Casserole with Beef and Eggplant

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 pinch salt, or more as needed
• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Step 1

Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Lay the eggplant slices out on paper towels, sprinkle them with salt, then cover with more paper towels. Let them sit for about 30 to 45 minutes to draw out some of the moisture, then press down on the towels to soak up as much liquid as you can.

Step 2

In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, paprika, cinnamon, and ginger. Coat each eggplant slice in this mixture. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then cook the eggplant slices until their edges start to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip them and cook a few more minutes until they’re crispy on the edges but still soft in the middle. Set them aside.

Step 3

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks, for about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, around 3 to 4 minutes. Take it off the heat.

Step 4

To assemble, layer the bottom of your prepared dish with eggplant slices, then spread half the cooked beef over them. Pour on half the diced tomatoes, then sprinkle with half the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Repeat the layers starting with more eggplant slices. Finish by coating any leftover eggplant slices with Parmesan cheese and placing them on top.

Step 5

Pop the casserole in the oven and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown on top. Let it cool a bit before serving!