Karniyarik Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Recipe
This Turkish Stuffed Eggplant recipe, also known as Karniyarik, is made by stuffing roasted eggplants with tasty ground beef, pepper and tomatoes filling. Originated from the Ottoman cuisine, this is a delicious way to use eggplants that are in abundance during the summer months.
Servings: 5 portions
Ingredients
- 5 medium sized eggplants preferably similar in size
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 medium-size bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1/2 lb ground beef 80/20 (see note)
- 4 cloves garlic thinly chopped
- 1 cup diced tomatoes plus more as garnish on top (or use 1 cup canned tomatoes)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning the belly of eggplants
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup Italian Parsley chopped more as a garnish
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Instructions
To Roast The Eggplants:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Using a fork, poke 7-10 holes in each eggplant.
- Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour making sure to turn once or twice for even roasting.
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool on the counter.
- Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F.
To Make The Meat Sauce:
- Meanwhile, make the meat sauce. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion, ground cumin, pepper, and ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, turn down the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary.
- Off the heat, stir in a cup of chopped parsley.
To Assemble:
- Mix together the water and tomato paste in a measuring cup.
- Place roasted eggplant in a large casserole dish. It might be tight and that is okay.
- Using a knife, gently cut a small opening in the "belly" of each eggplant. Lightly season the belly of each eggplant with salt (use 1/2 teaspoon salt in total.)
- Fill the opening of each eggplant with the meat mixture letting it mound through the slit.
- Spoon the tomato sauce & water mixture over the stuffed eggplant. You should use 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture for each eggplant. Pour the remaining mixture at the bottom of the casserole dish.
- To garnish, slice a large tomato (or two small ones) into 6 thin slices and place a few slices on top of each eggplant, like you see in the photos.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
- *Amount of meat used: You would have to adjust the amount of meat sauce based on the size of your eggplants. Mine were 1/2 to 2/3 pounds each. However, if yours are larger, I recommend using 2/3 pounds of ground beef.
- Make Ahead: You can roast the eggplant, let it cool, and store it in the fridge a day ahead. Similarly, you can make the filling a day or two ahead and store it in the fridge. Assemble the whole thing as written in the recipe on the day you plan to serve and warm it in the oven.
- Storage: When stored in an airtight container, leftovers can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and bake in a casserole dish for 15-20 minutes.
- Freezing: Let the stuffed eggplants come to room temperature and place them in an airtight container. Freeze them for up to two months.
- Thawing: Thaw in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the stuffed eggplant on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until fully warmed.
Nutrition
Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 2107mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1287IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 4mg
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