Baked Eggplant with Minced Pork

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: baked eggplant with minced pork, baked eggplant with pork mince, eggplant with ground pork and cheese, oven baked eggplant slices with meat

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 40

Servings: portions

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Timea

Tender eggplant slabs layered open-faced with seasoned pork mince, fresh ripe tomatoes, and melted golden cheddar. An easy, low-carb 40-minute oven dinner made on a single sheet pan.

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Metrics - US Customary

Equipment

1 Box grater
1 Large rimmed baking sheet or oven tray
1 mixing bowl
1 chef’s knife & cutting board

Ingredients

For the Seasoned Pork Mince

500 g pork mince ground pork (20–30% fat content)
1 teaspoon sea salt fine
1 teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
1.5 teaspoon onion powder or granules
1 teaspoon dried vegetable mix such as Vegeta, or sub with garlic powder

For the Eggplant & Vegetable Layers

2 pieces eggplants large size, firm and ripe
1 teaspoon salt fine
2 pieces tomatoes large, ripe, thinly sliced, ~0.5 cm / 0.2 inches
1 tablespoon oregano dried
120 g cheddar cheese freshly grated
2 tablespoon sunflower oil or olive oil, for greasing the baking tray

Instructions

1: Prep the Oven & Vegetables

Preheat the oven to 180°C Fan / 200°C Conventional (356°F / 400°F / Gas Mark 4).
Trim the stem ends off the eggplants. Slice each eggplant lengthwise into thick slabs measuring 1.5–2 cm (about ¾-inch) thick, yielding 4 slices per eggplant (8 slices total).
Thinly slice the tomatoes and coarsely grate the cheddar cheese.

2: Mix the Seasoned Pork

In a mixing bowl, combine the minced pork, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, and the dried vegetable seasoning mix.
Mix thoroughly by hand until spices are evenly distributed and a uniform meat paste forms.

3: Assemble the Tray

Generously grease your baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of oil.
Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the tray. Season the surface with the remaining 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
Prick each eggplant slice several times with a fork so the meat juices can penetrate the flesh.
Spread the seasoned pork mince evenly across the top of each eggplant slice, pressing it down lightly like an open-faced sandwich.
Place 2 to 3 tomato slices over the meat layer on each portion, then sprinkle with the dried oregano.

4: Roast & Melt the Cheese

Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the pork is cooked through and the eggplant has softened.
Remove the tray from the oven. Scatter the grated cheddar cheese evenly across the top of the roasted tomato slices.
Return the tray to the oven, raise the temperature to 200°C (392°F), and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is completely melted, bubbling, and golden.
Serve immediately while hot with fresh artisan bread or a crisp green salad.

Video

Notes

Eggplant Thickness: Slices should be roughly 1.5–2 cm (¾-inch) thick. Slicing too thin will make the eggplant mushy, while slicing too thick will prevent the center from tenderizing in 25 minutes.
Fork Piercing: Do not skip pricking the eggplant with a fork. It acts like a sponge, drawing in the savory rendered juices from the pork mince directly into the vegetable.
Cheese Timing: Always add the cheese in the final 5 minutes of baking. Adding it at the start causes cheddar to separate and turn oily over 25 minutes of roasting.
Meat Swaps: You can substitute the pork mince 1:1 with ground beef (80/20 blend) or Italian sausage meat. If using lean turkey or chicken, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the meat mixture to retain moisture.

Nutrition