A Layered Turkish Eggplant Masterpiece You Need to Try!

1Forget everything you know about stuffed eggplants! 🍆✨
I’m taking the soul of the legendary Turkish Karnıyarık and giving it a modern, layered makeover. If you love the flavors of traditional stuffed eggplant but want something even juicier, cheesier, and easier to serve, this "New Style Karnıyarık" is for you!

We’re layering perfectly pre-baked eggplant slices with a savory, spiced minced meat filling, adding layers of melted cheese, and baking it all in a rich tomato-pepper paste sauce. It’s the ultimate comfort food that brings a gourmet touch to your dinner table.

I'm serving this alongside:

Vermicelli Rice Pilav (Şehriyeli Pirinç Pilavı) – Fluffy and buttery.
Cacık – The classic refreshing Turkish yogurt and cucumber dip.

Ingredients you'll need:

Eggplants, 1 kg
Minced meat ( beef or mix of beef and lamb, 500gr.)
1 big Onions, 2-3 cloves of garlic
2 mild green peppers
1 mild capia red pepper (optional)
1 tbsp Tomato paste
2 tsp Pepper paste (optional)
Shredded melting cheese (Kashar or Mozzarella)
Fresh tomatoes for topping

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro - New Style Karnıyarık
01:05 – Ingredients and prep
02:00 – Slicing Eggplants
03:28 – The minced meat filling
06:40 – Assembling the Layers
08:11 – Tomato Sauce
08:36 – Rice Pilav
09:52 – Cacık (Yogurt cucumber side dish)
11:50 – Final checks and extra cheese on eggplant layers
12:36 – Serving and Tasting