Roasted Eggplant

We personally love eggplant and it’s one of our favorite vegetables. There’s nothing better to eat in the summer! This Roasted Eggplant celebrates the beautiful color and tender flesh of the eggplant. The result is a deliciously caramelized slightly sweet eggplant with a tangy and garlicky dipping sauce. This recipe can be used for spreads, or enjoyed as a side dish or on its own with a refreshing dip.

Why You’ll This Love Roasted Eggplant

This Roasted Eggplant is a real beauty. It not only looks beautiful presented on a platter with dips, but it’s a real flavor powerhouse. Serve it as a side dish to any protein chopped up on a pizza or mashed up and incorporated into a pasta sauce. The char is and gives the eggplant a slightly sweet flavor.

How to Prepare This Roasted Eggplant

Wash and pat dry the eggplant.

Take a knife and cut each one in half lengthwise. Remove the cap off the eggplant, place it horizontally facing you, and then score the inside flesh making lengthwise cuts all the way to the end, followed by diagonal cuts. You will end up with a diamond or a square pattern.

Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then drizzle with olive oil.

Drizzle each eggplant half with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt.

Now, lay them flat-side down and bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bottoms are caramelized and the tops are soft.

Next, in a small bowl mix the oil, basil, and minced garlic, and then brush the mixture on each eggplant half.

In another separate bowl, mix plain yogurt with salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and finely chopped fresh dill. Serve as a dipping sauce for the eggplant and enjoy!

Kitchen tip

Make sure to use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and oil up the parchment paper a little bit so that the flesh of the eggplant becomes nice and caramelized without sticking.

Swaps

1. You can certainly grill the eggplant on the barbecue instead of cooking it in the oven. It will have a nice smoky charred flavor.
2. Instead of dill, you can use parsley or basil instead.
3. Make this dairy-free by using your favorite non-dairy yogurt instead.

Serve it with

• Instead of this yogurt sauce, you could also serve this Roasted Eggplant with our Tzatziki Recipe.
• Serve these as a side dish to any main protein such as steak, grilled chicken, or a nice piece of fish.
• Chop up the Roasted Eggplant and use it to top a homemade pizza or toss it into your pasta.

Questions

Can i mkae this Roasted Eggplant on the bbq?

Yes, you can certainly grill the eggplant on the barbecue instead of cooking it in the oven. It will have a nice smoky, charred flavor.

can i make the dipping sauce dairy-free?

Absolutely! Feel free to use your favorite non-dairy sour cream or yogurt instead here.

what else can i make with this roasted eggplant?

Use this method of cooking the eggplant and then scoop out the flesh. You can add the flesh into a sauce or stew or make our ah-mazing a strong Baba Ghanoush recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

The Eggplant

• 3 small eggplants, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ tablespoon salt

The Garlic Oil

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-2 clove garlic, to taste
• 2 leaves fresh basil, ripped, finely chopped, or sliced

The Yogurt Dip

• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, to taste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1/2 a teaspoon of dry dill weed)

Equipment

• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board
• Mixing Bowls
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Pastry Brush
• Redmond Real Salt

Method

1. Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Take a knife and cut each one in half. Take each half off the eggplant, place it horizontally facing you, and score the inside of the eggplant making lengthwise cuts all the way to the end, followed by diagonal cuts with a knife. You should have a diamond or a square pattern.
2. Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and oil it with a drizzle of olive oil. Drizzle on a bit more olive oil on the eggplant with a sprinkle of salt each one.
3. Lay them flat side down and bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bottoms are caramelized and the tops are soft. You should be able to insert a knife into the skin easily.
4. Take it out of the oven and plate them. In a small bowl mix the oil, basil, and garlic. Brush on the garlic basil oil. In another a separate bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the yogurt sauce to serve on the side with and enjoy.