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5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef and Eggplant

Liz DellaCroce Avatar

LIZ DELLA CROCE

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A modern twist on Lebanese stuffed eggplant, this 5-ingredient slow cooker beef and eggplant is slowly simmered in a warm, cinnamon-spiced tomato sauce.

Garnishing 5-ingredient slow cooker beef and eggplant with fresh parsley.

My Aunt Paula’s stuffed eggplant is one of my favorite Lebanese dishes of all time. We call it “Bitten Jen.” This is a humble yet satisfying dish. The eggplant is stuffed with a classic mixture of ground beef or lamb and rice. If you’re familiar with Middle Eastern cuisine, you’ve likely seen this meat and rice combo used to stuff various vegetables. Our family enjoys stuffed kousa squash, stuffed cabbage rolls and stuffed grape leaves.

I love to convert my favorite meals into slow cooker recipes. I do it with the purpose of saving time. My boys are becoming teenagers, and are constantly on the go – I need all the time savers I can get! This 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef and Eggplant is inspired by my Aunt Paula’s dish, and is still rich and delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Beef and Eggplant

  • Doesn’t require more than 5 ingredients!
  • You make it in the slow cooker, so you can set it and forget it!
  • It’s an easy, simple introduction to Lebanese flavors.

Ingredients

  • Eggplant: Filled with vitamins and nutrients, they can sometimes be a little bitter, but not in this slow-roasted recipe!
  • Ground beef: I like to use ground sirloin as it’s a leaner option, but you can use ground chuck also.
  • Onion: I use a yellow or white onion for mild onion flavor that even kids don’t mind!
  • Crushed tomatoes: Creates the base for the sauce everything cooks in.
  • Lebanese spice blend: Scents and flavors the tomato sauce the eggplant and beef cook in. Don’t worry about buying it, you can easily make your own!

How to Make 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef and Eggplant

Liz cutting an eggplant into cubes.

Step 1. Start by cutting your eggplant into cubes, and dicing your onion.

Seasoning eggplant with Lebanese spice blend in slow cooker bowl.

Step 2. Next add the ground beef and eggplant to the bowl of your slow cooker. Then season with the Lebanese spice blend and some salt and pepper.

Adding crushed tomatoes to eggplant in slow cooker bowl.

Step 3. Added the can of crushed tomatoes.

Stirring eggplant, beef, and crushed tomatoes with Lebanese spice blend in a slow cooker.

Step 4. Mix everything together, then close the lid and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4.

5-ingredient slow cooker beef and eggplant over rice pilaf on a white plate.

We love to serve over Lebanese rice pilaf, but regular rice would taste great, too! Garnish with fresh parsley or pine nuts, then enjoy your 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef and Eggplant!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to soak eggplant before cooking?

Some say that soaking eggplant in milk before cooking removes the bitterness, but I have never found it necessary!

Can you put raw meat in a slow cooker?

Yes you can! It is totally safe to cook raw meat in a slow cooker, along with any other ingredients.

Do I need to peel eggplant before cooking it?

You could, but you don’t have to. The skin is completely edible, and I always keep it on!
5-ingredient slow cooker beef and eggplant garnished with pine nuts and parsley.

More Lebanese Recipes

Eat It, Like It, Share It!

Did you try this Lebanese inspired recipe and like it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.

Nothing can replace my Aunt Paula’s stuffed eggplant but in the meantime, this will continue to be a weeknight favorite in our house.

Your fork is waiting.

slow cooker beef and eggplant

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef and Eggplant

4.56 stars average
A modern twist on Lebanese stuffed eggplant, this 5-ingredient slow cooker meal of eggplant and beef is slowly simmered in a warm, cinnamon-spiced tomato sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
CourseMain Dish
Serves6

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 large eggplant cut into large chunks or 2 medium
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 32 ounce can crushed tomatoes low sodium
  • 3 tablespoons All Purpose Lebanese Spice Blend
  • toasted pine nuts and minced parsley optional garnish
  • Lebanese Rice Pilaf to serve

Instructions
 

  1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and heat on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.
  2. Serve over Lebanese Rice Pilaf and sprinkle with fresh minced parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 15.2gProtein: 18gFat: 8.4gSaturated Fat: 3.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.9gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 911mgFiber: 6.3gSugar: 7.7g

Liz’s Notes

It also tastes great over a bed or white or brown rice.

Have you tried this?

Let us know how it was!

4.56 from 18 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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44 responses to “5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef and Eggplant”

  1. Sadye Avatar
    Sadye

    My goodness this was a fast and delicious recipe! I’m so mad I waited to make it :) We’ve been eating it with the toasted pine nuts and parsley, but no rice, though we will try it with the rice and maybe even just on some nice bread and call it Lebanese sloppy joes :D If you have an eggplant-hesitant person in your family, this is a great way to sneak it in!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      hahah Lebanese Sloppy Joes – what a perfect name for it! Glad you enjoyed!

  2. Sarag Avatar
    Sarag

    If I want to leave out the meat, could you use a butternut squash with the eggplant? Im assuming the time in the slow cooker would be less than?

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Actually ground beef cooks faster than butternut squash so I would keep time the same. Yummy idea!

  3. Claire Avatar
    Claire

    Do you think it would be possible to use a plant-based alternative to beef? Thank you

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Just add your favorite veggies like green beans!

  4. Rachel Meese Avatar
    Rachel Meese

    With three small kids, I rebranded this dish as “Christmas Tacos.” We enjoy the dish with chips or tortillas instead of rice. The consistency becomes something between sloppy joes and american chili. It’s always a hit with my tribe!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Oh my God CHRISTMAS TACOS!! YES!! Love that!

  5. Kathy S. Avatar
    Kathy S.

    How would you make this wonderful sounding dish in a Instant Pot? I’m using the 8 qt size.

    Thank you from another Michigander, Kathy

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I’m actually not sure because i don’t use one – so sorry!

  6. Ambs Avatar
    Ambs

    Hello, there! :) Is there another vegetable that will work well with this in lieu of the eggplant? Or, if I use the eggplant, is there anything special I need to do to it, such as peel it or something. I don’t have experience working with eggplant, so I want to make sure I’m not missing some basic know-how in how to use it!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I highly recommend using eggplant – no need to peel it, just trim the bottom and the top!! Cut in large chunks. Let me know how it turns out!!