You can’t go wrong with grilled veggies, whether it’s grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus, or this smoky and savory eggplant. You can serve this eggplant as-is, or dress it up to turn it into a vegetarian main course. In my opinion, eggplant is an underutilized ingredient. It’s healthy, inexpensive, and is a neutral palette to absorb the flavors of sauces and marinades. This grilled eggplant is simple to make, yet totally delicious!
Grilled Eggplant Ingredients
For this dish, you’ll need eggplants, olive oil, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic, fresh parsley, salt and pepper.
How Do You Make Grilled Eggplant?
Start by slicing your eggplant. Place the slices of eggplant in a quick marinade that’s made with olive oil, herbs, spices and fresh garlic. Let the eggplant marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Place the eggplant slices on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until tender and browned. Sprinkle the eggplant with chopped parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Eggplant
Make sure all your eggplant slices are similar in size so that they cook at the same rate. Grilled eggplant tastes best when served immediately, but you can also serve it at room temperature with good results. Store any leftover eggplant in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe. The eggplant will become watery upon being frozen and thawed. I like to finish this dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you don’t have parsley on hand, try using dill, chives, basil or thyme leaves.
Ways To Use Grilled Eggplant
You can serve your eggplant as a side dish, or combine it with other ingredients to turn it into a main course.
Pasta: Add diced grilled eggplant to baked ziti, pasta pomodoro, or baked tortellini for extra flavor. Salad: Coarsely chop your eggplant and add it to a green salad along with some crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts. Sandwiches: Layer grilled eggplant with sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, spinach and pesto for an amazing sandwich. Appetizer: Use your eggplant to make baba ganoush dip or Italian caponata. Pizza: Chop your eggplant and add it on top of a cheese pizza. Casseroles: Use slices of eggplant instead of pasta to make a low carb eggplant lasagna.
This recipe is my favorite way to enjoy eggplant – it’s easy, versatile and always a big hit.
Grilled Eggplant Video
