This simple baked eggplant casserole is an easy idea for dinner. Known as “Imam bayildi” in Turkey, thinly sliced eggplant combines with canned diced tomatoes, yellow onion, garlic and herbs into a lasagna-like slab. Made using a combination of the stovetop and oven, it’s a deliciously simple, flavorful meal that is also vegan, paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free. A fan favorite with hundreds of reviews!
I talk a lot about how to add healthy fat to your meals in my cookbook. Fat’s gotten a bad rap for a long time in the wellness world. It’s not hard to understand why, given that its own name has become synonymous with muffin tops and cankles. But this Turkish eggplant casserole recipe proves why olive oil makes the world go round.
Having been raised on olive oil fried eggs and the philosophy that an avocado a day keeps the doctor away, I’m glad that people are finally putting down the fat-free SnackWells cookies and starting to reevaluate their healthy choices according to a different barometer.
Despite this progress, I still get criticized all the time for slapping the word “healthy” on my recipes alongside a few tablespoons of butter. And I still have to tinker with the amount of oil I use when developing recipes for fitness magazines like SELF, who live and die by the fat grams reported on their nutrition calculators.
Since I believe in real, unprocessed food, even if it contains pure fat, it’s hard for me to not feel like a hypocrite when I turn in a recipe for cheesecake with low fat sour cream and fat-free cream cheese, and just one measly tablespoon (if I’m lucky) of butter in the gluten-free crust. But mama couldn’t afford her own olive oil budget without these jobs, and sometimes you have to just bite your fat-forward tongue in order to please a client.
Why is imam bayildi healthy?
This Turkish eggplant casserole hits all the notes of a heavy lasagna or eggplant parmesan, but is completely devoid of flour and cheese, making it gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and vegan–a lot of bases that are hard to cover in one dish! But what makes this vegetarian entree particularly wholesome, and firmly within Mediterranean diet traditions–is all the heart-healthy olive oil.
5 STAR READER REVIEW
“I love this dish. I’ve made it several times, I even have a sheet of paper with this recipe pinned in my kitchen. It’s simply perfect. Even my boyfriend, aka the ultimate beef lover, praises the Imam bayildi!”
—Aamidale
If you haven’t noticed by now, or gotten the picture from the above, I view fat as an essential nutrient, and I actively add it to my diet in healthy amounts and diverse forms. Like any food, too much of a good thing is, for lack of more technical nutritional jargon, bad. So I do try to switch up my oils from day to day, usually between olive, coconut, sunflower, flax seed, and canola.
But olive oil will always have my heart. Growing up, my mother had at least 5 large bottles of it on hand, and I would watch her blow through them in a matter of weeks. There’s a story in my book about the way she would spoon-feed herself frozen peas in a bath of olive oil so deep, from far away, you’d think she was eating soup. Despite these questionable habits, my mother remains to this day, the most health-conscious woman I know. And she’s always ten years ahead of a trend, if her pre-millennial love of millet is any indication.
Like many recipes with eggplant, if there’s one fad that my mother’s life-long love of olive oil fits under it’s the “Mediterranean Diet”—otherwise known throughout eternity as the way Greek, Turkish and Sicilian people eat. When I explore new cuisines, I love generically asking at restaurants for a side of “sauce” to see what they bring. In Greece, when I did this, what I got was a sauce boat of pure chartreuse-tinged olive oil. And I was more than fine with that outcome.
One of my favorite dishes from my trip to Greece was Imam Bayildi from a little Taverna in Hydra. The pan-fried eggplant casserole is technically a Turkish dish, but I saw it on plenty of menus throughout Greece. It’s baked with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs and served room temperature in a lasagna-like slab.
One slice is so decadent and delicious in its simplicity, you might almost forget about your old friend from across the Aegean, Eggplant Parmesan. And in terms of eggplant dinner ideas, she was a terrible influence anyway.
There are far worse dishes on the axis of food evil than a plate full of eggplant, olive oil and tomatoes. So for those of you who would rather eat fat than inject it into your face, here’s to a delicious (and healthy!!!) way to get your olive oil transfusion with a side of vegetables.
A lot of low FODMAP folks look for recipes with eggplant, since it is one of the few vegetables that aren’t off limits. For low FODMAP folks, this eggplant casserole recipe can easily be adapted by omitting the garlic and onions. For more low FODMAP recipes, check out my new book SIBO Made Simple. And click here for the best baked eggplant recipe.
