Beef Orzo Eggplant Casserole Recipes

BEEF AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place sliced eggplants into a colander. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow salt to draw out excess liquid from eggplant. Pat slices dry on paper towels. Place on greased or nonstick baking sheet and brush with oil using pastry brush. Broil for approximately 4 minutes, or until slices are just browned. Turn slices over and repeat process for the other side. Layer slices in 9x13-inch dish and set aside.
• Preheat the oven broiler.
• In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, combine the onion and ground beef and sauté until meat is browned. Stir in the garlic, oregano, basil, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the tomato sauce. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts. Cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place large tablespoonfuls of the beef mixture on top of the eggplant slices in the baking dish. Places slices of mozzarella cheese over the top to completely cover the beef layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and serve while hot.

BEEF AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 8-inch square glass pan with cooking spray.
• Place eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Top slices with additional paper towels; allow salt to draw off some of the moisture, 30 to 45 minutes. Press down on paper towels to get as much moisture out as you can.
• Combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl. Dredge eggplant slices in mixture.
• Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place floured eggplant slices in pan and cook until edges start to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip; cook until crisp on edges but still soft in centers, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until onions are softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Layer eggplant slices to cover bottom of the prepared pan; follow with ground beef, 1/2 can diced tomatoes, 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and 1/2 the Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat layers, starting with eggplant slices. Dredge any remaining eggplant slices in Parmesan cheese and place on top of casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling and top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

EGGPLANT BEEF CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Brown ground beef. Remove from pan.
• Saute onion and pepper in the same pan as you cooked the beef inches When onion is translucent, return beef to pan.
• Add flour, spices and sauce, let simmer until thickened.
• Meanwhile, slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds and layer 1/2 of them in a 2 quart casserole dish. Add half the beef mixture, then half the cheese. Repeat layers.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
• Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
• For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil; add eggplant. Boil for 5-8 minutes or until tender;drain and set aside. , In a skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tomato is tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in milk, egg and eggplant; mix well., Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

BEEF AND ORZO SKILLET

Steps:

• Saute the mushrooms, celery, pepper and onion in oil in a Dutch oven until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender.

ZUCCHINI AND GROUND BEEF ORZO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook squash, Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in oil 4 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash has started to soften but is still crisp-tender. Transfer to large bowl; stir together with orzo.
• In same skillet, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef, onion, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain, and add to bowl with squash. Add crushed tomatoes, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, thyme and pepper flakes; stir to combine. Spoon mixture into baking dish.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbling on edges and completely heated through. Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese; let stand 5 minutes.

LENTIL AND ORZO STEW WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 1/4 cup olive oil and crushed coriander seeds until coated; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, giving the baking sheet a shake halfway through roasting to toss the eggplant pieces for even cooking.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add the carrot, onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste begins to darken on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the lentils until coated. Pour in stock or water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type and age of lentils you use.
• Stir in the orzo and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the roasted eggplant pieces and large shavings of ricotta salata, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

CHEESY EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) - ORZO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook orzo according to package instructions.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, preferable non-stick, over medium high heat.
• Add eggplant and next 3 ingredients, cooking for 5 minutes.
• Add diced tomato and cook 2 minutes.
• Add sundried tomatoes, orzo and next 3 ingredients; stir well.
• Spoon orzo mixture into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Combine breadcrumbs, cheese and pinenuts, sprinkling over orzo mixture.
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
• Uncover and bak 10 more minutes or until lightly browned.