This eggplant casserole is a great choice for dinner. This eggplant recipe is a combination of hash browns, ground beef and roasted eggplant.
We have a good collection of eggplant recipes on the blog. From classic recipes such as moussaka and stuffed eggplant to fun recipes such as vegetarian eggplant meatballs, there are so many ways to add eggplant to your weekly meal plan. This easy eggplant casserole is another favorite recipe that we usually make at least once a month because it's easy and also freezes really well!
Eggplant casserole recipe with ground beef
If you are looking for an easy eggplant recipe to make for dinner, this is going to be your new favorite. Roasted eggplants layered with hash browns and a delicious ground beef filling make a comforting dish that everyone enjoys.
When it comes to eggplant, I always try to combine it with different ingredients. Eggplant is such a delicious vegetable that can transform a dish if it's prepared properly. In this eggplant casserole recipe, we roasted the eggplants with just a little bit of olive oil and then added a spiced ground beef filling to the roasted eggplants and topped it with hash brown. This eggplant recipe is simple, easy and so easy to make.
What goes into eggplant casserole
To make homemade eggplant casserole, you need just a few ingredients:
- Hash browns
- Eggplant
- Onion
- Ground beef
- Celery
- Bell pepper
- Spices such as salt, pepper, turmeric and garlic powder
- Cheese
I used a combination of mozzarella and cheddar and cheese to make this eggplant recipe. Feel free to use any kind of melting cheese would work for this recipe. Make sure to use melting cheese because it's going to bind the eggplant, hash browns and ground beef layers.
What kind of eggplants to use
For this recipe, you need eggplants that are big since they need to be sliced and roasted. Therefore globe eggplant (also known as American eggplant) or Italian eggplant work well for this recipe. Long and thing eggplants such as Chinese eggplants are not suitable for this recipe because the sliced will be too small.
How to make eggplant casserole
This is an easy eggplant recipe that's perfect for a family dinner. There are a few steps to make this eggplant casserole:
- Prepare hash browns: Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the hash browns until golden brown and cooked. Set aside.
- Roast the eggplant: Slice the eggplants and brush some olive oil on both sides and roast them in the oven until they're cooked. Check out our tutorial on how to roast eggplant to learn more.
- Make the ground beef filling: Saute onion in a non stick pan and add the ground beef and brown it in the pan. Add the celery, bell pepper and the spices. Cook until the vegetables are soft and cooked.
- Assemble and bake: Layer some of the hash browns in a baking dish and top it with the ground beef filling, eggplants and cheese. Repeat the layers until you go through all the ingredients. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted.
Do I need to peel the eggplants?
For this eggplant casserole recipe, you don't need to peel the eggplants because they are going to be roasted in the oven and will be soft. It's easier to layer them if the eggplant slices are unpeeled.
How long to bake eggplant beef casserole
Since all the ingredients are already cooked, it takes about 25 to 30 minutes bake this eggplant and beef casserole. Bake the casserole it the oven at 350°F for about 25 minutes until the cheese is completely melted.
Can I freeze this casserole?
One of the things I love about this casserole is that you can easily freeze it. Simply follow the instructions in the recipe but don't bake the casserole. Once you've layered the ingredients, cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil and then plastic wrap and freeze for up to 6 weeks.
To reheat frozen eggplant casserole unwrap the plastic wrap and leave the aluminum foil on. Place the casserole in the oven and turn the oven on to 350°F. Set the timer and leave the casserole to bake in the oven for about 60 minutes or until it's completely heated through. Uncover the dish and bake for another ten minutes so the cheese is melted as well. Serve warm with your favorite side dish.
If you're looking for other freezer friendly casseroles, try cheesy Mexican rice bake or this cheeseburger casserole.
Want to jazz things up in this eggplant hash browns casserole?
You can add all kinds of veggies to this easy eggplant casserole recipe. Some of my favorite additions are:
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Beans
- Chickpeas
What to serve with eggplant casserole
You can serve this eggplant dish with different side dishes such as a simple cucumber tomato avocado salad or arugula fennel salad. This is a complete meal on its own thanks to the hash browns and the spiced ground beef filling, you can also serve it with a side of crusty bread.
Looking for more recipes using eggplants?
