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    Home » Sides

    Roasted Eggplant

    Published: Jun 30, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Roasted eggplant is an easy, delicious side that complements a variety of main dishes, and you can also use it to make other recipes.

    From easy stuffed eggplants to a delicious eggplant pasta, from roasted eggplant dip to baked eggplant pizza, this method of cooking eggplant will not disappoint you.

    roasted eggplant slices with garlic and olive oil seasoning
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • How to cut eggplant for roasting?
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • More roasted eggplant recipes
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Check out our Best Eggplant Recipes

    Here we'll share with your our favorite roasted eggplant recipe. One you can make in about 30 minutes, with very simple ingredients, and enjoy as a side dish or use to make other delicious recipes.

    Roasting in the oven, at a high temperature, will soften, brown, and slightly caramelize the eggplant, packing it with flavor.

    In true Italian style, we recommend drizzling the roasted eggplant with a simple seasoning made with olive oil, minced garlic, a little vinegar, and fresh parsley.

    Those flavors will infuse the spongy eggplant making it super tasty, a little garlicky, and aromatic.

    We'll also show you how to cut eggplant for roasting (slices, cubes, boats, and discs), and which cut is best for which recipe.

    Finally, we'll give you some ideas for what to do with roasted eggplant and share with your our favorite recipes that you can make with this delicious Mediterranean vegetable.

    roasted eggplant dice
    Diced roasted eggplants seasoned with garlic, olive oil, and parsley.

    Ingredients

    Eggplant

    We generally roast globe eggplants or Italian eggplants because that's the most common eggplant in our local supermarket. However, you can roast most eggplant varieties.

    Roast with the peel on. Eggplant peel is nutritious and it gives the baked eggplant structure, preventing it from collapsing in the oven.

    Olive oil

    Try to use extra virgin olive oil for roasting eggplant. It has a fruitier, richer flavor than regular olive oil. It's also richer in antioxidants.

    Salt & Pepper

    Any salt works, however, we prefer sea salt or kosher salt. Add also a twist or two of freshly ground black pepper.

    Seasoning

    We make a simple dressing with extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, chopped flat-leaf parsley, salt, vinegar, and sometimes chili flakes or other spices.

    Alternatively, you can try our tahini sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice and parsley on top, our chimichurri dressing, chili oil, Italian salsa verde, or our vegan green goddess dressing.

    roasted eggplant slices on serving platter
    Roasted eggplant slices with garlic, olive oil, and parsley condiment.

    How to cut eggplant for roasting?

    Discs: eggplant discs are ideal for serving as an appetizer or side dish, with a simple dressing of olive oil, minced garlic, parsley, and vinegar, or gratin with a crunchy breadcrumb mixture on top. Eggplant discs are also excellent for breading, like in eggplant parmesan, and for making eggplant pizza.

    Cubes or dice: eggplant cubes are ideal for making other recipes, such as eggplant pasta (Italian pasta alla Norma), curry, caponata, and rice salad, for putting in a wrap or serving on crostini bread. Diced eggplant is also good as a side dish.

    Slices: eggplant slices are ideal for making famous Italian eggplant parmigiana, or to use in a sandwich. Eggplant slices are also good as a side dish.

    Boats: eggplant boats are ideal for making baba ganoush (eggplant dip), eggplant soup, stuffed eggplant with vegan pesto and tahini sauce, or even roasted eggplant cream cheese.

    roasted eggplant boats

    Instructions

    For the dressing

    Do this while the eggplants bake. Mince the garlic and add it to a bowl with olive oil, salt, vinegar, and a finely chopped fresh herb (fresh basil, mint, parsley, thyme). Stir and set aside while the eggplant cooks.

    Bake the eggplant

    Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and cut it into ¼ inch (0.7cm) discs.

    eggplant cut into discs

    Arrange the discs on the baking sheet and brush or drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

    eggplant discs on a baking tray

    Roast eggplant 20 minutes, flip and roast 5 to 10 more minutes, then transfer onto a serving platter. Eggplant discs should be golden, slightly browned, and tender, but not shriveled and dry.

    Roasted eggplants on a plate

    Drizzle the dressing on top of the eggplants while they are still piping hot. Ideally set aside 10 to 15 minutes before serving, to allow the condiment to infuse the eggplants.

    Roasted eggplant seasoned with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and vinegar

    Variations

    Baked eggplants with a crunchy top

    Follow the same instructions as above. Then, bake the eggplants for 18 minutes, take them out of the oven and apply the breadcrumbs mixture on top.

    For the breadcrumbs mixture you'll need:

    • ½ cup (70 grams) panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free bread crumbs)
    • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme or Italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 minced clove)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

    baked eggplants with breadcrumbs on top

    Bake for another 5 to 8 minutes, until the eggplants are fully cooked and the breading mixture is golden brown and crunchy.

    Arrange onto a serving platter and sprinkle with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley and enjoy these crispy baked eggplant slices.

    baked eggplant with crispy topping

    Diced roasted eggplants

    Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Wash and dry the eggplant and remove its stem. Dice eggplant into ¾ inch (2cm) cubes.

    cutting eggplant into dice

    Transfer onto a baking tray, arrange on a single layer without overlapping, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to spread seasoning.

    Tip: optionally you can add some fresh thyme or oregano, or some dried herbs.

    diced eggplant on a baking tray

    Roast eggplant for 20 minutes, flip with a spatula, and roast for 5 to 10 more minutes, then transfer onto a serving platter

    Drizzle with the same seasoning as above.