More eggplant dinner ideas:
- Eggplant Caponata Low FODMAP Vegetarian Lasagna
- Roasted Ratatouille Vegetable Enchiladas with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Baked Mexican Eggplant Parmesan with Gluten-Free Tortilla Crust
Read on for how to make this delicious, all time favorite Feed Me Phoebe eggplant recipe!
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
Turkish Eggplant Dinner Casserole (Imam Bayildi)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplant (or 4 small Italian eggplant), about 1 3/4 pound, thinly sliced 1/4 inch thick lengthwise
- Sea salt
- Olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Dash of cinnamon
- One 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly salt the eggplant slices and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Pat the slices dry and set aside.
- Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large oven proof (preferably cast iron) skillet. Pan fry the eggplant in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary between batches so the eggplant doesn't burn, but try not to have too heavy a hand – the pan just needs to be greased. Remove the eggplant to a plate.
- Add the onion to the skillet and saute over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and cinnamon. Cook for one minute more, until fragrant. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and simmer until thickened slightly, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in half the parsley.
- If using an ovenproof skillet, remove 3/4 of the sauce to a bowl, leaving a thin layer behind. Otherwise, add 1/4 cup of sauce to the bottom of a 8×8 or comparable casserole dish. Arrange one layer of eggplant evenly in the bottom of the skillet or dish. Slather with a layer of sauce, and repeat with the remaining eggplant and sauce – like you would a lasagna.
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft and the sauce has reduced. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into it. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe – I’d love to see it!Need help finding lifestyle changes that last? Let’s work together to find your path forward. My 4 Weeks to Wellness Course might just change your life.
This looks delicious and unlike anything I’ve ever had. Love it. Pinned it. Sharing it! 🙂
Thanks, Dena! I hope you give it a try. Report back if so 🙂
The cinnamon is a surprise, and I guess that’s what makes it Turkish. I love eggplant because it soaks up its weight in olive oil, which is heaven to me. I would eat a whole eggplant myself in a sitting if it were not for the gastric payback. Must try this recipe!
yes, it’s a good sponge effect for those of us who don’t mind 🙂
Actually, the cinnamon is only in the Greek version. Turks don’t use cinnamon in this dish. Both versions are delicious!
I sprinkle the eggplant with some salt 15-20 minutes before I cooking it then wipe the salt with paper towels to remove the salt & some of of the moisture it pulled out. The eggplant will not absorb oil
Why have I not cooked eggplant yet this summer?? I have some serious catching up to do (and it will be with copious amounts of olive oil, thankyouverymuch)
glad you’re with me on that, Erin! I raise a glass (bottle of olive oil) to you gurl!
Phoebe – making this tonight. If making 1/2 amt of eggplant, what would you reduce the cooking time to? thanks.
Hi Larry! Thanks for making this so quickly! If you’re using a smaller casserole dish, cook time would be the same. The eggplant is pretty much cooked through after the frying process, so the baking really just makes it all the more silky, soft and reduces the tomato sauce. You can’t really under or overcook it too badly. So I’d just check on it after 15 minutes or so and if it’s easily pieced with a fork, feel free to take it out!
Hi, great recipe but misleading prep time/ cook time. The prep time says 20 minutes (which it roughly is) but you find out once you get to the bottom of the recipe that the dish needs to bake for 45 minutes. Wouldn’t have been an issue, but we had been hoping to fix a quick meal and this wasn’t as quick as it said it would be! 20+15+45 does not equal the same amount of time as 35 minutes!
Hi Katie, I’m sorry you had dinner on the table later than expected! It actually says the total time is 1 hour 20 minutes. I usually don’t count the inactive cooking (baking in the oven) under the cook time, just in the total time. Especially in the winter time, stews require many hours in the oven, but it’s not really hands on, so I think it’s helpful to have it separated out. Perhaps I should reevaluate my system though if this is misleading! Sorry you were confused. I hope that you enjoyed the recipe anyway! xo
we just discoverd your blog…so beautiful!
and this looks very delicious!! oh my, i wish i could eat strawberries. 😉
xx
laura&nora
Thanks for stopping by Laura & Nora! Just checked out your site – the photos are amazing. That fig ice cream is brilliant. Will definitely be back! xo
Gorgeous recipe, writing and pics.
I’ll be trying this recipe during the week as it looks really delicious.
I adore olive oil and when it’s added to great vege and herbs – life is good.
