Inspired by my Vegetable Beef Soup and Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup, along with my Turkish Stuffed Eggplant, this Turkish-style eggplant beef stew recipe takes home cooking to another level.
Trust the process with this one, as the low and slow cooking technique I learned from my mom is worth the wait. Love eggplant? Be sure to check out our collection of tasty eggplant recipes.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients
Many of the ingredients for this beef stew with eggplant are pantry staples, along with a few that are easy to grab on a quick trip to the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Stew meat: You can use Sirloin steak tips, or a whole boneless beef chuck roast cut into 1 – 1 ½ inch cubes.
- Aromatics: Onions and garlic give it a deep, savory flavor.
- Olive oil
- Spices and seasonings: These include ground cumin, paprika, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
- Peppers: I like jalapenos for a kick of spice or red bell peppers for mild.
- Tomatoes: We are using tomato paste and canned tomatoes (diced or crushed).
- Eggplant: Globe eggplant is the easiest to find in grocery stores and commercial varieties mean you no longer have to deal with Sweating Eggplant. But feel free to use any Type of Eggplant you love.
- Chicken stock: Homemade Chicken Stock will provide the best flavor, but a store-bought chicken broth would also work.
- Green peas: Blanched Frozen Peas or store-bought frozen peas will both work.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley or fresh oregano leaves would also work.
How to Make Eggplant Beef Stew?
This beef with aubergine recipe takes some time and patience, but your efforts will be worth it in the end. Here’s how I like to make it:
- Dry meat: Dry the stew meat with a paper towel on all sides.
- Prep meat: Set the Dutch oven over low heat and add the meat and quartered onion. Cover with the lid and let it cook for 1 hour (no peeking).
- Keep it low and slow: At the end of 1 hour, open the lid and give the meat and onions a stir. Cover again and continue to cook for another 2 hours. After 2 hours, you will see that the meat will release most of its juices. Do not be tempted to increase the heat – the beauty of this recipe is to cook it low and slow.
- Finish beef: Continue cooking the meat for another 2 hours, stirring at the end of each hour. The meat should now be super soft. There may be some liquid in the pot, depending on the stew meat, which is totally fine. Give it a taste and make sure that it is soft and not too chewy. If it is, then continue cooking for another 30 minutes to an hour.
- Remove meat: Remove the meat, onion, and all the juices from the Dutch oven into a bowl. Cover with foil to keep warm. Do not wash the Dutch oven.
- Saute aromatics and spices: In the same Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped pepper, tomato paste, ground cumin, and paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 – 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add veggies & let it simmer: Add the prepared eggplant, tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Place the beef, onion, and all of the juices back into the pot. Give it a stir and cover it with the lid. Bring it to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add peas: After the 15-minute mark, add the frozen peas. Bring it to a final boil and let it simmer until ready to serve.
- Serve: When ready to serve, remove the bay leaf. Garnish with parsley and serve.
How to Make Ahead, Store Leftovers, Reheat and Freeze?
Beef stew and eggplant can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer for longer storage. Here’s how to do it:
- Make Ahead: The stew meat and onions can be prepped and slow-cooked (steps 1-5) up to 3 days in advance. This gives you a good head start if looking to prepare the stew any night of the week.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers in 30-second increments in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove until warmed through.
- Freeze: Bring to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months.
- Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as instructed above.
What to Serve It With?
Any of my side dish recipes would pair wonderfully with this recipe. But if you are looking for some inspiration, some of my favorites include:
- Whole Grains and Pasta: Try it over Simple Wild Rice Pilaf, Lemon Garlic Quinoa, Green Pasta, or Vodka Pasta. Or try any one of our grain dishes.
- Green Salad: Serve it alongside Spring Mix Salad, Avocado Kale Salad, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, or any one of our Quinoa Salad Recipes.
- Vegetable Sides: Any of our vegetable side dishes would work, but if I am serving it throughout the summer months, I serve it with Air Fryer Corn on the Cob. If I am serving this eggplant and beef stew during the winter months, I usually pair it with Honey Maple Carrots.
Expert Tips
- So delicious, you don’t even need salt. Don’t fret about not salting the meat in the beginning. The low and slow cooking method creates meat so delicious you’ll find you will not need salt until braising.
- Keep it low and slow. Trust the process, and the meat will cook through until melt-in-your-mouth tender. Patience is a virtue with this one.
- A quick tip for preparing eggplant for cooking: As I cut eggplant, I place it in a large bowl of water with some Kosher salt to prevent the eggplant from oxidizing and turning brown.
