Lamb and eggplant is a classic Greek pairing made famous by Moussaka. The pair go together just as good in a stew. Perfectly roasted eggplant with soft and tender pieces of lamb in a flavorful tomato sauce is the perfect thing on a chilly day. Zucchini can be substituted for the eggplant but. before you do that give this a try. If you’re not worried about keeping this dish low-carb, go ahead and add a cup of orzo in the last 15 minutes of cooking. I hope you enjoy this one!
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Greek Lamb & Eggplant Stew
A hearty and delicious stew made with tender lamb and perfectly roasted eggplant. An excellent dish to warm up to on a chilly day.
Ingredients
- 3 eggplants, cubed
- 3 pounds boneless lamb, cubed
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 (15 oz can) tomatoes, pureed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups water
- Fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F, 220 °C.
- Place the eggplant cubes onto a baking tray and sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of salt. Toss to coat and place in a colander to drain for 30-60 minutes. They will release their bitter juices. Discard the liquid and pat dry with paper towels.
- Place the eggplant onto a baking tray in an even layer and drizzle ¼ cup to ¾ cup olive oil over the pieces and toss to coat.
- Roast for 15 minutes then increase the heat to 475°F, 250 °C and bake 15 minutes longer. Turn the broiler element on and let them become golden for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Place a pot over medium-high heat and add ¼ cup olive oil and half of the lamb chunks. Season with salt and pepper and brown on both sides for 5 minutes per side. Transfer the browned lamb pieces to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until soft and golden. About 6-8 minutes.
- Add the grated garlic and warm through for 30 seconds. Place the lamb back into the pan along with all of the remaining ingredients except for the mint and the eggplant.
- Bring to a boil, cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 1 and ½ to 2 hours or until the sauce has thickened and the lamb is soft. Stir often so to prevent the stew from burning. If the liquid evaporates too soon add some more water halfway through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add the roasted eggplant pieces to the stew and toss gently.
- Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes so that the flavors can marry.
- Garnish with chopped fresh mint and serve with some toasted bread, rice, or pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
This stew can be made a day ahead and the eggplant can be added the day of serving. The eggplant can be substituted for zucchini. If using zucchini, just roast it seasoned with salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of olive oil. There is no need to salt it beforehand.
Made a half batch wasn’t sure if my 3 grandchildren would like it. Should have doubled it. Excellent recipe. New to your site so excited to try more recipes
Once again thank u for sharing your knowledge
Dear Dimitra,
I did your recipe yesterday and it was an absolute blast. The lamb was melting in the mouth, the eggplant was so creamy and flavorful. This recipe is on its way to becoming a family staple. I modified a bit the recipe by replacing the cinnamon powder by a cinnamon stick and draining the cooking oil after cooking the onions. Thanks a lot for sharing your recipes!
The recipe looks delicious. What size should I cube the eggplant and the lamb?
Wonderful! Came up so good and I had to use meat on the bone pieces, but I think it was even more flavourful!
Thank you so much for sharing it!
Can this recipe be adjusted to utilize a slow cooker?