Lebanese Stuffed Eggplant (+ Other Veg | Sheikh el Mahshi)

Sheikh el Mahshi is a Lebanese stuffed eggplant (and other vegetables) dish made with hearty minced beef, onion, and nut-based stuffing then baked in a simple tomato sauce! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, can be made vegetarian/vegan, and is perfect for impressing at dinner parties!

Towards the end of last year, I shared a recipe for vegetarian Greek rice-stuffed vegetables (Gemista) and Lebanese stuffed cabbage (malfouf). Now it’s time to return to my roots with this Lebanese stuffed eggplant with ground beef and nuts (aka sheikh el mahshi), made even better when using eggplant, potato, tomatoes, and stuffed peppers with ground beef.

While it isn’t the quickest (or simplest) recipe, it’s not too tricky to pull together and is definitely worth the results! Plus, it’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, and makes for an incredibly crowd-pleasing, hearty, wholesome main to enjoy alone or served over a bed of Lebanese rice!

What is Sheikh al-mahshi?

Sheikh al-mahshi (also spelled sheikh el mahshi – meaning Chief/King of stuffed dishes) is a popular Middle Eastern stuffed eggplant – and sometimes onions and/or zucchini – dish, perfect for impressing guests and at dinner parties.

It comprises stuffed eggplant with a luxurious filling of ground beef (especially as the meat was a premium ingredient) and pine nuts (instead of more regular/simple rice and veggie stuffing). Once stuffed, the vegetables are baked in either yogurt or tomato-based sauce. Making it a dish usually prepared for special “guests of honor.”

The exact vegetables and sauce used differ regionally, though most rely on smaller vegetables that are easy to stuff. For this version of sheikh el mahshi recipe, I’ve used a combination of potato, bell pepper, tomato, and eggplant, all stuffed with ground beef. I then cooked them in a simple but delicious tomato sauce for a colorful, flavorful, versatile main.

For more hearty Lebanese mains, you might enjoy this Lebanese carrot and pea stew (Bazella w riz), butter bean stew, chicken molokhia, or homemade lamb kofta!

The Ingredients

• Vegetables: traditionally, sheikh al-mahshi recipes are made with eggplant, zucchini (small), and/or onion (small-medium). However, you can use all sorts of vegetables to stuff, including green/orange/red bell pepper, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. Choose whichever you’d like to use.

Try to select eggplants that aren’t too small or large (which will make stuffing them difficult). Refer to my images for what size I used.

For the Filling

• Minced beef: I used lean minced beef, though a 50/50 lamb-beef combination could also work (you can use 5% fat or a higher amount). If you’d prefer to make a vegetarian/vegan version, you could use a meat-alternative mince instead or minced tofu ground “beef”.
• Onion: use a yellow or white medium onion, rather than red.
• Nuts: I used a combination of pistachios, almonds, and cashews. Pine nuts are another popular choice (either alone or with a combination of nuts or other seeds). Use pine nuts and/or sunflower seeds and pepitas for a nut-free version.
• Oil: use any neutral cooking oil, such as avocado oil, olive oil, etc. If you plan to fry the eggplant/potatoes, you’ll also need a neutral frying oil like canola or vegetable oil.
• Seasonings: this sheikh el mahshi recipe uses a simple combination of Lebanese 7-spice (allspice may work as a substitution), cinnamon, and salt and black pepper.

The Tomato Sauce

• Tomato paste: I use homemade tomato paste to add depth to the sauce.
• Tomato Juice: you can use homemade or store-bought tomato juice. Alternatively, chopped tomatoes could be used, but you’ll need to simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes (then puree it) before using it over the Middle Eastern stuffed eggplant.
• Vegetable stock: Beef stock would also work, or even just water. Use reduced-sodium stock/broth if preferred.

Optional Add-ins and Variations

• Spice: add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the minced beef stuffing for heat. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Spices: for extra flavor, you could add a pinch of turmeric, cinnamon, and/or paprika to the stuffing.
• Herbs: feel free to garnish the Middle Eastern stuffed eggplant (and other veggies) with chopped fresh parsley.
• Lemon: feel free to add a squeeze of lemon over the veggies before serving for a fresh, bright flavor addition, and/or serve the Lebanese stuffed vegetables with lemon wedges.
• Pomegranate molasses: a drizzle of pomegranate molasses can help to add depth to the tomato sauce. Start with ½ tablespoon and increase to taste.
• Red pepper: rather than making beef stuffed peppers, you could actually use a very finely chopped bell pepper to add to the minced beef stuffing. Then use that within other veggies.
• Garlic: feel free to add garlic to either the stuffed veggie filling OR the tomato sauce.

How to Make Sheikh al Mahshi?

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

First, wash all the vegetables well. Then prepare them according to what you’re using.