Liz
So glad you share me love, Liz! Report back on how it turns out!
I’m making this tonight for my boyfriend and I! Hopefully he likes it lol. I hope the eggplant isn’t too mushy after cooking it for 45 mins. We are trying to eat more healthy and the only thing that comes to mind with eggplant is parmasean so this was a breath of fresh air to see! Thank you!
I’m so glad you came upon this for a healthy option! It definitely hits those eggplany parm cravings. Let me know how you liked it. I don’t find the eggplant too mushy after the baking, but it’s definitely melt in your mouth soft. I love that though 🙂 xo
Found this on Finding Vegan and I need to go buy eggplant and olive oil to make this! I love how simple it is. My dad is Greek and I’ve spent many a night in tavernas eating imam, but forgot how much I loved it! I can’t wait to pair this with a crusty loaf of bread to soak up all the juices. Hmmm!! 😀
hooray! let me know how it turns out!
That looks absolutely amazing!
Thanks Sandra!
This looks amaaazing! How did I miss this post?? and they actually have all of those ingredients here south of the border. Double win! Making this immediately.
yay!! let me know how it turns out 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m looking for something I can make tonight, but not eat until later in the week. This seems like a good candidate, and I can only imagine it gets tastier after sitting around for a while. Am I right? (Oh, and I’ll probably use a casserole dish, so I can just store it in the dish I baked it in.)
you are totally right! this is a perfect make ahead meal and will only get tastier. let me know how you like it! xo
Thanks for this wonderful receipt. In my country India we have similar version of it and popularly know as Baingan ki Sabzi.Hot not spicy the way Indians eat it with Rice.
In the Middle East we make a similar dish and use pomegranate molasses and a little heat from jalepenos (or any hot pepper). It’s one of those things you see during casual, family meals and larger get togethers. It’s always a crowd pleaser!
mmm I love pomegranate molasses but it’s one of those condiments on my shelf that I never think to use! Do you have any good recipes? I’ve done a beef stew with it in the past, similar to a Moroccan tagine and it was great. Love the idea of jalapenos in this too!
This was AWESOME. The instructions were of great help. I was surprised by how much food came out of two medium eggplants…it was at least 3-4 meals worth. As a novice cook, I found this one to be pretty do-able and no hangups, especially considering that the taste and presentation (with the parsley garnish against the red tomatoes) were amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
a little eggplant goes a long way – totally! so glad you’ll be enjoying leftovers xo
Hi Phoebe,
As I write these words, the tomato mixture is bubbling merrily away and the oven is hot and ready. We had this dish a few days ago at a restaurant in Napa, CA and LOVED it (my wife and are vegetarian). I trust your recipe will be as good if not even a touch better. I’d never heard of “Imam Bayaldi” before that meal and was getting just a bit weary of the garlic sauce chinese stir fry and parmigian versions employing the aburgine. Two slight editing suggestions for the recipe: 1) make a note of when to add the salt and 2) when to add the first portion of parsley. Well … gotta assemble and bake, now. Thanks for the recipe.
Greg – I’m so thrilled you made this! Thank you for reporting back even before assembly! I updated the recipe with your notes. Thanks for that. Hope you enjoyed the finished product! xo
I made this recipe the other night for dinner, and LOVED it! One of my 2015 resolutions is to cook more instead eating out for dinner, which gets kinda tricky since i am vegan and boyfriend is not. But this dish was a total win! Thanks so much for sharing!
That’s the best resolution of all! Wonderful to hear you liked the recipe. Lots more vegan main courses in my archives 🙂 xo
Hi,
I am from Turkey and this dish is one of my summer favorites. Your pictures are great! In one of the comments you asked recipes for pomegrante molesses. I have another eggplant dish with it. It starts just like this; prep the eggplant and fry it the same way. You need to boil a cup of brown lentils until they are soft on the side. In a heavy bottom sauce pan saute a large onion, garlic and add the soften lentils and a can of tomatoes. Season to your taste with black pepper, salt and chili peppers and let it simmer until it gets thickened. Add 4 tablespoons of pomagrante molesses let it simmer 5 more minutes and use this sauce to layer eggplants with. I usually put it in the oven for the tastes to blend for 20-30 minutes. Hope you will like it!
Thank you so much for sharing Melike! I’m glad that this recipe holds up to the classic dish you’re used to. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Cheers!
