Welcome to Plan n Cook — plan meals, shop once, cook with less stress.

Home kitchen plans

Roasted Eggplant

Roasted Eggplant

Cuisine:Mediterranean

Course:Side Dish

15m prep 30m cook 45m ready

4 to 6 servings WHOLE Roasting whole eggplant produces a tender pulp that can be used for dips and purees. You can also roast whole eggplants on a hot grill—or, if you manage to think ahead, in the residual heat of the grill after you have cooked dinner—allowing them to char for a distinctive smoky flavor. You may also roast them over embers in the hearth. A 1-pound eggplant will yield about 1 ½ cups pulp.

Ingredients

Servings:
  • 1 whole eggplant
  • (Garlic slivers)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, melted butter, or toasted sesame oil
  • Chopped herbs, such as marjoram or basil
  • 1
    • ¼ cup red or white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, or lemon juice
    • (1 teaspoon minced shallot)
    • (1 small garlic clove, minced, grated on a rasp grater, or mashed to a paste)
    • (½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard, to taste)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
    • ¾ cup olive oil
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a medium bowl: ¼ cup red or white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, or lemon juice; (1 teaspoon minced shallot); (1 small garlic clove, minced, grated on a rasp grater, or mashed to a paste); (½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard, to taste); ½ teaspoon salt; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
    2. Whisk until blended. Add gradually, whisking constantly after each addition: ¾ cup olive oil
    3. If made in advance, cover and refrigerate. Shake well before using.
  • Plain yogurt
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), stem ends trimmed
  • Olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1
    • Two 2 ½- to 3-inch cinnamon sticks
    • 1 nutmeg
    • 4 green cardamom pods
    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
    • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
    • (2 teaspoons dried rose petals)
    • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
    • 1 teaspoon allspice berries
    • (1 teaspoon dried mint)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Place inside a thin, folded kitchen towel and break into pieces with a rolling pin or a heavy skillet: Two 2 ½- to 3-inch cinnamon sticks; 1 nutmeg
    2. Transfer to a spice grinder. Crack open by pounding with the side of a knife: 4 green cardamom pods
    3. Collect the seeds within, and discard the pods. Add to the grinder along with: 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 2 teaspoons coriander seeds; 2 teaspoons black peppercorns; (2 teaspoons dried rose petals); 1 teaspoon whole cloves; 1 teaspoon allspice berries; (1 teaspoon dried mint)
    4. Grind into a fine powder.
  • Chopped herbs such as parsley, mint, or basil
  • Lemon juice or dollops of plain Greek yogurt or labneh
  • 1
    • 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
    • 1 cup plain yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • (1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and diced)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Stir together in a small bowl: 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped; 1 cup plain yogurt; 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint; ¼ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon salt; (1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, seeded and diced)
    2. Raita is best served fresh, but it can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 day.

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 whole eggplant
  • (Garlic slivers)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, melted butter, or toasted sesame oil
  • Chopped herbs, such as marjoram or basil
  • 1 Lemon juice or any vinaigrette
  • Plain yogurt
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), stem ends trimmed
  • Olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper or 1 teaspoon Baharat
  • Chopped herbs such as parsley, mint, or basil
  • Lemon juice or dollops of plain Greek yogurt or labneh
  • 1 Raita, Tzatziki, Tahini Dressing, Zhug, Tapenade, or a tomato sauce and a grating of Parmesan

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make several slits with a knife tip in: 1 whole eggplant

  2. Step 2.

    If desired, fill the cuts with: (Garlic slivers)

  3. Step 3.

    Set in a baking dish. Bake until the eggplant has collapsed, 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size. Transfer to a colander so that any juices can drain off, then cut in half and scoop out the pulp. Leave it coarse or mash it to a puree. Use for eggplant dips, such as Baba Ghanoush, or season to taste with any of the following: Extra-virgin olive oil, melted butter, or toasted sesame oil; Chopped herbs, such as marjoram or basil; Lemon juice or any vinaigrette; Plain yogurt; Salt and black pepper

  4. Step 4.

    HALVES OR SLICES

  5. Step 5.

    Halved or sliced eggplant, brushed with oil, is delicious roasted and topped or seasoned with a variety of delicious ingredients. For a meaty main-course dish, you may top with Keftedes or Becker Lamb Patties. For slices, see Pasta alla Norma.

  6. Step 6.

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve lengthwise or peel and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices: 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), stem ends trimmed

  7. Step 7.

    If using eggplant halves, score the flesh in parallel diagonal lines, then make perpendicular slashes to create a diamond pattern (do not puncture the skin). Liberally brush the cut surfaces of the eggplant halves or slices with: Olive oil

  8. Step 8.

    Dust evenly with: ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper or 1 teaspoon Baharat

  9. Step 9.

    Place the eggplant halves or slices cut side up on a baking sheet and roast until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes for slices and about 30 minutes for halves. For a simple side, garnish with: Chopped herbs such as parsley, mint, or basil; Lemon juice or dollops of plain Greek yogurt or labneh

  10. Step 10.

    Or top with any of the following: Raita, Tzatziki, Tahini Dressing, Zhug, Tapenade, or a tomato sauce and a grating of Parmesan

Ratings & reviews

Have you made this? Take a moment and let us know what you think. Sign in to leave a rating.

Get weekly meal ideas

Fresh recipes and planning tips from Plan n Cook.

Plan a week

Drop recipes onto breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day.

One grocery list

Ingredients combined and scaled to your household servings.

Cook from recipes

Browse the library and public kitchens when you need inspiration.

Keep your kitchen

Save favorites, pantry items, and meal plans in one place.