Step-by-Step Recipe
Hashbrowns Eggplant Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups Hash browns
- 1 globe eggplant sliced
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion chopped
- ½ lb ground beef
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella and cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the hash browns according to the package, heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan and saute hash browns until crispy and golden brown, set aside.
- While hashbrowns are browning, brush some olive oil on both sides of the eggplants. Roast sliced eggplant in the oven for 20 minutes, set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in pan, saute onion until translucent, add in ground beef and saute for another 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Add in chopped celery, chopped red bell pepper and all the spices. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to
- Lightly coat an 8X8 oven safe dish with non stick spray, layer ⅓ of hashbrowns at the bottom of the dish, layer ½ of eggplants and ½ of ground beef mixture and ⅓ cup cheese.
- Repeat with hashbrowns, eggplants, ground beef mixture and cheese. The last layer is hashbrowns and cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 350F until cheese is melted.
Notes
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- This eggplant casserole freezes well. Simply layer the ingredients but don't bake the casserole. wrap tightly with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 6 weeks. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350F and bake it in the oven for one hour or until the cheese is melted and the dish is completely heated through.
Nutrition
This post was sponsored by Hungry Jack.
Sandi (@fearless_dining)
I think you just coined a new concept...hash brown lasagna. Sounds absolutely incredible, especially for those of us who can't eat gluten lasagna noodles.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
That's so cool Sandi! Yea We liked this dish a lot, it's good alternative to the good old lasagna!
Jennifer
I never thought of putting eggplant with hashbrowns! What a great casserole! You can make it for carnivores too if you like! I could see adding some venison to mine and making it for Father's Day as my hubby loves it!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
That sounds awesome Jennifer! I would love to know how your version would be! I'm sure it's going to be delicious!
Trish Parker
This recipe was delicious I used pork instead of beef I certainly will make again
Bam's Kitchen
Now this is my kind of one pan breakfast. Love it. I also love your juicy one pan meatballs and I am thinking those are going to be on our menu this week. Wishing you a super week and sharing everywhere!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
I hope you make them and like them Bam! 🙂 <3
Meghan | Fox and Briar
I love hash browns so much, but this is a totally new way to use them! I love that twist on lasagna, and I am like you, I LOVE anything crispy. Also I think eggplant is one of my husband's favorite foods, so I know he would love this too!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Eggplant makes everything better 😀
Dini @ The Flavor Bender
YUM!! Such a great way to use Hash browns! Plus both me and my husband are suckers for eggplant too 🙂 Perfect for dinner!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Dini! We eat eggplants a lot, too. They just go well with many stuff!
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant
Oh Shadi I am alllllll over this! I love lasagna but don't eat a lot of pasta so this is just perfect for me. Honestly, I don't really miss pasta. I miss all the flavors and sauces that go along with it!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
So do I Christine! I was actually thinking to myself that it has been a very long time since I last had pasta and I'm wondering why 😀
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake
This casserole looks so yummy, and I love how easy it is - my kind of dinner!
And those hashbrowns look just perfect!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Michelle! The easier, the better 😀
Tracy @ Served from Scratch
This casserole looks sooo good. I love all things hash browns but have never thought about putting it into a casserole before!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Glad you like it Tracy! <3 🙂
Julie at Hostess At Heart
This looks absolutely delicious! I am really getting hungry for some hashbrowns after seeing them on Jennifer's site too. I love that you made an entire meal out of them.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Jenny! My family really liked this dish too! 😀
Thalia @ butter and brioche
Love how comforting and delicious this casserole is!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Thank you Thalia!
Keith @ How's it Lookin?
Looks delicious. Eggplant is one of my favorite foods, thanks for the idea
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
Glad you like it Keith!
Olivia @ Olivia's Cuisine
It was only recently that I started liking eggplants. I spent my whole life hating them, so now I need to catch up with all the delicious things I can make with them! So this dish is definitely making the list!
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
I was the same! I've had an on-again off-again relationship with eggplant but there are many recipes out there we've gotta try! 😀
Tina Marie
I had to print this recipe out! Sounds so good! Can't wait to start our garden and be able to make this with some fresh from the backyard eggplant.
unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com
That is so lovely! I would love to have a backyard garden so i can plant veggies!