A mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic makes for very flavorful grilled eggplant. It’s an easy recipe – mix the simple marinade, brush the eggplant and grill.
A mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic makes for very flavorful grilled eggplant.
I love eggplant. Eggplant is probably one of those “either love it or hate it” foods. I definitely fall on the side of love. Eggplant has this unique taste and texture. It’s almost “meaty.”
In fact, back in the forties, eggplant was used in Israel to make faux chopped liver (food was rationed and there was hardly any meat available). My grandparents used to say it was surprisingly close to the real thing.
This eggplant casserole, for example, is so substantial and filling that it can easily serve as a main dish.
So back to this grilled eggplant recipe. It’s a simple recipe that relies on the flavor of the eggplant itself. The marinade – olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic – merely highlights the eggplant’s flavor.
After you brush the eggplant slices with the marinade, you will have leftover marinade. Keep it, and brush it on the grilled eggplant slices.
How long should I cook eggplant on the grill?
It’s better to overcook this dish than to undercook. But ideally you don’t want the eggplant to turn into mush.
In my George Foreman grill, I find that 5 minutes on the first side, then 2 more minutes on the second side is ideal. In a regular, non dual contact grill, you’ll probably need to grill the eggplant for about 5 minutes on each side
By the way, instead of grilling, you can bake the eggplant for 10 minutes per side in a 450 degree F oven.
Do you peel eggplant before grilling?
I don’t. I realize that the peel of mature eggplants can be slightly bitter. But I find that the marinade and the high heat grilling take care of that. However, if you prefer, by all means peel the eggplant.
What goes well with grilled eggplant?
Grilled and broiled meats go really well with grilled eggplant. I often serve it with lamb burgers, with beef kabobs and with oven chicken kabobs.
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftover grilled eggplant in the fridge, in a sealed container, for about 3 days. I don’t reheat the leftovers. I enjoy them cold, just as I would enjoy antipasti. But if you prefer to reheat the leftovers, do so gently, in the microwave on 50% power.
Grilled Eggplant
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large eggplant, unpeeled (about 1 lb.)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat grill, or a grill pan, over medium-high heat. I used my George Foreman Grill.
- Trim the eggplant edges and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. You should get about 12 rounds out of a large eggplant.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Brush the eggplant rounds with the mixture, on both sides. Set aside any remaining sauce.
- Grill the eggplant slices until golden brown and fork-tender, about 5 minutes on each side. In my George Foreman grill, I grill 5 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on the second side.
- Brush the grilled eggplant slices with the remaining marinade and serve.
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