Best 5 Armenian Eggplant Casserole Recipes

Armenian eggplant casserole, also known as "Badrijani Nigvzit", is a delicious and flavorful dish that combines the unique tastes of eggplant, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and aromatic herbs. This classic Armenian dish is a staple in many households and is often served as a main course or as a side dish. The tender eggplant slices are layered with a savory mixture of sautéed vegetables, creating a vibrant and colorful casserole. The addition of herbs and spices, such as cilantro, parsley, and cumin, adds a depth of flavor that tantalizes the taste buds. Whether you are an experienced cook or a beginner, this comprehensive guide will provide you with the necessary steps and ingredients to create a mouthwatering Armenian eggplant casserole that will impress your family and friends.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

ARMENIAN STUFFED EGGPLANT (IMAM BAYILDI)

Armenian Stuffed Eggplant (Imam Bayildi) image

Served as an easy vegetarian side dish or entree, this eggplant will delight even the most picky eater. The eggplant becomes tender in the oven and absorbs the flavors of tomato, onion, and bell pepper for a wonderful Middle Eastern dish. I made this dish for Thanksgiving; it was a big hit with my Armenian grandmother! Serve with sides of tabuli salad, hummus, and a whole wheat pita. I hope you enjoy this taste of Armenia from my family to yours!

Provided by Chef Joanna

Categories Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables Eggplant

Time 1h20m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

2 large eggplants
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
½ onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce with no salt added
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch chopped fresh parsley, or to taste

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Cut eggplants in 1/2, then cut each 1/2 into thirds, leaving 12 eggplant spears total. Place on a baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Roast in the preheated oven until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
While eggplants are cooking, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a medium to large pan. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the hot pan and cook until onions become tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Remove eggplants from the oven and let cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer eggplants to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Slice each spear vertically using a fork and knife, being careful not to cut through skin. Pry each open and fill with 2 to 3 tablespoons of tomato filling. Cover with tomato sauce.
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 248.8 calories, Carbohydrate 30.3 g, Fat 14.4 g, Fiber 15 g, Protein 5.5 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Sodium 332.1 mg, Sugar 11.4 g

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Mama's Oh-So-Savory Lamb and Eggplant Casserole image

The basis of this recipe came from my 4th grade teacher's mother who was Armenian, and I've been making it for over 50 years. It is easy to put together, but the longer the stovetop step simmers, the better the casserole will be when served. Leftovers are yummy! You could serve this over rice, if you like, with a green salad. I just serve it in pasta bowls with crusty bread, butter, and a nice glass of red wine. Enjoy!

Provided by MAMA2EANDJ

Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Ground

Time 2h35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 (1 pound) eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 large stalks celery, sliced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 pinches dried oregano
2 pinches ground dried rosemary
2 pinches paprika
⅛ teaspoon dried mint
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ teaspoons garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 pound ground lamb
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon, juiced, or to taste

Steps:

Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 384.6 calories, Carbohydrate 22.6 g, Cholesterol 77.2 mg, Fat 23.2 g, Fiber 8.4 g, Protein 24 g, SaturatedFat 7.5 g, Sodium 1471.2 mg, Sugar 12.2 g

ARMENIAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Armenian Eggplant (Aubergine) Casserole image

Make and share this Armenian Eggplant (Aubergine) Casserole recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Julesong

Categories Vegetable

Time 55m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 eggplant
4 tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, diced (I sometimes use 2 and add a yellow bell pepper)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced, to taste
fresh ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
herbs, to taste (basil, chives, parsley, tarragon, oregano)
sour cream, for garnish (don't forgo the garnish, it's what "makes" the dish!)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Pare and dice eggplant.
Heat oil in skillet, add onion, green pepper, and eggplant.
Stir over low heat until eggplant is soft.
Add tomatoes (may substitute canned Italian solid pear shape tomatoes, drained), salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Simmer a few minutes.
At this point you can add basil, chives, parsley, tarragon or oregano to taste.
Turn into casserole dish and bake at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes.
Casserole may be served hot or cold, with sour cream.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 187.6, Fat 14, SaturatedFat 2, Sodium 882.6, Carbohydrate 15.8, Fiber 6.3, Sugar 7.8, Protein 2.8

ARMENIAN VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Armenian Vegetable Casserole image

This recipe has been in my family for years, and came from some Armenian friends. Although it's basically just vegetables cooked together, it's surprisingly hearty and satisfying. I usually don't cook with catsup, but it works well in this recipe.

Provided by ewilli

Categories Vegetable

Time 2h15m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

1/2 lb green beans
3 carrots
2 large potatoes
1 green bell pepper
2 stalks celery
1 medium eggplant
2 medium onions
1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes
1/2 cup catsup
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 small zucchini
1/2 cup plain yogurt (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350. Chop all vegetables except zucchini and place in a covered casserole or dutch oven. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.
Add the zucchini and mix gently. Leave uncovered and cook for 20 - 30 minutes more.
Serve over rice or with a delicious crusty bread, and top with a dollop of yogurt, if you like. Leftovers are even better the next day.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 155.5, Fat 0.6, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 789.1, Carbohydrate 36, Fiber 7.9, Sugar 11.8, Protein 5

ARMENIAN EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Armenian Eggplant Casserole image

Eggplant is often a misunderstood vegetable, but when in a casserole like this one everyone will understand... that it is very good!

Provided by Dale Stanley @viction

Categories Vegetables

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup(s) olive oil
1 - onion, sliced
1 - green bell pepper, diced
1/2 - garlic clove, minced
4 - tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
pinch(es) pepper
- sour cream, (optional)

Steps:

Pare and dice eggplant.
Heat oil in skillet, add onion, green pepper, garlic and eggplant; stir over low heat until eggplant is soft.
Add tomatoes (may substitute canned Italian solid pear shape, drained), salt, and pepper; simmer a few minutes. At this point you can add basil, chives, parsley, tarragon or oregano to taste.
Turn into casserole dish and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Casserole may be served hot or cold, with sour cream.

Tips:

To achieve the best flavor, use fresh, ripe eggplant. Look for eggplants that are firm and have smooth, shiny skin. Avoid eggplants that are bruised or have blemishes.
Before cooking the eggplant, salt it and let it sit for 30 minutes. This will help to draw out the bitterness. Rinse the eggplant thoroughly before cooking.
When cooking the eggplant, do not overcook it. Overcooked eggplant will become mushy and lose its flavor.
If you are using a food processor to chop the eggplant, be sure to pulse it only until it is finely chopped. Do not puree the eggplant.
You can use any type of cheese you like in this recipe. Feta cheese is a classic choice, but you could also use mozzarella, cheddar, or Parmesan.

Conclusion:

Armenian Eggplant Casserole is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. With its smoky flavor and creamy texture, this casserole is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So next time you are looking for a new and exciting recipe, give Armenian Eggplant Casserole a try. You won't be disappointed!