Turkish · dinner, lunch

İmam Bayıldı (Stuffed Aubergines)

İmam Bayıldı (Stuffed Aubergines) — from Middle Eats's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 5:18

Video by Middle Eats on YouTube · Open on YouTube

95 minServes 4254 kcal a serve
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Roasting the aubergines instead of frying them cuts the oil dramatically for this classic dish. It is vegan, gives about 11 g of fibre a serve, and is high in vitamin C and vitamin K from the peppers and parsley.

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Ingredients 14

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Peel the aubergines in alternating stripes, rub with salt and cover with water for about 30 minutes to draw out bitterness. Rinse, pat dry and cut a shallow slit along half the length of the best-looking side. 0:32
  2. Rub the aubergines all over with olive oil, place on a lined tray and roast at 200°C for 35–40 minutes, turning halfway, until soft (or air-fry at 205°C for about 15 minutes). 1:24
  3. For the filling, soften the onion strips in 30 g olive oil over medium-high heat for 5–10 minutes. Add the chillies and pepper for a minute, then the garlic. 2:40
  4. Season with 1 tsp salt, pul biber, black pepper and cumin, stir in 15 g tomato purée for 30 seconds, then add the diced tomatoes and cook a couple of minutes more. 3:06
  5. Open each roasted aubergine with two forks to make a pocket and fill generously. Dissolve 20 g tomato purée in 150 ml water with ¼ tsp salt and pepper, bring to the boil and pour over. 3:58
  6. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes until the sauce is glossy and thick. Scatter with parsley and serve with bread, rice or bulgur, spooning the sauce over. 4:40

Tip. Serves 4 is our estimate (one aubergine each). Add extra chilli to the filling if you like heat; it also makes a great sandwich filling. Good warm or at room temperature.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy254 kcal1,060 kJ
Protein4.9 g10% of a day
Fibre11 g39% of a day
Carbohydrate29 g18 g net · 16 g sugars11% of a day
Fat15 g2 g saturated20% of a day
Sodium890 mg39% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 32%
  • Protein 9%
  • Fat 59%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin K High107%

128 µg a serve, mostly from parsley (80%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin C High94%

85 mg a serve, mostly from red bell pepper (57%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin B6 High31%

0.5 mg a serve, mostly from aubergines (36%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin E High30%

4.5 mg a serve, mostly from olive oil (46%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Folate High26%

103 µg a serve, mostly from aubergines (51%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Potassium High22%

1010 mg a serve, mostly from aubergines (54%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium Source15%

61 mg a serve, mostly from aubergines (54%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin A Source14%

129 µg a serve, mostly from red bell pepper (46%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Iron Source11%

2 mg a serve. Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Show the other 6
Zinc9%

1 mg a serve, mostly from aubergines (46%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Omega-38%

0.1 g a serve, mostly from olive oil (84%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Calcium5%

70 mg a serve, mostly from aubergines (31%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Selenium4%

2.1 µg a serve, mostly from aubergines (34%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin B120%

0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Middle Eats; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.