Phoebe, I made this, and served it over Basmanti rice. It was so easy to make, and it was wonderful! Thank you so much! Imagine no cheese. Our new favorite eggplant recipe! Your site is amazing, and we plan on trying a lot of your recipes. I can’t wait.
Denise
wow Denise! How wonderful! I’m so glad you liked it. You truly don’t miss the cheese! And this coming from an ex-eggplant parm fanatic. Hope you do try more! xo
I found your recipe on Pinterest…I’m trying to master eggplants…have never really been confident using them but have now found this GREAT recipe. Cooked this tonight but also added a few extras, fresh rosemary, thyme & oregano along with fresh parsley as per your recipe plus a tspn sugar, strips of red capsicum fried 3 mins then added the onion, fried another 3 mins then garlic another 1 min then added thickly sliced mushrooms fried up for another 2 mins, added the tomato, sugar & herbs heated through, removed from pan, laid the eggplant in base of pan, put the rest of mixture back on top, covered in foil & baked for 45 mins in moderate oven…OMG! perfect..thankyou for the inspiration… 🙂
thank you for sharing michelle! love the additions.
Making this now but want to know when you say pat dry eggplant is that because of rinsing the salt off which isn’t mentioned
hope I got you in time! It’s just lightly salted, so you don’t need to rinse. The patting is just to take care of the excess moisture that the salt draws out of the vegetable. Hope you enjoyed it!
LOVE this dish–I’ve made it several times. One element that I added that others might want to try is preserved lemon. The first time I added 1/4 of a preserved meyer lemon. It was out of this world. The second time I added a whole one: too much of a good thing. 🙁
I LOVE preserved lemons Augusta. Would have never thought to try it with eggplant though. Thank you for this inspired idea! I’ll have to make it your way soon 🙂 xo
This is delicious! I love cinnamon, tomato and eggplant ~ I cook a Persian dish with similar flavors. This is perfect to help me continue on a dairy free diet and will be my substitute for eggplant parmesan.
awesome Carol! I need to give more Persian dishes a try. I don’t have any in my repertoire! xo
Thanks for the recipe. I skipped the cinnamon, sprinkled some cheese. It was delicious.:)
I made this recipe tonight, and it was delicious. I love olive oil and eggplant, but trying to keep my weight down. Bertolli puts out a pure olive oil spray so I sprayed the pan and each piece of eggplant. Before turning the pieces over I sprayed each piece again. It worked wonderfully. While it was more oil than usual. It wasn’t as much as using oil from the bottle. This was really delicious, and when I pinned the recipe I found my grand daughter had also pinned it. I’ll call and tell her it was delicious. Thanks Phoebe.
I’m so glad you liked it Lois! Glad it still worked well with the spray. So funny about your grand daughter – same food taste!
Can’t wait to make this tonight! Just wondering if I use fresh tomatoes would it also be 15 ounces ?
you can sub 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes! Keep all their juices!
Thanks , it turned out great ! I send extra tomatoes to make more sauce. My fiancé who claims to hate eggplant actually went back for seconds 🙂 this recipe is a keeper !
yay Winnie! That’s amazing to hear!
Just harvested our last eggplants and made this dish. It is divine- I wish I new about it and the beginning of eggplant season!
Thanks so much. I will definitely revisit your site for more delicious recipes.
yay! I’m so glad you liked it Emma-May!
i love,love,love this recipe. It is a keeper! My husband is crazy about it too.
I will be fixing this all summer.
Oh, one more thing, I am all for eating good fat. Love olive oil and avocados. I think it is good for our brains.
Betty
I’m with you betty! thanks for making and so glad you enjoyed it!
YUM! This was so buttery and silky. No knife needed for this recipe! I made a side of turkish potatoes and greens and had some crusty bread with the meal. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Have leftovers which I’m looking forward to scoffing at lunchtime 😉 Thanks for a great recipe!
yay! totally no knife required (NKR). hehe.
This looks amazing! Just got lots of eggplant from my CSA and want to make this for dinner tomorrow. Do you think I could assemble this tonight and just stick it in the oven tomorrow night? I get home from work pretty late and don’t want to delay dinner too much. Thanks!
Yes absolutely!! It’s a great makeahead casserole!
Absolutely Divine!! Didn’t read any other comments – maybe it’s already been noticed!! The cinnamon is the key secret ingredient to make it actually Taste Turkish, and so absolutely yummy!!
