Siniya Beef and Tomato Bake
A classic Levantine comfort dish featuring spiced ground beef baked in a rich, savory tomato sauce until bubbling and fragrant.
Ingredients
- •1 lb (450g) ground beef (80/20 blend)
- •1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- •3 cloves garlic, minced
- •1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- •1 tsp ground allspice
- •1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- •1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- •1 tsp kosher salt
- •2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- •1 can (14 oz / 400g) crushed tomatoes
- •2 medium tomatoes, sliced into thin rounds
- •1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, diced onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- 3
Press the meat mixture evenly into a 9-inch round baking dish or a cast-iron skillet, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- 4
Pour the crushed tomatoes over the top of the meat, spreading them out to cover the surface completely.
- 5
Arrange the tomato slices in an overlapping pattern over the crushed tomatoes and sprinkle with the pine nuts if using.
- 6
Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the tomato slices.
- 7
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the tomato sauce is bubbling and slightly thickened.
- 8
Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving warm, ideally with pita bread or fluffy basmati rice.
💡 Chef tips
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding them to the top for a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- You can prepare the meat base up to 4 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated; just add the tomato topping right before baking.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish should have a deeply savory, spiced aroma with a tender meat base topped by jammy, roasted tomato slices and a rich, concentrated sauce.