Easy Roasted Eggplant

Growing up in a big Italian family, we quickly learned to appreciate eggplant in all its forms—Parmesan, rollatini, caponata, pasta alla Norma. There are so many delicious ways to enjoy eggplant. Its spongy and porous texture absorbs marinades, sauces, and seasonings extremely well. And once cooked, it becomes soft and tender. 

While a lot of these classic dishes require patience and time in the kitchen, we’ve perfected 2 simple ways to roast eggplant. The first method of roasting the eggplant in halves yields a scoopable, melt-in-your-mouth vegetable that’s delicious on its own. In the second method, the eggplant is cubed and then baked, which results in crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, well- seasoned eggplant. 

Both of these versions take less than 30 minutes from start to finish (no need to salt or soak before roasting!) and make excellent starters for simple weeknight dinners. Having these roasting techniques in your repertoire makes it easy to incorporate perfectly cooked eggplant into your meals at a moment’s notice.

Tips and Tricks for Roasting Eggplant

1. Select a ripe, dark purple globe eggplant. These are the most common eggplants you’ll find in the grocery store. The eggplant should be shiny and firm to the touch, but not too hard. Avoid any with bruises, soft spots, or blemishes.
2. The fresher your eggplant is, the more neutral and subtly sweet it will taste. If the eggplant is old and overripe, it will end up tasting more bitter.
3. Check on your eggplant while it’s roasting—especially cubed eggplant. You want them to be crispy and light brown on the outside while still being plump and tender in the middle. Overcooking them causes the eggplant to lose too much moisture and shrivel up.

What Type of Eggplant Is Best for Roasting

This recipe is designed for globe eggplants, which are the most common American variety, but you could use other kinds as well. Italian eggplants look very similar to globe eggplants, they are slightly smaller and typically less bitter. They make an easy substitute.

In general, eggplants that are thicker and rounder are better for these roasting methods. Chinese or Japanese eggplants are much thinner and lend themselves better for stir fries and sautés like this one.

No Need to Salt Your Eggplant

When it comes to roasting vegetables, we like to keep things as simple as possible. We’re looking for quick prep and throw-it-in-the-oven type of methods. It’s often recommended to salt eggplant before cooking to draw out excess water. Some recipes even call for letting the eggplant sit for up to 30 minutes and then rinsing and drying before using. 

Luckily, we can skip salting beforehand and still get tender eggplant. It’s all about the roasting method and when you salt the eggplant.

How to Serve Roasted Eggplant

A few ideas for serving roasted eggplant halves: 

• Drizzle with lemon and tahini and enjoy as a side dish
• Scoop out the inside and use it in a dip like baba ganoush
• Stuff with chickpeas, couscous, and kalamata olives with a drizzle of balsamic to serve as a vegetarian main dish

How to serve roasted cubed eggplant:

• In Mediterranean bowls
• Mixed into pasta with red sauce
• Tossed in salads
• On top of cold sesame peanut noodles

How to Store and Reheat Roasted Eggplant

Roasted eggplant halves are best served right out of the oven, however, they will also keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can then easily use them in a dip or reheat in the oven at 350°F just until they’re warm.

Roasted eggplant cubes can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They will lose their crispy outside and be softer, but still delicious. They can be reheated for stir-fries or enjoyed at room temperature in salads or bowls.

We do not recommend freezing eggplant.

More Fun with Eggplant

• Whole Grilled Eggplant
• Roasted Eggplant and Butternut Squash with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
• Eggplant Caponata Pasta
• Eggplant Caviar
• Zucchini, Eggplant, Tomato Gratin