Comforting, hearty and just a little bit wholesome, this Brinjal Bolognese Bake is the kind of dish that turns an ordinary weeknight into something worth lingering over.
Think classic bolognese – but with a clever, veggie-forward twist. Thin slices of tender brinjal step in for pasta, soaking up every bit of that rich, slow-simmered tomato and beef sauce.
Layers of garlicky mince, sweet peppers and basil are tucked between silky brinjal and a creamy spinach-ricotta filling, before being crowned with bubbling mozzarella and a generous sprinkle of parmesan. It’s rustic, saucy and gloriously golden on top – everything you want from a proper oven-baked comfort dish.
Serve it straight from the oven with a handful of peppery rocket on the side, and you’ve got a meal that feels both indulgent and balanced. Bonus? It reheats beautifully, making tomorrow’s lunch something to look forward to.
Brinjal Bolognese bake
Ingredients
- Bolognese Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Large brown onion, chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1 Green bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced 2
- 250g Beef mince
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- ½ cup Dry red wine
- 400g Canned chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Coarsely chopped fresh basil
- Assemble
- 2 Brinjals, cut into 2mm-thick slices
- 200g Baby spinach leaves
- ¾ cup Fresh ricotta
- 1 Egg white
- ½ cup Coarsely grated mozzarella
- ¼ cup Coarsely grated parmesan-style cheese
Instructions
For the Bolognese Sauce
Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook onion, bell peppers and garlic, stirring,
for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Remove from the pan.
Increase heat to high and add beef; fry for 5 minutes or until beef is browned all over. Return vegetables to the pot with the tomato paste; cook for 3 minutes. Deglaze the pot with wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes; simmer bolognese, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in basil to finish and season.
To Assemble
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Cook brinjal on a heated oiled grill plate until just tender.
Boil, steam or microwave spinach until wilted; drain. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from spinach, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Combine spinach, ricotta and egg white in a bowl; season to taste.
Spread 1 cup of the bolognese sauce over the base of a shallow 2-litre ovenproof dish. Layer with half the brinjal, half the spinach mixture and another 1 cup of bolognese sauce. Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, spinach mixture and bolognese sauce. Top with mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheeses are golden brown. Stand for 10 minutes, then serve with fresh rocket, if desired.
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ALSO SEE: MUSHROOM AND CAULIFLOWER PACCHERI BOLOGNESE
A food stylist and recipe developer, contributing to Food & Home and other esteemed magazines under Habari Media. I love for creating mouthwatering recipes, I bring culinary visions to life through my work.