This oven-based version roasts the eggplants before filling them, avoiding a separate frying step. It remains an olive-oil vegetable dish without minced meat. Slender eggplants are easier to portion and tend to soften more evenly than very large ones.
İmam Bayıldı — Recipe Card
Olive oil eggplants with tomato & onion
Makes 4 servingsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make İmam Bayıldı
Roast the eggplants
Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F conventional. Peel alternating lengthwise strips from the eggplants, leaving the stems attached. Pierce the flesh in several places. Rub with one-third of the oil and a little of the salt. Roast in a baking dish for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until tender.
Soften the onions
While the eggplants roast, warm the remaining two-thirds of the oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft without dark browning. Add the garlic for the final 2 minutes.
Finish the filling
Stir the tomato paste into the onions for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, remaining salt and black pepper. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the juices reduce slightly. Fold in most of the parsley.
Fill and bake
Make a lengthwise slit along the top of each tender eggplant without cutting through the base. Gently open a pocket with two spoons. Divide the filling between the pockets. Pour the hot water into the base of the dish, cover loosely with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes until everything is soft and the juices are bubbling.
Serve gently
Scatter with the remaining parsley. Serve warm, or let stand briefly before serving at room temperature. Spoon a little of the olive-oil cooking juices over each portion and offer bread alongside.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-stuffed-eggplants-imam-bayildi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Choose slender eggplants
Small, evenly sized eggplants are easier to cook through. Large globe eggplants may need significantly longer in the first roast.
A meat-free dish
İmam bayıldı is an olive-oil vegetable preparation. A similar-looking eggplant dish filled with minced meat is karnıyarık.
Oil is part of the texture
The olive oil carries the flavor and softens the filling. Reducing it substantially changes the result; a little of the sauce goes a long way when serving.
How to store and reheat İmam Bayıldı
Refrigerate promptly in a covered container and use within 3 days. Serve chilled or reheat to 74°C / 165°F. Do not leave the cooked dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
İmam Bayıldı: questions and answers
Is imam bayıldı vegan?
Yes, this recipe uses vegetables and olive oil with no meat or dairy.
Is it served hot or cold?
It can be served warm, at room temperature during a meal, or chilled. Refrigerate promptly once the meal is over.
Why is my eggplant still firm?
It likely needed more time in the first roast. Check that a knife slides into the thickest part easily before adding the filling.