Got off the plane at 2 pm, from Turkey, grocery shopped for all my favorite Turkish recipe – eggplant namely, came home to our beautiful village of StAntonin Noble Val, found you and your recipe. On the table by 7 pm. Heavenly, like I’m back in Turkey!! Thank you!!
What a success story!! Thank you for sharing Lyn! Glad I could help bring Turkey back to your table xox
I am SOOO thrilled! I’ve been looking for this recipe for a long time, after I had it in a South Asian restaurant 10 years ago! Had no idea it was Turkish – that’s why I didn’t find it, I guess. Just made it, and it turned out so delicious – just like I was hoping for. Thousand thanks for this! 😀
hooray! so funny that’s where you tried it for the first time! I think of the tomato-eggplant combo as from the other side of the world! really glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Howdy! I’m at work browsing your blog from mmy new iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward
to all your posts! Carry onn the superb work!
HiI just made this tonight for dinner with my vegetarian friend and it turned out fantastic! I used cilantro instead of parsley and added crumbled feta as a garnish on top of brown rice and fresh salad on the side. It was amazing! Thanks so much for the share!!!
those sound like amazing additions Julia! so glad you enjoyed! xoxo
Love this recipe! I made the sauce with fresh roma tomatoes and added two ‘dashes’ of cinnamon to enrichen the dish. You are so right. I forgot all about eggplant parmesan. This is so much healthier and delicious! It is going to be a staple in my kitchen.
Thank you sooooo much!
That’s so amazing to hear Mehu! You made me want to remake this tonight. The cinnamon is everything 🙂 xo
Thank you for this recipe! While it was a bit epic in terms of frying the eggplants, the final flavour was divine! That tomato sauce is just amazing, and I’ve kept the recipe for it to use with other dishes. Yum yum yum 🙂 I served it with some lemon and dill pearl barley, and it was an absolute hit. Thanks again!
Oh! And I used fresh tomatoes too- six large ones. It made for a truly mouthwatering sauce. I would double the sauce next time! The cinnamon, chili, and parsley in it were such a tasty touch.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the sauce so much! definitely use fresh tomatoes if you have them! I love doing this in summertime. xo
Made this for dinner this evening, loved it. Will be making it again for sure, highly recommend!
so glad you liked it Zillah!
It’s so delicious, I’m glad I made it! Thank you!! 🙂
yay! so glad Polina!
Thanks a lot Phoebe, it was wonderful! I’ll be making this again, many times.
I’ve just made this and, although I haven’t eaten it (it has to bake), it msells amazing! Going to eat it with loads of mixed lettuce leaves – yum!
*smells
you go gurl! hope you enjoyed!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I made it for dinner last night and it was excellent. Very simple directions. The combination of the eggplant and olive oil baked into a melt in your mouth buttery piece of heaven with just enough bite. I served it with pan toasted flat bread, and it was divine. Thanks again.
Thank you for making Kara! Thrilled you enjoyed it. My mouth is watering thinking of that soft luscious eggplant!
Made this last night to take to a barbecue. It was so delicious. Everybody loved it! Thanks for sharing! Margaret
yay! so glad!
This is brilliant. Fourth time making this for my wife. One of her favourites.
I’m so glad Kevin!!!
thank you for reminding me of this yumminess! Is is one of my favorite dishes from my childhood, the best summer dish when the eggplants were at its best, my mom would fry them whole(pierce with a fork so it won’t explode) and then stuff them with the onion/tomato mixture….sprinkle some more fresh parsley on top and voila! It’s one of those dishes where no one even misses the meat.
I am always been surprised how Americans don’t utilize eggplants more… My other favorite is to cut them into half inch thick slices, fry until golden, season with salt, layer on a platter and drizzle yogurt sauce on top (yogurt, minced garlic, crushed walnuts, salt and pepper) and then top with good amount of fresh cut dill on top!
I’m so glad you loved it Marine!! One of my favorites too. Not from childhood though 🙂 here’s to eating more eggplants!
Hi Phoebe! This looks so delicious, I can’t wait to make it. I was wondering, how many servings does this make and does it freeze well?
I’m so glad Sarah! It’s about 6 servings – similar to a skillet lasagna. And yes – it freezes GREAT. Report back!
Easy, fantastic, and delicious. Friends want me to bring it to every gathering now!
woohooo!!
Amazing dish. Tried it and love it. Thanks Phoebe!
I’m so glad!!
