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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Spiced Beef and Eggplant Rice Bake

Cinnamon- and cumin-scented beef, silky eggplant and tender rice sit under a tangy tahini-yogurt layer with a crunchy toasted sesame and pumpkin seed crust.

Spiced Beef and Eggplant Rice Bake

Ingredients

  • 1 lb450 gGround beef, 90% lean
  • 1⅓ cups250 gLong-grain white rice, dryrinsed
  • 4¼ cups cubed350 gEggplantcut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1½ medium150 gYellow oniondiced
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • 1½ tbsp20 gOlive oil
  • 2 tbsp30 gTomato paste
  • 2 tsp4 gGround cumin
  • 1¾ tsp4 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)
  • ¾ tsp2 gGround cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp5 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • 2¼ cups480 gReduced-sodium beef broth
  • ½ cup120 gWater
  • 2 containers (6 oz)300 gPlain Greek yogurt, nonfat
  • 1 large50 gEggsbeaten
  • 2 tbsp30 gTahinistirred well
  • 1½ tbsp20 gLemon juice
  • 2 tbsp20 gSesame seeds
  • ¼ cup30 gPumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • ¼ cup chopped15 gFresh parsleychopped

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set out a 9x13-inch baking dish. Rinse the rice, cube the eggplant, dice the onion, mince the garlic and chop the parsley before you start cooking.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring often, until browned and softened, about 8 minutes; transfer the eggplant to the baking dish.
  3. In the same skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat, breaking up the beef, until browned, about 7 minutes. Pour off any excess fat.
  4. Stir the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper and 4/5 of the salt into the beef and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Add the rice to the skillet and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the beef broth and water and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits.
  6. Pour the beef and rice mixture over the eggplant in the baking dish and stir gently to combine. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
  7. While it bakes, make the yogurt sauce: whisk the Greek yogurt, egg, tahini, lemon juice and the remaining 1/5 of the salt in a bowl until smooth. In a small bowl, mix the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds.
  8. Uncover the dish, spread the yogurt sauce evenly over the rice, and scatter the seed mixture over the top.
  9. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the yogurt layer is set, reaches 160°F (71°C) in the center, and the seeds are toasted.
  10. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Check labels: Gluten-free when you buy reduced-sodium beef broth labeled gluten-free.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Sesame. Some brands contain gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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