Eggplant: begin by peeling the eggplant. Then make a slit down one side of the eggplant (this creates a pocket to stuff) using a sharp knife. Then, either fry or bake the eggplant until tender.

To fry the eggplant, add a few inches of oil to a large frying pan and heat until a toothpick inserted into the oil immediately begins to sizzle. Then, add the eggplants and cook for 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway. The time will vary based on the size of the eggplants. You want to do so until the color is golden but not too dark (they should be about half cooked). Then, transfer to paper towels to drain before continuing.

To bake the eggplant, place them on a large baking tray, drizzle with oil, and then bake at 400ºF/200ºC for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggplants are tender but not well cooked yet (cook to about 80%).

Once cooked, use a fork or spoon to gently fluff up the eggplants’ inside to make them easier to stuff. You could optionally add the flesh directly into the stuffing mixture.

Potatoes: Peel and then core the potatoes, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the entire potato (so they don’t collapse when cooked). You can then fry or bake them.

To fry, simply drop the cored and peeled potato into a pan with hot oil and fry until lightly golden on all sides.

To bake the potatoes, place them on a large baking tray, drizzle with oil, and then bake at 400ºF/200ºC for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are at about 80% cooked.

Bell peppers and tomatoes: slice the tops off (but keep them as they’ll go back on the veggies after they’re stuffed) and remove the seeds from inside. Keep the tomato flesh to one side, as it’ll be used later. There’s no need to pre-cook the peppers or tomatoes.

Step 2: Prepare the Minced Beef Nut Filling

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.

Then, finely chop the onion and sauté it in a small skillet with a bit of oil (over medium heat) until translucent. This should only take a few minutes.

For extra depth of flavor, you can cook the onions until they’re lightly caramelized.

Then, add the minced beef and continue to cook, stirring often and using your spoon to break up the ground beef until it’s fully cooked and the liquid has cooked away.

Then, add the spices, mix, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, lightly fry the nuts (or seeds) with a drizzle of oil until fragrant and toasty.

When both elements are cooked, combine them together and mix well.

Step 3: Stuff and Bake the Vegetables

Spoon the minced beef stuffing into each of your veggies and then transfer them to a large, deep oven pan, packing them in tightly to make the most of all the space. Place the tops back on each vegetable.

In a small bowl, combine the tomato juice, paste, leftover flesh, and vegetable stock. Then pour this over the baking dish with the stuffed veggies.

Transfer the baking dish (carefully) to the oven at bake at 350ºF/180ºC for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Then remove the sheikh el mahshi from the oven and enjoy!

Serving Recommendations

I highly recommend serving the Middle Eastern stuffed eggplant and other veggies over a bed of rice (regular or vermicelli rice), topped with a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and a lemon wedge. Feel free to sprinkle them with additional toasted pine nuts/nuts, too.

You could also enjoy the beef stuffed veg with creamy mashed potato (not traditional) or bread like a crusty loaf or fluffy pita bread (plain or buttered).

You could also enjoy the leftovers with a side salad, kh’yar bi laban (cucumber yogurt salad), and/or bread, too!

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Make ahead: you can prepare the minced beef stuffing and tomato sauce a day in advance and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You could also pre-cook the eggplant/potato a day in advance and even pre-core the peppers/tomatoes. That way, they’re quick and easy to assemble and bake when the sheikh el mahshi is needed.

Store: store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. These Lebanese stuffed eggplants taste even better on day two, so I highly recommend saving some for leftovers!

Reheat: use either an oven (for large amounts) or microwave to gently reheat the Lebanese stuffed veggies until piping hot!

FAQs

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• For even silkier mouthfeel: drizzle the meat-stuffed vegetables with a generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil before baking. Not only does olive oil increase the healthfulness of cooked tomatoes. It will also create the most amazing silky tomato sauce with the sheikh al-mahshi.
• Use one or more veggies. At its simplest, you can make this sheikh el mahshi recipe with just one vegetable (usually eggplant). So, use as many as you’d prefer.
• To core vegetables quickly: depending on the vegetables you use, it can be a great idea to invest in a vegetable corer. They don’t cost much and allow you to get the job done in no time at all!

More Eggplant Recipes

• Zaalouk (eggplant tomato dip)
• Simple stuffed makdous (cured eggplant)
• Kashke Bademnjan (Persian eggplant dip)
• Smoky eggplant dip (baba ganoush)
• Miso-glazed eggplant (Nasu Dengaku)
• Crispy eggplant with honey (Berenjenas con miel)
• Chinese garlic eggplant (stir-fry)
• Spicy roasted eggplant dip (Baigan Choka)
• Perfect Oven Roasted Eggplant Slices

If you try this Lebanese stuffed eggplant (sheikh el mahshi) recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!