Punjeni Patlidžan
Stuffed Eggplant (Keto Style)
Yes, with a tweak: ensure no rice is used in the meat filling. About 11g net carbs per serving, on the higher side for Croatian food, so watch the portion.
What it is
Halved eggplants hollowed out and filled with a savory mixture of minced meat (typically beef or a mix of beef and pork), onions, garlic, and Mediterranean herbs, often topped with cheese and baked. Modified to exclude rice from the filling and minimize tomato sauce sugars.
Key ingredients
Eggplant, minced beef/pork, onion, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste (minimal), fresh parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, egg (as binder), grated hard cheese (e.g., Parmesan).
How to make it keto
Ensure no rice is used in the meat filling. Request minimal tomato sauce or a sauce with no added sugar. Confirm no flour is used as a thickener in the sauce or filling.
Say this to the waiter (Croatian)
Molim Punjeni Patlidžan. Neka u nadjevu ne bude riže. Rajčica umak neka bude minimalan ili bez dodanog šećera, te bez brašna u umaku ili nadjevu.
I'd like the Punjeni Patlidžan. Please, no rice in the filling. Can the tomato sauce be minimal or without added sugar? And no flour in the sauce or filling.
Watch out for
Rice in the filling is common, sugary tomato sauce, eggplant itself has some carbohydrates (though manageable in typical portion sizes).
Macros are estimates for a typical serving and vary by restaurant. Confirm ingredients with staff, especially if you have allergies. Our ingredient lists are generated automatically and describe how a dish is typically made.
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