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Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole served in a baking dish
5 from 14 ratings

Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole (Kafta Bil Sanieh)

Yield: 10 servings
Prep: 40 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
This authentic Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole is made up of layers of Kafta, Potato, Eggplant, Onions, Peppers and tomato, all cooked in a delicious tomato sauce. It's addictive!!
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Ingredients
 

For the Kafta:

  • 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed

For the Casserole:

  • 3 eggplants
  • 3 potatoes
  • 1 onion
  • 1 red pepper
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil , divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, optional

Instructions
 

  • Start by preheating your oven to 400F
  • To make the Kafta, mix the ground beef with the spices and shape into small circular shapes. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 18 minutes at 400F. Remove and set aside
  • Peel the eggplant lengthwise every other stripe to create a zebra patter and chop into 1/2 inch circles. Mix evenly with the half cup of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt and bake them on a parchment lined sheet for 40 minutes
  • Peel and chop the potatoes into 1/2 inch circles. Mix with 2 tablespoons of oil and half a teaspoon of salt and bake on a lined baking sheet for 40 minutes 
  • Meanwhile, slice the onion and red pepper into thin strips and saute together in a skillet on medium heat using 2 tablespoons of oil for about 7 minutes until softened and caramelized 
  • Slice the tomato into 1/4 inch circles
  • When the kafta, eggplant, potato, onions and peppers are cooked through, it's time to assemble
  • Using a deep 9x13 inch baking dish, assemble the first layer of Kafta, followed by potato and eggplant, placing them all on top of each other and evenly filling the dish
  • Then add the layer of onions and peppers, and finally top with the tomato slices by placing them evenly around the dish
  • In a bowl, mix all the tomato sauce ingredients together and pour over the dish
  • Bake covered for 45 minutes and then broil uncovered for an additional 15 minutes
  • Serve with rice and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you don't like eggplant, you can still make this dish and replace it with zucchini instead
  • To make this dish vegetarian, you can skip the Kafta
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 352kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 986mg, Potassium: 1075mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 827IU, Vitamin C: 39mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 3mg
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