This Roasted Eggplant recipe is a simple way to bring out the best in this humble purple veggie. It’s lightly charred on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfect as a side or for adding to salads, pastas, and more!
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Why You’ll Love This Baked Eggplant Recipe
- Roasted Veggies Are the Best Veggies. Okay, I take that back: they’re definitely tied with grilled and air fried veggies. (Maybe make a batch of my Air Fryer Eggplant or Grilled Eggplant too and see which recipe comes out on top?) But! Roasted vegetables are always fabulous because they add a note of caramelization and soften crisp veggies into something tender and succulent.
- Eggplant Is Seriously Under-Rated. When cooked, eggplant becomes soft and almost buttery in texture. There’s a reason Eggplant Pasta and Eggplant Lasagna are so popular! Roasted eggplant is luscious, not spongy or bland.
- It’s Versatile. Eggplant is found in cuisines around the world, and while it’s delicious on its own, it pairs beautifully with a wide range of sauces, seasonings, and herbs. Serve it as a side dish, combine it with Roasted Red Peppers and Roasted Tomatoes for a Roasted Vegetable Salad, or toss it into your favorite jarred simmer sauce with your protein of choice.
- Outrageously Easy. Four ingredients (and three of them are likely in your pantry already!), a few minutes of prep, and no hands-on cooking time other than a quick toss at the halfway point.
Tip!
To roast a medley of vegetables, and for more tips and seasoning suggestions, check out my ultimate guide to Oven Roasted Vegetables.
How to Make Roasted Eggplant
The Ingredients
- Eggplant. You’ll need small or medium eggplant; smaller eggplants have a more tender texture and sweeter flavor than the large globe eggplants often used to make eggplant Parmesan. Larger ones can be bitter, so I prefer the medium ones here.
- Kosher Salt. Kosher salt is always my choice for cooking.
- Ground Black Pepper. You can add a little bit extra for a more peppery flavor.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Only a small amount of oil is needed since the eggplant is roasted on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
The Directions
- Cut the Eggplant. I like to slice it into 1-inch rounds, then dice those rounds into cubes.
- Season BEFORE Oiling. Be sure to line your pan with parchment paper.
- Add Oil & Toss. Eggplant absorbs oil FAST, which is why I like to season it first, so I can start tossing the moment the oil touches it.
- Cook. Roast the eggplant at 425 degrees F for 23 to 28 minutes, tossing at the 15-minute mark.
- Serve. Toss again and serve hot or at room temperature. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Roasted Eggplant With Pesto. Plate the roasted eggplant and drizzle it with Basil Pesto.
- Roasted Eggplant With Tzatziki. The subtle sweetness of roasted eggplant pairs well with the tangy flavor of yogurt, so a drizzle of tzatziki is another great serving option. My favorite recipe is in The Well Plated Cookbook.
- Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant. Place the roasted eggplant on a platter and dress it up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, feta, and fresh basil, parsley, oregano, or mint.
- Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini. Mix together zucchini and eggplant pieces for an almost ratatouille.
- Whole Roasted Eggplant. Check out my Roasted Eggplant with Crispy Chickpeas.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Keep leftover roasted eggplant in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat. Warm up leftovers in a 350 degrees F oven or skillet until heated through. You can also eat leftover roasted eggplant cold or at room temperature.
- Never Freeze Leftover Eggplant. Eggplant is not a vegetable that freezes well! The texture ends up mushy and unpleasant after freezing, thawing, and reheating.
Leftover Ideas
If you have a lot of leftover eggplant, you can mash it with tahini sauce, olive oil, and garlic for homemade baba ghanoush. Otherwise, toss leftovers into a pasta dish like Pesto Pasta or Italian Pasta Salad, use it to top Ricotta Pizza, or coarsely mash it with your best EVOO and spread it onto slices of toasted bread for a rustic appetizer.
What to Serve with Roasted Eggplant
- Pasta. Toss roasted eggplant with Garlic Pasta or use it in Pasta Primavera. It’s also great with pasta and your favorite store-bought marinara sauce!