I love this dish. I’ve made it several times, I even have a sheet of paper with this recipe pinned in my kitchen. It’s simply perfect. Even my boyfriend, aka the ultimate beef lover ,praises the Imam bayildi. Only thing I do differently – i use my own tomatoes, not diced, simple puree i make over the end of summer in military – like quantities and store in the basement. But imam is so good, so sinfully delicious that we eat it with pasta, bread, amaranth-flour crepes [my favourite], rice and many many other grain sides. Thank you so much for posting it.
Greetings from Poland 🙂
this is amazing!! i wish i had an arsenal of canned tomatoes from my own garden. Life goals. xoxo
This looks delicious! My only comment is a slight correction to your description of a Mediterranean diet. It actually encompasses Greek, Italian (mostly southern), and Spanish cultures. If you have to preview comments before allowing them to be posted, no need to post this! I just wanted to help 🙂
Thanks Kate! Appreciate it!
I made this and it was really good. There was definitely a very scant amount of sauce, I would double the sauce in the future. I added a dash of grated Parmesan cheese to each layer and some breadcrumbs on top but it’s not necessary at all. Feta would have been way better but I didn’t have any on hand. This is a perfect dish to adapt for weight watchers, btw. Just roast/broil the slices of eggplant w/o oil and the whole thing is basically free for points plus users, I’ll probably do that next time because cooking the eggplant on stovetop takes forever. Subbing the cinnamon with Italian herbs would be a good way to make it Italian or grab some Baharat for a more Mid East flair. So many possibilities!
Thanks for reporting back! Great ideas.
I always soak the eggplant in salted water for at least an hour then rinse, squeeze the eggplant as much as possible to get the water out. When you squeeze you don’t want to make mush of the eggplant though… I think this method makes the eggplant cook much better. I was told the direct salting method was for when you were running out of time and needed to work fast.
it usually works fine for me, but I’m sure that extra love and care helps!
To everything you said, I say, AMEN sister! I love in the Mediterranean and love me some olive oil. Wham it gets on my hams I even rub it in. And because of every thing you said, I signed up, liked and followed .
Came across this recipe looking for a healthy Eggplant Parm recipe for my wife. OMG I am so glad I found this recipe. This was fantastic. Used olive oil spray (to make it healthier) and added more than a dash of cinnamon (about 1./4 tsp.). It may not have come out as pretty as yours but it sure came out DELICIOUS!!!! Thanks
yay! thanks for reporting back!
this was so delicious!!!! loved the touch the cinnamon provided. how do i fry the eggplants without using so much oil?
salting helps, but unfortunately, it’s part of the eggplant problem. Roasting just takes too much time but it’s an alternative.
I made this tonight for my wife and me tonight. It was very tasty. Sweeter than I expected, in fact (probably has to do with the sugars in the tomatoes and onion). Added it to our “things to eat” recipe book.
awesome!!
My grandmother used to cook this Turkish dish in Bulgaria. Her secret touch was to fry slices of tomatoes dipped in flour and layer them with the eggplant. In addition, she would toss bayleaf, allspice, parsley, salt, and lots of garlic in between the layers and sprinkle olive oil on top. Sometimes she would add mayo and grated walnuts in between the layers.
that’s brilliant! i love it. thanks for sharing.
Made this for dinner tonight. Doubled the recipe to save for another day…..every one loved it and I am left with nothing!
yay!
My sister-in-law is Turkish and her mother cooks some of the best foods I’ve ever eaten. I was surprised, at first, at how much olive oil goes into everything, but I believe that if you avoid processed, “lowfat”, “diet” empty foods and stick to Mediterranean-type food, you’ll be quite healthy. This was absolutely delicious, so full of flavor. I love adding a bit of yogurt sauce on top
Made this again last night – excellent recipe! The flavors are perfect.
Fabulous! Served with green beans from our garden and Ciabatta toast. Used fireroasted diced tomatoes with garlic. Can’t have too much garlic! Will make again, Thanks.
awesome!!
Trying this now! Should I drain the tomatoes?
nope! all liquid
I made this last week. Omg it was so so gooood!!!! Delicious!!! It was excellent! I am making it again this week. I can’t wait.
yay!! so glad you liked!
This was one of the most tasty eggplant dishes I’ve ever had. I tried it out on myself first then made it to take to Christmas dinner at my brother’s house. He just called asking for the recipe! It’s taking a coveted position on my ‘Dishes That Delighted’ Pinterest board!!
Thanks, Phoebe
yay! what a great board!
I made this tonight and it was excellent! Truly delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe.
