Mediterranean Ground Lamb, Rice and Eggplant (Dutch Oven Dinner)
This dish will become your favorite weeknight staple! It comes together in under 40 minutes and keeps beautifully in the fridge. I think it even tastes better the next day. Warm spices, fresh herbs, tender brown eggplant, jewel toned pomegranate seeds. This Mediterranean Ground Lamb Rice and Eggplant is one of those hearty recipes that brings everyone to the table quickly and happily. Save this recipe to add to your potluck rotation too - everyone will ask you for the recipe.
Made on the stove top in a dutch oven and finished in a preheated oven, this is one of my favorite pot meals for cooler evenings, relaxed Sunday suppers, or when I want a complete meal that can be served in one dish. It is inspired by middle eastern dishes and the flavors of the French Riviera, yet built from simple pantry staples like basmati rice, ground lamb, olive oil and fresh herbs.
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If you love recipes like my Ratatouille, Taboulé, Merguez Sandwiches or Daube Provençale, this will feel right at home in your kitchen.
This recipe was inspired by a PR package of this Staub Dutch Oven and Wonderful Pistachios from Sur La Table. This recipe is dedicated to Louise - I can't wait to cook this with you!
Why Ground Lamb and Eggplant Work So Beautifully Together
Ground lamb has a richness that pairs beautifully with eggplant. When browned in a cast iron dutch oven over medium heat , it develops deep flavor and a gorgeous golden brown color. Stirring with a wooden spoon allows the ground meat to break into tender chunks that absorb the warm spices.
Eggplant, when cooked properly, is silky and luscious. The key is patience. Eggplant takes a bit of time. Whether roasted in a single layer on a baking tray or sautéed in a large skillet or dutch oven, you want it soft and slightly translucent. There is nothing worse than undercooked eggplant skin with rubbery texture. Give it time over medium heat and allow the water escape so it becomes tender and flavorful.
Together, the layers of eggplant, savory meat sauce and fluffy mediterranean rice create a dish reminiscent of Greek moussaka, but lighter and brighter with fresh mint, chopped parsley and lemon juice.
Building Tons of Flavor with Simple Ingredients
This recipe uses ingredients you can easily find, yet the result feels special.
- Ground lamb seasoned with cinnamon and allspice for warm spices
- Harissa for gentle heat and depth
- Cherry tomatoes for brightness and color
- Pistachios and pomegranate seeds for great texture
- Fresh herbs like italian parsley and mint
- Greek yogurt sauce with olive oil and herbs as the perfect accompaniment
If you prefer, you could substitute ground beef or ground turkey for the lamb. It becomes a slightly different but still delicious alternative. For a low carb option, serve it with cauliflower rice instead of plain rice.
This dish also works beautifully in grain bowls the next day. Add red peppers, green bell peppers, red onions and a drizzle of olive oil for a colorful lunch.
Dutch Oven Cooking Makes It Easy
I love using a dutch oven for this recipe. You sauté the shallots and garlic over medium heat until translucent, careful not to burn. Then you cook the diced eggplant with a teaspoon salt until soft. After removing it to a bowl, the same dutch oven becomes home to the ground lamb mixture.
Because the dutch oven goes from stovetop to oven seamlessly, you can layer everything together and place it into the preheated oven to finish. The lid traps moisture and helps all the flavors meld together beautifully.
I feature over 32 Dutch Oven Dinners on the blog - you are sure to find some inspiration here.
If you do not have a dutch oven, you can use a baking dish or roasting pan, but the dutch oven truly makes this a cozy one pot dinner.
The Recipe
Mediterranean Ground Lamb Rice and Eggplant (dutch oven Dinner)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 ½ cups basmati Rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup pistachios (whole, peeled & unsalted)
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup (about one bunch) italian parsley
- ¼ cup mint
- .5 teaspoon ground allspice
- .5 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Yogurt sauce
- 1 cup greek yogurt.
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsps mint
- ¼ cup parsley
- 2 tbsps pomegranate seeds
La Mise en place
Slice one eggplant width wise into quarter inch rounds. Slice the second eggplant into strips lengthwise and then dice.
Dice your shallots and garlic cloves. Half your cherry tomatoes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil on a cookie sheet. Place the eggplant rounds spread out on the sheet and then drizzle with a little more olive oil.
- Place the cookie sheet in the center rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
- Cook your basmati rice as per package instructions.
- Place your dutch oven on the burner over medium heat, drizzle a little olive oil then add the shallots and garlic. Sautée until transluscent (careful not to burn!)
- Add the ground lamb, a pinch of salt, harissa, cinnamon and allspice. Break it up into chunks with a spoon and sautée until browned.
- Remove the lamb from the dutch oven with a wooden spoon. Set aside in a bowl.
- In the leftover meat juices, add the diced eggplant and one teaspoon salt. Sautée until soft and also slightly translucent. This should take about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Eggplant takes a while to cook but it is so worth it. There is nothing worse than undercooked and rubbery eggplant!
