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–+ servings
grilled eggplants on a platter

Grilled eggplants

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 4 - 6 people
Author: Nico Pallotta

  • 1 large (700 grams) eggplant (about 1½ pounds)

For the marinade

  • 3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) vinegar any
  • 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced or minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 2 twists black pepper red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons basil leaves or mint or parsley, finely chopped

Make marinade

  • To a bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced garlic, chopped basil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Stir it and set it aside.
    ingredients for condiment

Grill Eggplant

  • Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. The temperature should be around 430F or 220C. Make sure the grill grates or the pan are clean.
  • Wash the eggplant, dry it, and remove the stem. Next, slice it into ⅓ of an inch thick discs (about 8mm).
    You can cut long slices, too, if you prefer. You can use a chef's knife or a mandoline slicer.
    Tip: the peel of the eggplant can be challenging to slice if you don't have a sharp knife. If you are having difficulties, use a serrated bread knife.
    sliced eggplant on a cutting board
  • When the grill or grill pan is hot, turn the heat down from medium-high to medium.
    Place the eggplant discs on it on a single layer. Grill for about 3 minutes on one side, then turn around with tongues and grill for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onto a serving platter and keep grilling till you run out of eggplant.
    Do not undercook. Grilled eggplant should be well cooked and soft.
    grilling eggplant on a grill pan

Apply marinade

  • As you transfer the grilled eggplant from the grill to the serving platter, drizzle with a generous amount of marinade while the eggplant is still smokey and hot.
    The warm and spongy eggplant will absorb fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil flavor. The vinegar and salt will make it tasty. Optionally you can sprinkle extra fresh herbs on top.
    Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or cold.
    grilled eggplant with basil on a platter
HEALTH CONSIDERATION
Less charring is a little healthier, but it's also less flavorful. Do not move the eggplant if you want clear charring marks like our pictures. Only flip it once. Move the slices around the grill while they cook if you wish to have more minor charring.
If you use a grill pan, cast iron is your best bet because it distributes the heat evenly and reaches higher temperatures than regular pans.
WHY NO OIL BEFORE GRILLING?
Grilling without oil, and adding oil on top later, makes the dish healthier because we reduce potential harmful compounds that form when we heat the oil at high temperatures.
BUT WON'T THE EGGPLANT STICK TO THE GRILL?
No, it won't. Of course, your grill or grill pan needs to be clean and well seasoned.
WON'T THE EGGPLANT TASTE BLAND?
No, it won't. Charring without oil adds a ton of smokey flavor. 
Adding the marinade onto the hot eggplant when off the grill and on the serving platter will load it with garlic, herbs, and olive oil aroma.
Nutrition information is for one portion out of four.
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