- Use one kind of stew meat to ensure the best flavor and even cooking. As I learned from The Kitchn’s article, Best Choice of Meat for Stew, using one type of meat cut in equal sizes will ensure that you will end up with an eggplant beef stew that is evenly cooked.
- Incorporate other vegetables. Mushrooms, green beans, or potatoes can be used instead of (or in addition to) eggplant. Keep in mind, potatoes or other root vegetables might take longer to cook.
- Keep it on the smallest heat source. Use the smallest burner on the stovetop over the lowest heat setting when first cooking the meat and onions.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe in the slow cooker?
I would not recommend making this in a slow cooker (or Instant Pot) as the slow cooker is too hot, even on the low setting. The magic of this recipe is to keep it on the smallest and lowest heat source on the stove.
Can you put eggplant in beef stew?
Yes, it is one that I use in many of my stew recipes. It cooks very fast and absorbs the many delicious flavors of beef and vegetables.
How long does eggplant need to be cooked in stew?
Eggplant only takes about 15-20 minutes to cook through in stew.
Do you need to peel eggplant for stew?
No, this is a personal choice. The skin is edible, so unpeeled eggplant is just fine.
Other Beef Recipes You Might Also Like:
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Pot Roast
- Vegetable Beef Soup recipe
- Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
- Beef Stroganoff
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Eggplant Beef Stew Recipe
Yields: 6 servings
Eggplant Beef Stew served with bulgur pilaf makes a satisfying dish with tender pull-apart meat. Cooked low and slow, this Turkish style beef stew is a must try!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs stew meat Sirloin steak tips or boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 large yellow onions peeled and cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped – or bell pepper would also work
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 eggplant cut into cubes ~ 1 lb.
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz.
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 cup frozen peas no need to thaw
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley freshly chopped
- Pinch red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper if you can get your hands on it
Instructions
- Dry meat: Using paper towels, pat-dry the stew meat as much as you can.
- Cook meat: Place meat in a Dutch oven with the quartered onion over low heat. Put the lid on and let it cook for an hour without opening it. I recommend using the smallest burner on your stovetop.
- Keep it low and slow: At the end of an hour, give it a stir, put the lid back on and let it continue to cook for another two hours. At the end of two hours, you will see that the meat will release most of its juices. Do not be tempted to increase the heat or move to a larger burner; the beauty of this recipe is to cook low and slow.
- Finish beef: Continue to cook for another 2 hours, giving it a stir at the end of each hour mark. In the end, the meat should be super soft. Depending on the stew meat you are using, there may be some liquid in the pot, which is okay.
- Remove meat: Remove the meat and onion (and all the juices) from the pot into a bowl, cover with foil, and set it aside. Do not wash the dutch oven.
- Saute aromatics and spices: In the same dutch oven over medium heat, heat olive oil and add chopped pepper, tomato paste, ground cumin, and paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute.
- Add veggies: Add the cubed eggplant, tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer: Put the now-cooked beef, onion, and all of the juices back into the pot. Give it a quick stir, cover it with the lid, bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the frozen peas and let them come to one last boil.
- Serve: When ready to serve, make sure to take out the bay leaf. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Make Ahead: The stew meat and onions can be prepped and slow-cooked (steps 1-5) up to 3 days in advance. This gives you a good head start if looking to prepare the stew on a weeknight.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers in 30-second increments in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove until warmed through.
- Freeze: Bring to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months.
- Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as instructed above.
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 1025mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 601IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 5mg
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Jay
Great
I truly loved ur eggplant/ beef stew method of cooking. I liked the easy way to cook.
For those who have time to cook, this is the best and easiest way that I needed to know for myself. This way, I can store and use it periodically as I need. Saves time in the long run. Not to mention eggplant is good for you! Thanks for all that!
Aysegul Sanford
Hello Jay,
I am happy to hear that you enjoyed my mom’s recipe. I know this is not one of those “quick” meals, but in the end it delivers great results.
Thanks so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
Amy
I tried this today and have mixed results. The overall outcome was good, but I may have cut the eggplant in too big of pieces because it needed longer to cook than I expected. The real surprise for me was that at the 3 hour mark I opened the pot lid to find everything in the middle of the pot stuck to the bottom. I was using a large Dutch oven and my gas burner on low, but maybe not low enough to prevent caramelizing and sticking. I solved the problem by taking out the meat that I could and using the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. I then poured off the broth and returned the meat to the pan over low heat, and it didn’t happen again. Maybe I needed to stir every hour, not just after hours one and three?
Aysegul Sanford
Hello Amy,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review about your experience.
I agree with you. Cutting the meat into smaller chunks is a good idea. In terms of running out of liquid – That happens if your stove is too hot or there are some instances that the meat is not as juicy. You have done exactly what you should have (adding some liquid back into the pan). To answer your question, yes, next time you make it give it a stir more often and check on the amount of liquid in the pan.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if I can help in any other way.
