Dinner · 60 min · turkish

Karniyarik (Stuffed Eggplant)

A Turkish dinner built around eggplants and ground beef — on the table in 60 minutes. The macros do the talking: 24g protein, 22g carbs, and 28g fat in every 420-calorie serving. No specialty equipment and nothing hard to find at a regular grocery store.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 4 Eggplants
• 0.75 lb Ground beef
• 1 Onion
• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 Bell pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 0.33 cup Olive oil
• 0.25 cup Parsley
• 2 tsp Salt

Steps

1. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and score the flesh deeply without piercing the skin. Salt generously and rest 20 minutes to draw out bitterness, then pat dry.
2. Fry the eggplant halves in the olive oil, flesh-side down, until golden and collapsing — about 6 minutes. They should be soft enough to dent with a spoon.
3. Brown the beef with the chopped onion, pepper, and garlic. Stir in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and salt, and simmer 10 minutes into a thick, savory filling.
4. Scoop the eggplant flesh gently to make boats, keeping the shells intact. Pile the meat filling high into each one — karniyarik means “split belly,” and it should look generously stuffed.
5. Top each with a tomato slice and a strip of pepper. Pour 1 cup of hot water around (not over) the eggplants in a baking dish.
6. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, basting once, until the tops caramelize. Serve with rice to catch the rich pan juices.

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