- Add in the cherry tomatoes and sautée until they are soft. Add the lamb mixture back into the pot with the eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Remove the dutch oven from the heat.
- By now, your rice should be fully cooked and fluffy. Fold in the cooked rice.
- Sprinkle in the pistachios, mint and parsley. Mix together gently and even out the top so that it is a flat surface for the eggplant slices.
- Remove the eggplant slices from the oven and arrange over the top.
- Put the lid on the dutch oven and place, covered, in the oven for 10 minutes. Putting the lid on the dutch oven prevents the eggplant from drying out.
- Meanwhile, let's make the yogurt sauce
- Stir together the yogurt, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the remaining parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds. You are looking for a slightly runny consistency. Stir in more lemon juice if your greek yogurt is very thick.
- When the time is up, carefully remove your dutch oven from the oven.
- Serve immediately into bowls
- Sprinkle the yogurt sauce as well as extra pistachios and pomegranate seeds over the top.
Bon Appétit!
Serving Suggestions
This is truly a complete meal, but you could serve it with:
- A simple green salad with French vinaigrette
- Warm Quick French Baguette
- A glass of rosé from Provence
For dessert, my Mousse au Chocolat would be perfection.
FAQ
Yes. Ground turkey, ground beef or beef mince can be used as a delicious alternative. The flavor will be slightly different but still rich and satisfying.
No. The eggplant skin becomes tender when properly cooked over medium heat and roasted until soft.
Yes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over low heat or in a preheated oven until warmed through.
Yes. The combination of basmati rice, warm spices, fresh herbs, olive oil and ground lamb creates a classic mediterranean rice flavor profile.
This Mediterranean Ground Lamb Rice and Eggplant is exactly the kind of dish I love sharing on Le Chef's Wife. It takes humble ingredients and transforms them into something layered, fragrant and full of heart. A little bit of time, a dutch oven, and you have a beautiful meal inspired by mediterranean food traditions and meant to be shared.
Print
Mediterranean Ground Lamb and Eggplant Rice
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner, Mains
- Method: dutch oven, Oven baked, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Description
Mediterranean ground lamb and eggplant rice will become your favorite weeknight dinner. Tender lamb rice, crunchy pistachios, refreshing pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs and a yummy yogurt sauce make this dish a showstopper.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 ½ cups basmati Rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup pistachios (whole, peeled & unsalted)
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup (about one bunch) italian parsley
- ¼ cup mint
- .5 teaspoon ground allspice
- .5 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tbsp harissa
- 1 ½ tsp salt
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup greek yogurt.
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsps mint
- ¼ cup parsley
- 2 tbsps pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Slice one eggplant width wise into quarter inch rounds. Slice the second eggplant into strips lengthwise and then dice.
Dice your shallots and garlic cloves. Half your cherry tomatoes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Drizzle olive oil on a cookie sheet. Place the eggplant rounds spread out on the sheet and then drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Place the cookie sheet in the center rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Cook your basmati rice as per package instructions.
Place your dutch oven on the burner over medium heat, drizzle a little olive oil then add the shallots and garlic. Sautée until transluscent (careful not to burn!)
Add the ground lamb, a pinch of salt, harissa, cinnamon and allspice. Break it up into chunks with a spoon and sautée until browned.
Remove the lamb from the dutch oven with a wooden spoon. Set aside in a bowl.
In the leftover meat juices, add the diced eggplant and one teaspoon salt. Sautée until soft and also slightly translucent. This should take about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Eggplant takes a while to cook but it is so worth it. There is nothing worse than undercooked and rubbery eggplant!
Add in the cherry tomatoes and sautée until they are soft. Add the lamb mixture back into the pot with the eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Remove the dutch oven from the heat.
By now, your rice should be fully cooked and fluffy. Fold in the cooked rice.
Sprinkle in the pistachios, mint and parsley. Mix together gently and even out the top so that it is a flat surface for the eggplant slices.
Remove the eggplant slices from the oven and arrange over the top.
Put the lid on the dutch oven and place, covered, in the oven for 10 minutes. Putting the lid on the dutch oven prevents the eggplant from drying out.
Meanwhile, let's make the yogurt sauce
Stir together the yogurt, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the remaining parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds. You are looking for a slightly runny consistency. Stir in more lemon juice if your greek yogurt is very thick.
When the time is up, carefully remove your dutch oven from the oven.
Serve immediately into bowls
Sprinkle the yogurt sauce as well as extra pistachios and pomegranate seeds over the top.
Bon Appétit!
Notes
Serving Suggestions
This is truly a complete meal, but you could serve it with:
-
- A simple green salad with French vinaigrette
-
- A glass of rosé from Provence
For dessert, my Mousse au Chocolat would be perfection.
All about le chef's wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (8 and 5) and I run a marketing company and a non-profit in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
I recently won a cooking competition in NYC, you can read about it in my blog post Crying for Cassoulet.
Follow along with our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!
We were featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You Can watch our full segment here:
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