Turkish · Lunch · Dinner
Turkish Eggplant Moussaka
Patlıcan Musakka
Tender roasted eggplant layered with a peppery tomato and lean beef sauce, then baked until soft and juicy. This is a lighter take on a Turkish home-cooking classic that roasts the eggplant instead of deep-frying it.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 27% · Fat 45% · Protein 28%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 3 medium900 gEggplants
- 2 tbsp27 gOlive oil
- 400 gLean ground beef (90% lean)
- 1 large, finely chopped150 gOnion
- 3 (2 chopped, 1 sliced into rings)135 gLong green peppers
- 2 cloves, minced6 gGarlic
- 3 medium (2 grated, 1 sliced)360 gTomatoes
- 1 tbsp16 gTomato paste
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1/2 tspBlack pepper
- 1 tspRed pepper flakes
- 1 cup240 gHot water
- 1 small handful, chopped10 gFresh parsley (optional)
Steps
- 1
Heat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F and line a large tray with baking paper.
- 2
Peel the eggplants in alternating stripes and cut them into 1.5 cm thick rounds.
- 3
Toss the eggplant with 1 tbsp olive oil and half the salt, then spread it on the tray in one layer.
- 4
Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes, turning once, until soft and golden.
- 5
While it roasts, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
- 6
Add the beef and cook for 7–8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink left.
- 7
Stir in the garlic and the 2 chopped green peppers and cook for 3 minutes.
- 8
Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the grated tomatoes, black pepper, red pepper flakes and remaining salt.
- 9
Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, then take it off the heat.
- 10
Lower the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F.
- 11
Arrange the roasted eggplant in a baking dish and spoon the meat sauce evenly over it.
- 12
Top with the tomato slices and green pepper rings.
- 13
Pour the hot water around the edges of the dish.
- 14
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more until the sauce is bubbling and the eggplant is very tender.
- 15
Rest for 5 minutes, scatter with parsley if using, and serve.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, replace the beef with 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils and simmer the sauce a few minutes longer so it thickens.
- Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef for a milder flavor; cook it until no pink remains.
- If you can't find long green peppers, use 1 large green bell pepper plus a little extra red pepper flakes for heat.
- Swap the fresh grated tomatoes for one 400 g can of crushed tomatoes when tomatoes are out of season.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot all the way through. It can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months, though the eggplant will turn softer once thawed.
Make ahead
Roast the eggplant and cook the meat sauce up to 2 days ahead, refrigerating them separately, then assemble and bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes since everything starts cold.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (561 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 338 kcal | 60 kcal |
| Protein | 24.1 g | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23.5 g | 4.2 g |
| of which sugars | 13.3 g | 2.4 g |
| Fiber | 9.4 g | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 17.6 g | 3.1 g |
| of which saturated | 5 g | 0.9 g |
| Sodium | 665 mg | 119 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