I’m so glad!!
This recipe is delicious❤️I have made it several times already. My father is Turkish, the first time I made this was for him. He passed away a year ago I will forever miss him…..I have good thoughts whenever I make this. I think of him and how much he enjoyed that Turkish meal I made for him. This dish was the star. Thank you xo
Suzanne
so so glad!
Made this tonight, but serving it for brunch tomorrow with a fried egg on top. Can’t wait!
Made this for dinner. Instead of putting oil in the pan to fry, I rubbed it on each of the slices of eggplant so it didn’t absorb as much. I am so excited to share the recipe!
great idea!
Delicious and so easy to adjust for amount you want to make.
Made the recipe a couple of weeks ago and was a sensation at the dinner table. I want to make again but would like to freeze for another day. Is is possible to freeze this dish?
definitely! just freeze right in the casserole
Made this tonight and my wife and I loved it! My two daughters are still getting used to eggplant but they tried it and liked it also. Thank you!
yay! that’s awesome!
Looks like a quick, easy and tasty dish but cooking acidic foods like tomatoes is an absolute no no in cast iron. I will try the recipe but stainless steel makes better sense.
I’m obsessed with eggplant casserole.
Thanks for the recipe. I really like eggplant and was looking for a simple recipe w/o mucho cheese.
This eggplant recipe was easy and delicious. It is going into my healthy vegetable dish collection. Good food for a good mood!
Thank you!
Best ever, Add some mushrooms
Made it tonight- was very good and will share. I used more tomatoes . I cooked it 30 min. In oven. Worked fine.
Is there nutritional infor for this?
I made this last week and the tomato sauce is bubbling right now as I make it again to go with lamb shank osso bucco. I did not put in cinammon last time, instead going with freshly roasted cumin and coriander seed. Still adding those, but going to try cinnamon instead. Also made carmalized onions, toasted pine nuts and roasted mild peppers for people to put on top so it sort of resembled the stuffed version of this dish. I must say for having such simple ingredients, the flavors just pop. I think having really good olive oil for frying the eggplant has to be essential for bringing out all the other flavors
Loved it! Very easy to make per your directions. Whole house smells of yummy food. Ate whole plate in seconds. Definitely adding it to my favorites from now on.
yay! I’m so glad!
This dish was amazing. Not only is your instruction on point it tastes as delicious as it looks. It felt like a dish at a restaurant. We will definitely be enjoying this dish in the future. Also as someone who suffers from chronic illness this dish was simple and quick to put together with limited energy. Also, I’m never inspired to reach out to the original poster of the recipe but this was just Devine. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I love this recipe, so simple and beautiful. I’m definitely making it tomorrow.
What would you serve with it as a side? I would eat the whole recipe myself if I don’t have something to slow me down 🙂
Thank you!
we serve ours with thinly sliced toasted Italian or French bread, drizzled with olive oil and parmesan.
I tried making this recipe tonight, but it was a major fail. I bought a can of diced tomatoes, but it definitely didn’t produce any sauce and was nowhere near as much as yours. Was there a specific kind you used? The one I bought was just a can of diced semi dried tomatoes that were watery, but did no have a sauce texture?
This recipe was a hit in our household. The first time we used canned tomatoes, the next we used fresh cherry tomatoes from our garden. The cherry tomatoes went really well with the cinnamon, but it does up the sweetness level. My family loved it both ways and this has become a household favorite every summer when our garden produces eggplant and tomatoes.
just love it delicious
Just started cooking and looking for such kind of recipes that be ready in a while thanks for sharing
Holy Fuk this recipe is on point. Recipe was easy to follow, smelled great and tastes even better!
This looks wonderfully delicious, Thank to share your recipe with me…
The name of this wondrous dish translates “the Imam fainted”. The story goes his wife used up so much of their precious olive oil supply…he fainted!
i love this!! thank you for sharing!
Delicious and SO EASY! Thank you for adding the weight for the amount of eggplant needed. I have Ichiban planted this year and that made it easy to figure out how many to use.
Everythings always gonna taste better in cast iron. Love the eggplant!
Luscious and easy! The eggplant just melts in your mouth.
Your recipe is so simple and beautiful. I found your website perfect for my needs. It contains wonderful and helpful. Keep up the good work !. Thank you for this wonderful work!
This was amazing! Thanks for sharing this dish, can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow.
This was delicious! Even my husband who doesn’t like eggplant loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I added sliced mushrooms and forgot the peppers and it was still excellent.