Jo
If I use a slow cooker, what setting should I use ? Low, medium or high?
Aysegul Sanford
Hello Jo,
You can technically use a slow cooker for this recipe, but I do not recommend it. Because it is too hot. What makes this beef stew amazing is that low and slow cooking for 5+ hours. If you have to use slow cooker, my recommendation is for you to try my crockpot veggie beef stew/soup recipe. That one has a similar and delivers similar results, but the technique is different.
Hope this helps.
Alisha Ross
I tasked the hubby with throwing this in the crockpot the other day for dinner. It turned out so good! I wouldn’t change a thing. I also shared it on my blog today — linking back to you of course 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! I am so glad you liked it Alisha. Thanks for sharing it too. Cheers!
Rachel
Hello! I currently have this beef stew cooking- it’s on hour three with the meat and onions (smells heavenly already). A couple of questions- If I wanted to throw in some potatoes and carrots, at what step would I do that to make sure the potatoes were cooked enough? I cut them in little half-inch pieces. I am definitely new at stews, but I loved the excuse to break out my grandmother’s dutch oven.
Someone also mentioned red wine in place of broth- do you think a half broth, half wine mixture would give good flavor? I am such a spice fanatic that I am worried this will be a little bland for my husband and I (not to knock your recipe at all- we just always seem to be adding spices and sauces to our recipes!)- but at the same time, it looks and smells heavenly and I trust yours and your mom’s recipe 🙂 I cannot wait to try this, thank you so much for sharing!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Rachel,
I am sorry I just saw this. I just came home from work….
If you are planning to put carrots and potatoes, I’d say cook them with the onions. Instead of mushrooms just use small diced carrots and potatoes. I’d still flavor them with tomatoes though.
However, one thing you should know is that potatoes and carrots will take longer time to cook compared to the mushrooms. So just keep that in mind. Once they are cooked with tomatoes, just add the meat and continue to simmer until everything is warm and cooked throughly.
In terms of red wine, you certainly can try with red wine. I have done half red wine and half chicken stock in the past and it was pretty good.
The only thing I wouldn’t change about this recipe is the way you cook the meat. As long as you allow the meat cook slowly with no water added, you should be good to go.
You can add whatever spices you want to the mushroom (or in your case, carrot and potato) mixture you want. I usually add lots of red pepper flakes, but spices like cumin, paprika, coriander,etc. would work really well.
I hope this all helps. If you have any more questions I am always here.
Cheers from the Caribbean Rachel!
Aysegul – “Ice”
verda
She should be together with you…
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Verda,
I know for a fact that she is.
It is just a little hard to get used to it. That is all..
Aysegul
NinaN
We just finished eating this and it was delicious!! The beef was so tender!
I swapped out the vegetable broth for red wine. It had amazing flavour!
Ruzy
Hi Aysegul! I would like to try this recipe, it sounds so delicious. I am new to cooking so please bear with my questions :
1) In step 2, do I need to put any oil in with the meat and onions?
2) Will the taste change a lot if I do not put in the bay leaf?
Thanks!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Ruzy,
Happy to hear that you are going to try this great beef stew recipe.
Here are my answers to your questions:
1. No. I know it sounds weird but the beef stew meat itself has enough fat on it. You do not even need to put any seasoning in it at that stage. There are 2 important things here. (1) Cook it in the heaviest pot you have (preferably a dutch oven) and make sure that the lid is on the whole time. (2)Do not be attempted to crank up the heat. Just let it cook in its slow way. Low and slow. Patience is really what pays of in this recipe.
2. I think you should be fine without a bay leaf. I do not think that it will change the taste that much. Also you can always use some other spices you like (like cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder…etc)
My husband and I love black pepper. I sometimes put a little bit of black peppercorns just to give it a kick. It is totally up to you.
I hope it works out well for you. I usually am on the computer during the day time. If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. I am always here to help.
Thanks for stopping by.
Cheers!
Ice
LaTonya Iskan
Wow, this looks sooo delicious. I did not know that the juices would be released and then reabsorbed during this process. I can’t wait to try it out. I think this recipe will be a hit and its very comforting. I will use bulgur instead of rice, yum. I definitely can identify with the guilty mom syndrome. Its interesting cause my mom was a working mom and I did not feel any less loved because she was working, I just became more independent. Thanks Aysegul!
Aysegul Sanford
Hi,
I totally agree on the confidence part.
You should definitely try the recipe. Let me know if you have any questions and how it turns out at the end.
Keep in touch.. Cheers! Ice