- Grains. Serve your roasted eggplant alongside Lemon Rice or Quinoa Salad.
- Chicken. Smoked Chicken Breast is an excellent accompaniment to this recipe when the weather’s warm enough for outdoor cooking, or make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs while you roast the eggplant.
- Mediterranean Dishes. Eggplant pairs well with Mediterranean flavors like those in my Moroccan Couscous and Mediterranean Chickpea Salad.
- Pork. Smothered Pork Chops or Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin will take your dinner to the next level and add some protein to round things out.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Knife Set. With regular sharpening, a quality knife set like this can last decades.
- Cutting Board. Eggplant is like a sponge, which means it will soak up off flavors from your cutting boards. This non-porous board will keep your eggplant from tasting like onions!
- Measuring Spoons. I swear by these magnetic measuring spoons.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Cut Uniform Pieces. Then they’ll all be done roasting at the same time and you won’t have smaller pieces of eggplant that end up burnt.
- Skip Peeling, Soaking and Salting. You don’t need to salt eggplant or soak eggplant to keep it from becoming bitter. There’s no need to peel eggplant before roasting either, especially if you use medium or small eggplant, which tend to have thinner skin.
- Don’t Add More Oil. The eggplant will soak up all of the oil you add to it, which may leave you wondering if you should add some more. Don’t do it! If you keep adding oil until the eggplant is no longer dry, you’ll end up with a sheet pan of oily, unappetizing roasted eggplant.
- Give It Space. As with any roasted vegetable, eggplant needs breathing room so it caramelizes instead of steaming. Don’t crowd your eggplant onto the baking sheet—each cube should have some space around it and they should be arranged in an even layer.
- If You’re Worried About Bitterness, Choose Smaller Eggplant. While I don’t find eggplant bitter, if you are concerned, avoid larger eggplant, as they are the most likely to taste bitter.
Roasted Eggplant
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 – 3 servings
Tender and lightly crispy, this roasted eggplant recipe is delicious, never bitter, and easy to season in a variety of ways. A fast side!
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Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (about 12 ounces eggplant or 4 cups cubed)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cubed eggplant in the center and sprinkle it with the salt and pepper.
- Drizzle on the oil then IMMEDIATELY toss to coat the eggplant (the oil will start to absorb instantly, which is why I suggest seasoning it with salt and pepper first; if you forget and pour the oil on first, toss it immediately, then add the seasoning and toss again). Spread the pieces into an even layer, making sure they do not overlap.
- Roast eggplant for 23 to 28 minutes, using a spatula to toss it at the 15-minute mark, then spread it back into an even layer. When cooked, the eggplant will be tender and lightly browned in places. Remove from the oven and toss once more. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover roasted eggplant in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm up leftovers in a 350°F oven or skillet until heated through. You can also eat leftover roasted eggplant cold or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gPotassium: 523mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 54IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
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OK, so I thought I hated eggplant but this is SO GOOD. thanks for introducing me
Hi James! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Wow, this was so good! I’ve been looking for an easy eggplant recipe for non-grill season. This was the perfect done-ness without all the oil when frying in the pan. Thank you!
So pleased to hear it Karina, thanks!
Very surprised at how simple and delicious it is. We added a little lemon juice and feta cheese. Really good both plain and dressed.
YAY! Thanks Emma
Turned out perfect, not mushy. Spice mix is a delicious combo and so simple. Ate by itself as a snack. Definitely will make it again.
Fantastic Alora!
My vegetarian daughter and I both loved it. It didn’t even make it to our dinner plates! I used garlic salt instead of kosher salt. We will surely be having this again!!
Love that! Thanks Karen!
This is the easiest, fastest and most delicious way to cook eggplant! It turned out perfectly, thanks to such excellent instructions! I recommend this recipe for after-work evenings when you are too tired to cook.
Glad you enjoyed it Rebecca!
Love all the recipes
Thank you Stephanie!