mint (or flat-leaf parsley) (4 g); ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, optional (save 1 tablespoon for garnish) (34 g); 2 tbsp tomato paste (32 g); 2 cups broth (chicken, vegetable, or water with a pinch of salt) (480 g); ¼ tsp allspice (0.5 g); ¼ tsp cumin (0.5 g); Fresh dill and mint

Eggplant shells with spiced turkey and rice, braised.

Serves 6Total 1 hr 30 min

Scale

Method

Step 1 done
Scoop out the eggplant flesh, leaving about ½ inch thickness on all sides: run a knife around the edges, crosshatch the interior, then spoon out the flesh. Season the shells with and and set aside. Finely chop the scooped-out flesh along with the and . Preheat oven to 400F.
Step 2 done
In a large oven-proof braiser, saute the ground and onions over medium heat 4-5 minutes until fragrant. Add the diced eggplant flesh and ; cook until the eggplant turns translucent. Drain excess fat if desired. Season with the and all the spices. Add the with their juices, cover, and cook a few minutes until they break down into the meat.
Step 3 done
Transfer the meat mixture to a bowl and combine with the rice, fresh herbs, and optional (reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish). Stir and adjust and spices to taste. For a lentil version, add a drizzle of olive oil for richness.
Step 4 done
In the same pan, heat the , , and spices, whisking while scraping up any browned bits. Wipe the pan sides with a wet paper towel if needed, then turn off the heat.
Step 5 done
Divide the filling among the eggplant shells, pressing gently and mounding to use it all. Nestle the in the ; it should reach about ¼ to ½ inch up the sides. Add more broth if needed.
Step 6 done
Bake covered at 400F for 40-45 minutes, until the eggplant is fork-tender and the filling reaches 145F. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes more until golden.
Step 7 done
Garnish with fresh , , and the reserved .

Nutrition

Variations

For more protein, use 1½ lb ground turkey bound with a beaten egg, plus a full ⅓ cup pine nuts, and bump the cumin to 1 tsp.

Notes

Swap the ground turkey for ground lamb, beef, plant-based meat, or 2 cups cooked lentils (add a drizzle of olive oil for the lentil version). Mint can be replaced with flat-leaf parsley, and the pine nuts are optional.

Adapted from Feasting at Home.

Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Turkey

Ingredients

Eggplant and Filling

Tomato Broth

Garnish

Method

Nutrition

Variations

Notes