Middle Eastern · main

Beef and Eggplant Kofta Bake

Beef and Eggplant Kofta Bake reads umami 6.2, citrus 5.0 and richness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 1 hr 17 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.2 · Citrus 5.0 · Richness 4.9 · Sourness 4.5 · Fruity 4.3 · Allium 4.1 · Sweetness 3.5 · Earthy 3.5 · Salinity 3.5 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Heat 2.3 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Bitterness 1.8 · Nutty 1.6 · Floral 1.3

What's in it (16)

• eggplant — 454 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• salt — 11 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• cumin — 5 g
• cinnamon — 5 g
• allspice — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• beef — 680 g
• bread crumbs italian style — 118 g
• egg — 100 g
• parsley — 44 g
• plain yogurt — 118 g
• lemon — 65 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 17 min (1 hr 11 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 68.3 kcal, 7.3 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 6.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the eggplant rounds with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer; roast until deeply golden and tender, 22-25 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add half the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add half the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12-15 minutes.
4. While the sauce simmers, combine the ground beef, remaining onion, remaining garlic, panko, egg, 1/2 cup parsley, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; mix gently with your hands just until combined (overmixing toughens the meat). Shape into 12 oval koftas, about 2 ounces each.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, sear the koftas until browned on two sides, 4-5 minutes total per batch; they will finish cooking in the oven.
6. Spread half the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange the roasted eggplant rounds over the sauce, then nestle the seared koftas among the eggplant. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top.
7. Bake until the koftas reach 160F on an instant-read thermometer and the sauce is bubbling at the edges, 20-25 minutes.
8. While the dish bakes, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth.
9. Let the bake rest 5 minutes, then drizzle with the yogurt sauce and scatter the remaining parsley over the top before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Shawarma Rice Skillet — Middle Eastern
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Roasted Broccolini — Italian
• Greek Stew — Greek
• Crispy Fried Halloumi with Lemon-Herb Chickpeas — Greek
• Moroccan Harira - A Favourite In Algeria — Moroccan

Keep reading: what umami, citrus, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.