    Tip: poke them with a fork to check for doneness. The fork should slide in easily.

    roasted eggplant dice

    Sliced roasted eggplants

    Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Wash and dry the eggplant and remove its stem. Cut eggplant into ⅓ inch (0.9cm) slices.

    slicing eggplants

    Transfer onto a baking tray, drizzle or brush with extra virgin olive oil, and add salt, and pepper.

    eggplant slices on baking tray

    Roast 20 minutes, turn and roast 5 to 10 more minutes, then transfer onto a serving platter

    Drizzle with the same seasoning as above.

    Tip: poke them with a fork to check for doneness. The fork should slide in easily.

    roasted eggplant slices on serving platter

    Roasted eggplant boats

    Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and dry the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise.

    Score the flesh of the eggplant with the tip of a knife, and season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, including between the cuts.

    scoring the flesh of the eggplant

    Arrange on the baking sheet; cut side down. Bake at 430°F or 220°C for 50 minutes until completely cooked and tender inside.

    roasted eggplant boats

    Arrange on a plate and serve with the same seasoning as above, drizzled inside the cuts, and optionally with tahini sauce, fresh lemon juice, and chopped flat-leaf parsley.

    Alternatively check out our easy stuffed eggplant recipe for a lot more ideas.

    roasted eggplant boats with tahini sauce and lemon juice

    Serving suggestions

    Roasted eggplant can easily help you build a healthy and hearty dinner. Here are some of our favorite pairings:

    • As a side dish: with pan fried tofu, mushroom tofu, or vegan fish.
    • In salads: such as warm couscous salad, chickpea salad, and rice salad.
    • As a topping on pasta: try it with easy pasta recipes such as penne arrabbiata or aglio e olio.
    • On a platter: with other grilled veggies like roasted zucchini, roasted bell peppers, and asparagus.

    Or pair with plant-based protein and choose any of these 25 best tofu recipes.

    More roasted eggplant recipes

    Roasted eggplant pizza

    Top baked eggplant slices with marinara sauce or with a simple tomato sauce, add vegan melty cheese or mozzarella cheese if not vegan, and bake in the oven for 5 more minutes, till the cheese melts. Here's the full recipe for our eggplant pizza.

    roasted eggplant pizza

    Pasta alla norma

    This Italian pasta dish with roasted eggplant cubes is one of the best pasta dishes ever; the eggplant is coated in a rich tomato sauce and seasoned with fresh basil and red pepper flakes. Here's the full recipe for our eggplant pasta alla norma.

    roasted eggplant pasta

    Easy stuffed eggplants

    A no-fuss recipe for stuffing roasted eggplant boats, perfect for summer and early autumn dinners.

    You can make this one with a melty and cheesy topping, or with a fresh topping of diced tomatoes and basil pesto. Either way, it'll be delicious. Here's the full recipe for our easy stuffed eggplant boats.

    roasted eggplant boats with vegan cheese

    Eggplant dip

    Probably the best dip ever, baba ganoush or eggplant dip is super easy to make from roasted eggplant boats. Enjoy this with warm pita bread. Here's the full recipe for eggplant dip.

    baba ganoush topped with fresh parsley, mint, and olive oil

    Caponata

    A Sicilian eggplant salad with a delicious sweet and sour flavor. We make it with roasted eggplant (instead of deep-fried) in less than 45 minutes.

    Caponata in a bowl with basil on top

    Storage

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, or eat at room temperature. In this case, take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before eating.

    You can also freeze roasted eggplants for up to 6 months. To do so, take them out of the oven and let them cool down completely at room temperature. Arrange them on a platter without overlapping and put in the freezer. After a couple of hours, you can transfer the frozen eggplant slices into a freezing bag.

    Alternatively, if you don't have much time or space to do this, you can arrange the baked eggplant slices in a freezing bag, on top of each other, but with a piece of parchment paper in between each slice.

    Recipe

    roasted eggplant

    Roasted Eggplant

    Author: Nico
    Roasted eggplant is an easy, delicious side that complements a variety of main dishes, and you can also use it to make other recipes.
    From roasted eggplant boats to a rich tomato and baked eggplant pasta, from roasted eggplant dip to baked eggplant pizza, this recipe will not disappoint you.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Appetizer, Side dish
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 103 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 medium eggplants
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ⅓ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    For the seasoning

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons vinegar
    • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped

    Instructions
     

    For the seasoning

    • Do this while the eggplants bake. Mince garlic and add it to a bowl with olive oil, salt, vinegar, and a finely chopped fresh herb (mint, parsley, basil, thyme).
      Stir and set aside while the eggplant cooks.

    Bake the eggplant

    • Preheat oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      Wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and cut it into ¼ inch (0.7cm) discs.
      eggplant cut into discs
    • Arrange the discs on the baking sheet, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
      eggplant discs on a baking tray
    • Roast 20 minutes, turn and roast 10 more minutes, then transfer onto a serving plate. Eggplant discs should be golden, slightly browned, and tender.
      Roasted eggplants on a plate
    • Drizzle with seasoning while they are still piping hot. Ideally set aside 15 minutes before serving, to allow the condiment to infuse the eggplants.
      roasted eggplant with garlic seasoning

    Notes

    Nutrition information is for one portion out of six.
    Check out the "variations" and "more recipes with roasted eggplant" chapters to get more ideas about this delicious vegetable.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Roasted Eggplant
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 103 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 369mg11%
    Carbohydrates 10g3%
    Dietary Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 2g4%
    Vitamin A 246IU5%
    Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
    Vitamin C 7mg8%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 51µg49%
    Calcium 20mg2%
    Folate 37µg9%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 0.4mg20%
    Magnesium 23mg6%
    Zinc 0.3mg2%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

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