# Baked Vegetable Casserole in Tomato Sauce

> Vegetable casserole turns watery because **the vegetables go in raw**. Each one releases its liquid into the dish and it becomes soup. The fix: **brown the vegetables first** so that water evaporates, and **reduce the sauce** before it goes over them.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 80 min · 6 servings · 240 kcal per serving**

Vegetable casserole is a complete, cheap vegetarian meal made in a single dish. The complaint you hear most is that it comes out soupy with boiled vegetables floating in it.

## Ingredients

- 2 — aubergines, cubed
- 3 — courgettes
- 3 — potatoes
- 2 — mixed bell peppers
- 1 cup — peas
- 2 — onions
- 6 cloves — garlic
- 6 — tomatoes, grated
- 3 tbsp — tomato paste
- 1/3 cup — oil
- 1 tsp — cumin
- 1 tsp — mixed spices
- 1 tsp — salt
- 1 tsp — sugar

## Method

1. **Salt the aubergine** — Salt the cubed aubergine and leave it in a colander for **30 minutes**, then rinse and dry. Salting removes bitterness and halves the oil it absorbs.
2. **Brown each vegetable** — Brown each vegetable **separately** in hot oil over high heat: potatoes 6 minutes, aubergine 5, courgette 4, peppers 3. Browning drives off their water before they reach the dish.
3. **A reduced sauce** — Soften the onion and garlic, add the grated tomato, paste, spices, salt and sugar, and cook **15 minutes** until the sauce thickens and releases its oil.
4. **Test the reduction** — Draw a line through the sauce with a spoon — if it **does not close immediately**, it is reduced enough. If it closes, cook another 5 minutes.
5. **Assemble** — Layer the browned vegetables in a baking dish, pour over the sauce and toss gently. **Add no water at all** — the vegetables will release what they have in the oven.
6. **Bake uncovered** — Bake at **190°C for 30 minutes, uncovered**. Uncovered lets excess steam escape so the sauce stays concentrated; a lid traps it and thins everything.
7. **Rest** — Leave it **10 minutes** out of the oven before serving. The rest lets the vegetables absorb the sauce and settle. Serve with rice or bread.

## Tips

- Brown each vegetable separately first — this is the step that prevents sogginess.
- No added water whatsoever — the vegetables supply their own.
- Uncovered in the oven, never covered — a lid traps the steam.
- It improves the next day and is good hot or at room temperature.

## FAQ

### Why is my casserole watery?
The vegetables went in raw and released their liquid into the dish. Brown each one separately over high heat first so the water evaporates, reduce the sauce, and add no water at all.

### Can I skip the browning?
You can, but the result is far weaker — boiled vegetables in a diluted sauce. If you are short of time, at least brown the potatoes and aubergine, which soak up the most oil and water.

### Can I add protein?
Absolutely: browned chicken or beef goes in with the vegetables, or cooked chickpeas for a vegetarian version. Add 10 minutes to the bake if you add meat.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/baked-vegetable-casserole-tomato-sauce
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-23