This grilled eggplant is marinated in garlic and herbs, then cooked until tender and golden brown. An easy and healthy side dish that pairs perfectly with a variety of grilled meats and seafood.
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 veggie is simple to make, yet totally delicious!
You can enjoy this eggplant with some of my favorite grilled dishes like grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp skewers and grilled flank steak.
Table of Contents
- Grilled Eggplant Ingredients
- How Do You Make Grilled Eggplant?
- Tips For The Perfect Grilled Eggplant
- Quick Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Ways To Use Grilled Eggplant
- Flavor Variations
- More Delicious Grilling Recipes
- Grilled Eggplant Video
- Love This Recipe?
- Grilled Eggplant Recipe
Grilled Eggplant Ingredients
For this grilled eggplant recipe, you’ll need eggplants, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic, fresh parsley, salt and pepper. See the recipe card below for amounts and details.
How Do You Make Grilled Eggplant?
Start this recipe by slicing your eggplant. Make a quick marinade by placing olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, minced garlic and parsley in a large bowl. Whisk the marinade. Place the eggplant slices in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let the slices marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Place the marinated slices on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until tender and browned. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Grilled Eggplant
- Make sure all your eggplant slices are similar in size so that they cook at the same rate.
- I like to place each eggplant slice on the grill for a couple of minutes and then rotate it 90 degrees to get nice grill marks on the eggplant.
- The goal is to cook the slices until they get tender, not mushy.
- You can purchase Italian seasoning or make your own Italian seasoning.
- 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 in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- I do not recommend freezing this recipe. The eggplant will become watery upon being frozen and thawed.
Quick Tip
If you don’t have a grill available, this recipe will also work in the oven. Broil for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Recipe FAQs
How do you cut an eggplant for grilling?
The easiest way to cut an eggplant for grilling is to cut it crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. If you prefer, you can also cut it lengthwise into long slices, but I find those are more difficult to eat. If you’re using smaller eggplants, such as Asian eggplants, you can cut them into quarters. However you cut your eggplant, just be sure that the pieces are big enough that they won’t fall through the grates of your grill.
Do you peel eggplant before grilling?
You should not peel your eggplant before you grill it. The peel is what holds the vegetable together on the grill. If you remove the peel, you’ll end up with pieces that will easily fall apart. The peel also adds nice color and texture to your finished dish.
Do you salt eggplant before grilling?
You do not need to pre-salt your eggplant before you grill it. Sometimes salt is used to remove extra moisture from eggplant so that it does not make the dish watery. In this recipe, the vegetable is cooked over very high heat on a grill, so any excess liquid will either evaporate or run off the grill, which means pre-salting is not required.
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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.
Flavor Variations
This grilled eggplant recipe makes delicious and tender vegetables; however, you can change the recipe to suit your own taste.
- Spicy: If you want a little heat, add some red pepper flakes to your olive oil marinade.
- Fresh Herbs: I like to finish this dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you don’t have parsley on hand try using dill, oregano, chives, basil, mint or thyme leaves.
- Balsamic: Feel free to drizzle your favorite balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze over your cooked eggplant.
This recipe is my favorite way to enjoy eggplant – it’s easy, versatile and always a big hit.
