A simple yet delicious marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic makes for a flavorful and easy-to-make grilled eggplant, ready in just 20 minutes.
It’s wonderful when served warm right off the grill. It’s also excellent when served as cold leftovers, antipasti-style.
Eggplant is a delicacy. It has a unique taste and texture. It’s almost “meaty.” This eggplant casserole, for example, is so substantial and filling that I often serve it as a meatless main course.
But when preparing this vegetable as a side dish, I often make this grilled eggplant recipe. It’s fast, easy, and delicious.
Ingredients
You’ll only need six simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Fresh eggplant: You don’t need to peel it, but you can. Try to find a firm eggplant with smooth, blemish-free skin.
- Olive oil: If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a wonderful flavor and helps boost caramelization.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. I prefer garlic powder to fresh minced garlic. It better coats the eggplant.
You’ll only need six simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Fresh eggplant: You don’t need to peel it, but you can. Try to find a firm eggplant with smooth, blemish-free skin.
- Olive oil: If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a wonderful flavor and helps boost caramelization.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. I prefer garlic powder to fresh minced garlic. It better coats the eggplant.
Instructions
This simple recipe relies on the flavor of the eggplant. The marinade – olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic – merely highlights its wonderful flavor.
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is slicing the eggplant into rounds. Try to keep them about the same thickness.
Brush the slices with a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and spices.
Grill the eggplant slices until tender, about 5 minutes per side.
After you brush the slices with the marinade, you will have leftover marinade. Keep it, and brush it on the cooked slices.
Expert Tip
When making this recipe, you’ll walk a fine line between having the eggplant turn out undercooked or overcooked and mushy.
While ideally, you want it just right, it’s better to err on the side of slightly overcooking it.
Undercooked eggplant is bitter, while overcooked one is delicious, even if its texture is not ideal.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve grilled eggplant with a main course I can also prepare on the grill, such as:
- Grilled shrimp
- Grilled halibut
- Grilled salmon
- Grilled hamburgers
- Grilled chicken skewers
- Grilled chicken breast
- Grilled chicken tenders
- Grilled skirt steak
Sometimes, I serve it with grilled halloumi for a delicious and filling meatless dinner.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in a sealed container, for about 3 days. I don’t reheat them. I enjoy them cold, just as I would enjoy antipasti.
But if you prefer to reheat the leftovers, do so gently in the microwave at 50% power.
