Easy Grilled Eggplant

Grilled eggplant is served on a white plate.

This easy grilled eggplant recipe features a simple marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Tender, flavorful, and ready in 20 minutes, it's perfect as a summer side dish or a light meatless meal.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 120kcal

Author Vered DeLeeuw

Ingredients

1 eggplant large, unpeeled, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar see notes below
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat a grill, grill pan, or dual-contact electric grill over medium-high heat and lightly grease the grill.
Trim the eggplant's edges and slice it crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds. You should get about 12 slices.
1 eggplant
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Brush the eggplant slices with the mixture on both sides. Set aside any remaining marinade.
Grill the eggplant slices until golden brown and fork-tender, about 5 minutes on each side.
Brush the eggplant slices with the remaining marinade and serve.

Video

Notes

Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
Aged balsamic vinegar is the only vinegar that works in this recipe.
Don't slice the eggplant too thin. Slices about ½ inch thick hold their shape better on the grill and turn out creamy inside rather than drying out.
Preheat the grill well before adding the eggplant. A hot grill helps create nice grill marks and prevents the slices from sticking.
It's better to err on the side of slightly overcooking the eggplant than undercooking it. Undercooked eggplant is bitter, while overcooked eggplant is delicious, even if a bit mushy.
In a dual-contact electric grill, I grill the eggplant for 5 minutes on the first side, then 2 minutes on the second side.
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Enjoy them cold or reheat them in the microwave. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.

Nutrition