Old Fashioned Beef Stew With Eggplant

This beef stew recipe has sweet eggplant, tender beef, fresh herbs, San Marzano tomatoes, cinnamon, and lots of aromatics.

Course Meats

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 493kcal

Preheat the oven at 160°C/325°F.
Cut the eggplant cubes. Oil a baking sheet with 1one tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the eggplant pieces to the baking sheet. Brush a little olive oil on top of each eggplant cube. Season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of oregano. Bake cubes for 30 to 45 min or until eggplant flesh is soft and a light golden color.
When done remove baking sheet with eggplants from oven and set aside.
Pat dry the beef pieces with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly dust 1 - 2 tablespoons all purpose flour all over beef.
In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown the beef, a few pieces at a time all over, about 2-3 minutes. Remove beef pieces on a plate and set aside.
Add the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1-2 min. Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and oregano. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes. Gently crush them to eliminate any big chunks. Mix well. Add the beef, ½ cup of water, some fresh thyme and oregano sprigs. Stir gently, cover and simmer in low heat for 1 houone.
Add eggplant pieces to the stew. Stir gently, cover and simmer for another 30 to 45 min or until beef is soft and almost falling apart with a fork.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and serve over mashed potatoes or fries.

Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of fresh thyme or oregano leaves.
You can enjoy this hearty stew as is or over mashed potatoes, polenta, or even fries. Don't forget the crusty bread to dip in the sauce!
You can substitute green zucchini for eggplants. Don't bake them; cut zucchini into large pieces and sauté with the onions and seasonings. Let them cook all together with the meat and tomato sauce.
If you don't have fresh herbs, don't stress! Just use dried versions of what you have. If all you have is Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence, that's great. Both work great with this recipe.
I love using San Marzano tomatoes in my cooking. By all means, please use what is available to you. Taste the sauce and add a teaspoon of sugar to the sauce to adjust the acidity of the tomatoes if needed (you can skip this step if you are using San Marzano tomatoes D.O.P.

Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.