This Smothered Eggplant Rice Dressing is a popular Southern Louisiana recipe. It’s diced eggplant smothered with onions, garlic, pork, and rice.
This recipe is a favorite of mine from my childhood. I can remember being mesmerized as I watched my Maw-Maw stand over her big pot stirring the contents inside like she was making something magical.
I always loved the way her house smelled when she was cooking, especially when she made this Eggplant recipe.
Once my grandmother passed away, and I became an adult I started calling my Mom for the recipe.
This recipe has become one of my family’s favorite summertime meals. I use fresh Eggplants from our Garden .
I have found even though the Smothered Eggplant Rice Dressing tastes great, it still doesn’t taste like my Maw-Maw’s.
Ingredients for Smothered Eggplant Rice Dressing
- 3- Large Eggplants, peeled and cut into cubes
- 2 lbs. Ground Pork (can use Italian Sausage or Ground Meat)
- 1/2 Cup fresh parsley plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 – Medium onion diced
- 2- Cloves garlic minced
- 1- Cup cooked rice
- 1/2 – Cup water
- salt & pepper to taste
- optional: Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (to your liking)
How to Make Smothered Eggplant Rice Dressing
1. Cook rice and set aside.
2. Brown ground pork in a large pot then pour meat into a bowl and let sit.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot, where you just removed ground pork, lightly saute 1/2 cup parsley, onions, and garlic.
Once cooked remove from the stove top and set aside.
Kim’s note – add a little more water while cooking the eggplant down if needed.
5. Stir eggplant often cooking all the water out. Smother it down, scrape off any that sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Once the water is cooked out add the remaining olive oil. Stir until the eggplant is completely mashed up.
6. Add all the saute vegetables, meat, seasoning, and rice to the eggplant stirring until the food is completely mixed together.
Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve hot.
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KimSeghers says
Thank you, Brooke. I hope you like this recipe if you try it. You could use ground Italian sausage instead of ground pork and use more rice if you wanted. I always add my rice a little bit at a time. also you could always peel and slice your eggplant into thin medallions and fry it. Kim
KimSeghers says
Hi Sara, I miss my grandmothers cooking too. It seems like her food always tasted better. You should try peeling the eggplant and slicing it into circles and frying it or give this recipe a try. You could use Italian sausage instead of ground meat if you wanted. Hope you like this recipe . Kim
KimSeghers says
Hope your parents love this recipe! Have a great week, Kim
KimSeghers says
I only love eggplant the way I grew up eating it smothered or fried. Hope you like this recipe. You could add more rice and use Italian sausage . Kim
KimSeghers says
Thank you, Gunjan! Hope you like the recipe. Kim
KimSeghers says
Hi Leslie, I have never eaten eggplant in a chili before that sounds interesting! If you try this recipe let me know if you like it. Kim
KimSeghers says
I love Eggplant too! Hope you like the recipe if you try it. Kim
KimSeghers says
Thank you Nikki! And, you could add more rice to it and more spice however you like it! Well if you decide to make this recipe I hope your kids like it, my little one does but you never know with kids!! Have a great weekend, Kim