It looks very Delicious, I’ll try it. Thanks
Hi Phoebe
The recipe looked delicious.
Can I cook this a day or 2 days ahead? Can this be eaten cold?
Thanks
Made this a couple times and it’s absolutely fantastic. Great vegetarian main course or side dish to Mediterranean style fish or chicken. Takes significantly longer than 20 min to prepare. With chopping, draining, sautéing (with a single pan) and baking it’s closer to Two Hours. Tweaks: dash of cumin and chili powder to sauce; included a few tablespoons Parmesan cheese in the layering. Would love to learn some meat-free ways to increase protein.
Hi – I just made this last night. My family LOVES mediterranean food, and loves eggplant farm, so this was a perfect combination.
I made 3 additions: 1. added in some zucchini, for more color; 2; added in feta cheese; 3: used about 22 oz. of sauce (that was key). I almost wish I used one more eggplant (I used one large one), to add in a 3rd layer of eggplant to make it thicker, but overall, this was incredibly delicious.
Also, the “hint” of cinnamon definitely makes the dish stand out, and distinguish it from an Italian dish. Thank you!
Our Turkish kitchen is very delicious. I like turkish meal. This meal’s name is İmambayıldı to turkey. But We don’t put had fainted imams that are really. :)) You can find a lot of delicious recipes in turkish kitchen. . Enjoy your meal! 🙂
It looks very dilicious, i must have to make it for my friends and family, thankyou for sharing a wonderful recipe.
I made it, really easy and winderful taste, thank you for this …..
Like everyone else, I loved this casserole–the flavors of cinnamon and red pepper flakes give it an exotic taste. As a single, I appreciate that it keeps well.
I did have a little trouble browning the eggplant slices in my iron pan without letting the oil smoke, but even light brown slices did not seem to be a problem for the outcome. Thank you!
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Excellent… brought me back to my childhood in Lebanon. Comfort food.
The next day, I added a few chickpeas to the leftovers and poached eggs over them, to make a modified shakshouka. I ate it, scooping it up with yeast-free Middle Eastern bread, it could be eaten with pita too. Or nothing – as my English-raised friend did.
love that you made it into a shakshouka!!
This was delicious! The frying bit at the beginning always makes me hesitant for the extra cooking time involved, but it’s always worth it. Short ingredient list and stick-it-in-the-oven cooking was great. I would eat this many times over. Thank you for sharing! Would taste great with some lentil-rice.
Hi,
I love this. I’ve also done with just using ras el hanout seasoning (which includes heat and cinnamon). I serve with rice or cous cous top with raisins, yogurt, mint. I’ve done it weekdays and for guests. Everyone loves it, if they eat eggplant 🙂
Yummy. What could we serve with this to round out the meal?
I’ve tried other imam bialdi recipes and I always come back to yours! It’s my hands down favorite. My husband considers this to be my signature dish! Thanks Pheobe!
that’s so great to hear!
Hi. Love this dish. I added mushrooms and subbed basil for the cinnamon. I know it completely changes it but thanks so much for the inspiration!!
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My husband is from Jordan, so I try to find recipes that will help him feel close to home in such an unfamiliar place. this isn’t quite the same as he’s used to but it is very close and i feel this has even more flavor. i am grateful i came across this recipe… i tried it last night but cut the recipe in half and we both fell in love. thank you for sharing your recipe with us
Its amazing to learn and then try this at home. Great work, thanks for sharing it.
This is an incredibly delicious dish. I could eat it every day! Would the final result be the same if I peeled the eggplant?
I don’t see why not, though it might not hold together in the pan frying as well
it holds just fine if you peel it. i peel it every time. i also used zuccini today and you can mix both of them in a dish and it comes out great.
This smelled so good while cooking and we were not disappointed! Left out the cinnamon and used tomato sauce instead of tomatoes. So glad to find a lasagna-like recipe without cheese (although the 2 of the 3 us without the dairy intolerance added grated parmesan on top).
The recipe says “one 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes” but the description and the video seem to show crushed tomatoes (and more than 14.5 ounces) going in. I made the dish ahead using the 14.5 can of diced tomatoes and plan to bake later, but there’s a lot less sauce than in your pictures and video. Is that possibly a typo?
i added sauteed chicken layer to the mix and used zucchini instead of eggplant. will see how it turns out
Is this dish able to be prepared the day before?
definitely!