Grilled Eggplant: Recipe, Seasoning, and Tips for Perfect Results

ingredients

Grilled eggplant is a simple and light side dish made with eggplant, sliced ​​lengthwise, cooked on a hot griddle without adding fat, and then seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic cloves, salt, and other seasonings to taste: we chose chili pepper and dried oregano, but you can customize the recipe to your tastes.

For this recipe, you can use any variety of eggplant, from round to elongated, in various shades of black or purple: the important thing is to choose very fresh ones, with firm, seedless flesh, and then cut them into even slices of the same thickness, to ensure even cooking.

For best results, choose a cast iron griddle, which is perfect for conducting heat, and remember to turn the eggplant only when it's golden brown and has the classic grill marks on the surface: this will take about 3 minutes per side. Once drizzled with the emulsion, it's best to let it sit in the sauce for at least an hour, so it becomes softer and more flavorful.

Excellent as an accompaniment to all kinds of main courses, grilled aubergines are very versatile in the kitchen: if you like, you can serve them as an appetizer on fragrant crostini or bruschetta, or you can use them to enrich cold pasta dishes or to create delicious dishes, such as aubergine millefeuille or aubergine rolls.

Learn how to prepare grilled eggplant by following Laura Gioia's step-by-step explanations and valuable tips. If you love eggplant recipes, also try pan-fried eggplant and mushroom-style eggplant, or try your hand at fried eggplant.

How to prepare grilled aubergines

To prepare the grilled aubergines, first trim the aubergines and cut them lengthwise into slices about 1/2 cm thick 1.

Heat a griddle on the stove and, as soon as it is red hot, sprinkle it with a pinch of salt 2.

Place the aubergines on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes 3.

Once the classic stripes have formed on the surface, flip the eggplant over with tongs and continue cooking on the other side for the same amount of time. When finished, remove the grilled eggplant, place it in a bowl, and set aside.

Prepare the dressing: pour the vinegar into a small bowl, add 3 g of salt 5 and mix well to dissolve it.

Flavour with dried oregano 9 and emulsify everything well.

Arrange a first layer of grilled aubergines on the bottom of a baking dish 10.

Season them with the prepared emulsion 11.

Season them with the prepared emulsion 11.

Continue in this way, alternating the dressing with layers of aubergines and finishing with the emulsion 12.

Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour and 13 minutes: this way the grilled aubergines will be even better and tastier.

Bring the grilled aubergines 14 to the table and serve.

Tips and variations

The secret to preventing the eggplant from sticking is to wait until the griddle is very hot. You can also cook them in a pan or in the oven, but in this case they won't have the typical streaky surface effect.

Garlic will make the eggplant even tastier and more fragrant. However, if you're not particularly fond of its intense flavor, you can leave the clove whole, so you can easily remove it when serving, or you can omit it from the recipe. The same goes for the chili pepper, while as for the herbs, you can choose your favorites and add parsley, thyme, marjoram, fresh mint, or basil to taste.

Conservation

Grilled eggplant can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days. If desired, once cooked, you can place them in a freezer-safe container, lined with parchment paper squares to prevent them from sticking, and transfer them to the freezer. When needed, simply let them thaw at room temperature, pat them dry with paper towels, and season them according to our instructions.