This paleo eggplant beef casserole is a satisfying meal, that’s pretty addicting. Layers of meaty, tender eggplants, rich beef tomato sauce, and fresh parsley are held together by an eggy batter. A perfect savoury dish to please your family and friends.
If you love lasagne and if you love parmigiana, then you are going to love this dish. In fact, this dish is a mix of lasagne al forno and parmigiana di melanzane. I am in love with both. They resemble layers of happiness. I mean, salty, savoury, and creamy all in one. Delicious.
Besides all of that, this dish is paleo, as well. But that is not all. It is also budget-friendly, a crowd-pleaser and a great option for a midweek lunch or dinner. You can serve it as an appetizer or as a main dish along with some salad.
Eggplants, the berries
I love eggplants. They look so beautiful. They come in different colours, but the most common (at least in Europe) is the one with dark purple skin. Did you know that eggplant is the sister of potato, tomato and bell pepper? Yeap, they are all one big happy family. Wink. And, botanically they are all berries! Quite large berries, right? Ha ha.
Eggplants have fleshy meat, which turns into a creamy and mouth-melting delight. Also, they are like sponges. They soak the juices and the flavours from any food that’s around them while cooking. Consequently, the bitterness disappears and they get very tasty.
For more recipes with eggplants, you can check these: baked beetroot falafels on aubergine, roasted vegetables with peanut hummus, roasted aubergine curry with coconut pancakes or this mozzarella stuffed eggplant rolls.
Last but not least, eggplants are a great fiber, vitamin and mineral provider. They are also low in calories, which makes them perfect for your diet. Give them a chance and discover how versatile and delicious they are.
Ingredients for a paleo eggplant beef casserole:
- 2 aubergines
- 2 tsp of olive oil
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 large carrots (diced)
- 500 g ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves (sliced)
- 400 g pelati (canned peeled tomatoes)
- 200 ml vegetable broth
- salt and pepper
- 20 g fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 eggs
- 20 ml coconut milk
The beef sauce
To begin, prepare the beef sauce. In a medium pot or pan drizzle some olive oil. Once it gets hot, add the chopped onion and diced carrots. Cook them for 2 minutes or until the onion turns glossy. At this point, stir in the garlic and the beef and cook until browned.
Afterwards, add the pelati and the vegetable or beef stock, season with salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover it with a lid and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until thickened. Add the parsley and set aside.
Eggplant
Next, preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and slice the eggplants into about 1-1,5 cm thick rounds. Lay them onto the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and put in the oven for 14-16 minutes. Then, remove them from the oven and divide the slices into three groups for the three layers.
Turn the oven down to 180°C.
Assemble the casserole
To assemble the casserole, firstly, lightly grease the baking dish and lay the first layer of eggplants, followed by half of the beef sauce. Secondly, lay another layer of eggplants and top with the remaining beef sauce. Finish with the last, third layer of the eggplants.
Put it in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
Eggy topping
In the meantime, prepare the eggy topping. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and mix them with milk and a pinch of black pepper. When the casserole is baked, pour the eggy batter on top, making sure it reaches all the gaps. Put the baking dish back in and bake for 10 more minutes until set and golden.
Finally, allow the paleo eggplant beef casserole to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Then, carefully, cut it and serve it with some salad on the side.
Enjoy.
