Here’s my secret to the BEST oven roasted eggplant: one herby lemon-garlic marinade that does double duty. Half gets brushed onto diamond-scored slices so the Mediterranean flavors sink into every nook, and the other half gets stirred into tahini for a drippy, tangy sauce. It’s an easy vegan eggplant recipe that works as a side dish, an appetizer, or — honestly — dinner. Period. End of story.
Eggplant lovers…your season is here! Eggplant season runs from late summer well into fall! If you’re already making baba ganoush, my stovetop eggplant salad recipe or ratatouille (you’ll love my grilled version, it makes a great salad)…and looking for another wonderful recipe to enjoy more eggplant…this mediterranean eggplant recipe is the perfect choice!
Ingredient notes
- Spices: I tested this recipe with just the cumin and salt and really thought it need a bit of something more to balance out the garlic. The little bit of crushed red pepper was just the pizzazz this dish was looking for. Let me know in the comments if you’re also team red pepper flakes on this one.
- Fresh herbs: Yes, I thought there was a HUGE taste difference between fresh and dried herbs. I liked the fresh oregano or parsley over basil in this recipe.
Step by step
Wash the outside of the eggplants well and pat dry. This is important, since the skin is edible.
Cut the top stem off, then a ⅛″ slice off the bottom and a thin sliver from the side so it will sit flat on a cutting board.
Cut ½″ slices lengthwise in each eggplant. You will have about 6 slices per eggplant.
Lay eggplant slices on their sides and use the tip of the knife to lightly score the flesh in a diagonal pattern. You’ll cut about half way through…just enough to provide a place for the olive oil mixture to soak into.
Measure olive oil into a cup. Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon right over the oil.
Squeeze the lemon into the oil. You will have about the same amount of lemon juice as oil.
Grate the garlic over the lemon/oil mixture. Stir in cumin, pepper, salt and finely chopped fresh herbs. Set aside half the marinade to make the tahini sauce.
Lay scored eggplant slices onto parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Brush on half of the marinade.
Bake eggplant in preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, depending on thickness. Ideally, roasted eggplant will be soft, but not mushy.
Lemon Tahini Sauce for Eggplant
While the eggplant cooks, add 3 tablespoons tahini to the reserved marinade and mix well. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons water, as needed, for a drippy consistency. Taste. If too tangy, add 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup.
Sprinkle in more fresh herbs, salt, or crushed pepper to taste. Drizzle some over the roasted eggplant slices and place the rest in a small dish.
If you’re wondering what to do with the rest of the jar of tahini, check out these Vegan Recipes with Tahini…over 20 recipes, some sweet, some savory and every one is incredibly delicious.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Score the eggplant slices just enough to create nooks and crannies for the marinade to slide into, but not so much that you cut all the way through.
- Fresh lemon juice is great, but if you need to use a bottled juice use ¼ cup.
- Stuff roasted eggplant into pita bread along with some bell peppers and pickled red onion. Throw in some halved cherry tomatoes and drizzle with tahini. Next level goodness in every bite.
- Large eggplants, and those that are more mature can be more bitter than small to medium sized eggplant. Slicing, salting, rinsing and drying eggplant before cooking draws out the moisture and along with it, some of the bitterness. If your eggplant is fresh, and free from soft spots and not too large, I don’t thick salting is necessary….and I’m all about saving time!
Grilled Mediterranean Eggplant
If you’re going to make this on the grill, simply brush a bit of olive oil on the sliced and scored eggplant, grill and then brush half of the marinade over the already cooked eggplant. I would still use the tahini drizzle because….lemon TAHINI sauce friends!
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📖 Recipe
Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized eggplant
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 large lemon zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Tahini Drizzle
- 3 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Line large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Wash eggplants well and pat dry. Cut off stem and ⅛" of bottom end. Cut a small sliver off side of eggplant so it will lay flat on cutting board. Cut lengthwise into ½" oval slices.
- Use the tip of a sharp knife to lightly score the eggplant flesh in a diamond cross-hatch pattern. Be careful not to cut all the way through, but just enough to leave pockets for the marinade.
- Mix olive oil finely chopped fresh oregano, salt, pepper and cumin. Finely grate garlic and lemon zest over mixture and then squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix with a fork until thoroughly combined.
- Place eggplant slices onto prepared baking sheet. Set aside half the marinade to use with the tahini. Brush the remaining olive oil mixture onto the eggplant.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until tender, but not mushy.
- While eggplant is roasting, combine remaining marinade with the tahini. Mix well, with a fork. Use 1-2 tablespoons water, as needed to create a pourable sauce.
- Transfer hot eggplant to a serving dish. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs and drizzle with the tahini mixture.
Notes
How to Store
- Store: Store leftover roasted eggplant separately from the tahini sauce.
- Eggplant will stay good in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days.
- Tahini sauce can be stored in a jar with lid for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: You can store the sauce in the freezer for 3 months. I do not recommend freezing the roasted eggplant, the texture will change and the eggplant will be watery.
- Reheat: Place in a baking dish or on a baking tray in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, until heated through.
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Sandy Baker
I made this eggplant recipe tonight for a dinner party at a friend’s.
It was a side dish served with baked salmon.
It was a big hit with everyone, including my husband, who’s never been a fan of eggplant.
I really loved the tahini sauce. So did he.
Thank you, Deb.
Debra Klein
Awesome….maybe he just hadn’t yet had a delicious eggplant dish until you made this recipe!!
Whack
Debra,
What kind of eggplant did you use?
From the picture it doesn’t seem to be globe eggplant but I can’t quite sort it out
Thanks in advance
—Whack
Debra Klein
I used medium sized globe eggplants in the photo. Italian eggplants will also work well. Thanks for asking and I just added a blurb in the notes section of the recipe card to address this so others will also have an answer to your question.
Meg
Ok I made this as a side dish for myself and my husband for dinner and my husband DEVOURED it. He had half a large eggplant and then asked for more and at another quarter. The sauce was a hit too. I never thought I’d see him eat eggplant with such relish. This recipe is a keeper! Easy and delicious.
Debra Klein
Awesome….nice work introducing him to something nutritious and delicious!
Lillian Hughes
Can I make this oil-free?
Debra Klein
I haven’t tried it, but you could try incorporating a bit of tahini with the lemon and herbs to baste the eggplant with before roasting.