Description
Sheikh el Mahshi is a Middle Eastern dish of roasted eggplants stuffed with spiced ground meat and onions, then baked in a savory tomato sauce. It’s a comforting, flavorful, and wholesome meal often served over rice.
Ingredients
- 6–8 Italian eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil (for stuffing)
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- ½ pound ground beef, lamb, or a mix
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
- 1 cup meat broth
- 1–2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon allspice (for sauce)
- 1–2 diced tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a baking sheet. Slice eggplants lengthwise, keeping stems intact.
- Arrange eggplants on the sheet, brush with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt, and bake uncovered for 20–30 minutes until softened. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium-high. Add diced onion and sauté until caramelized.
- Add ground meat and cook until browned, breaking it apart. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, allspice, and salt. Mix in pine nuts if using. Cook for 8–10 minutes.
- Reduce oven to 350°F. Once eggplants are cool, gently make a pocket in each and fill with 2–3 tablespoons of meat mixture.
- Place stuffed eggplants in a casserole dish. Mix meat broth, tomato paste, salt, and allspice. Pour sauce around and over eggplants. Add diced tomatoes if desired.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
- Serve hot over plain or vermicelli rice.
Notes
- Add sliced green bell peppers on top for extra flavor.
- Use fresh tomato juice instead of tomato paste for a fresher taste.
- Minced fresh tomatoes can be added for texture.
- For a lighter version, replace tomato sauce with broth alone.
- For vegetarian version, use chopped mushrooms instead of meat.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed eggplant with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
