Imam Bayildi
Whole eggplant braised with onion, tomato, and olive oil.
Ingredients
- 4 Eggplant
- 2 Onion
- 3 Tomato
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 8 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Parsley (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C (350F); fry the whole slit eggplants in the oil over medium heat until soft and collapsing, about 14 minutes, then set aside.
- Soften the sliced onion, garlic, and tomato in oil over medium heat into a sweet filling, about 12 minutes, then stir in the parsley and salt.
- Stuff the eggplants with the filling and nestle them in a baking dish with a splash of water.
- Bake until meltingly soft, about 25 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Imam Bayildi
Imam bayildi is a celebrated Turkish and wider eastern Mediterranean dish of whole eggplant braised with onion, tomato, and a generous amount of olive oil. Its name translates roughly to "the imam fainted," a phrase folklore ties to a cleric so overcome by the dish's richness (or the oil it took to make it) that he swooned. It belongs to the family of olive-oil vegetable dishes eaten cool or at room temperature, where slow cooking coaxes deep, sweet flavor from humble vegetables.
What defines it is meltingly soft eggplant that gives up all its bitterness and turns almost custardy after frying and then baking. The onion, garlic, and tomato are cooked down into a sweet, jammy filling brightened with parsley, then spooned into the split eggplants and baked until everything collapses together. Served warm or, more traditionally, at room temperature with bread to mop the oil, it makes a satisfying vegan main and only improves after a day in the fridge.
Imam Bayildi: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Imam Bayildi?
A serving has about 160 calories — 4.5g protein, 26.8g carbs, 4.2g fat, 9.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Imam Bayildi gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Imam Bayildi has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Imam Bayildi take to make?
About 60 minutes start to finish, but only around 34 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Imam Bayildi?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out parsley — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Imam Bayildi make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.