Ground Beef/Eggplant Casserole

Ground beef and eggplant casserole borrows from moussaka without the white sauce or the fuss. Eggplant gets sliced thick and browned in oil first, which softens its bitter edge and brings out a meaty richness that holds up under the layers above.

The filling is a simple skillet job. Browned ground beef and onions simmer with canned tomatoes and uncooked rice. The rice cooks right in the casserole, soaking up tomato juice and beef drippings as it bakes, so every grain ends up flavor-loaded and tender.

Layered in a deep dish and baked covered for an hour, this turns into the kind of stick-to-your-ribs supper that earned itself 47 reviews. Serve with crusty bread to mop the plate.

Pro Tips

• Salt the eggplant slices and let them sit on a paper towel for 20 minutes before browning. This pulls out moisture and bitterness, and prevents the slices from soaking up oil like sponges.
• Brown the eggplant in batches with a hot pan. Crowding causes them to steam and turn mushy instead of taking on color and flavor.
• Drain the canned tomatoes but reserve the juice. If the casserole looks dry partway through baking, splash in some of the reserved juice.
• Let the casserole rest 10 minutes after baking. The rice finishes drinking up moisture and the layers set so you can cut clean squares.

Variations

• Swap ground beef for ground lamb and add a teaspoon of cinnamon for a true moussaka-leaning flavor.
• Top with a layer of crumbled feta or shredded mozzarella for the last 15 minutes of baking.
• Use zucchini in place of half the eggplant for a milder, lighter version.