The Best Grilled Eggplant Recipe You’ll Make All Summer
Looking for the best grilled eggplant recipe this summer? This easy dish with a smoky char, creamy goat cheese, and juicy tomatoes will win you over.
Inspired by lasagna, grilled eggplant, ripe tomatoes, and creamy cheese seasoned with fresh basil and balsamic vinegar is a fresh and light vegetarian main dish. For parties, this dish can be sliced into small portions, or placed on toothpicks.
Looking for the best grilled eggplant recipe to add to your repertoire? This dish is a true celebration of summer flavors. The eggplant takes on a wonderful, smoky char on the grill while staying tender, creating the perfect base for juicy tomatoes and tangy goat cheese. It’s an easy eggplant recipe that feels sophisticated, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner or your next cookout. This healthy eggplant recipe is also naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
Never miss a new recipe. Sign up for our newsletter for more sweets, sips, and eats ideas along with well-researched, non-toxic living guidance and smart wellness advice.
Smokey Grilled Eggplant with Tomatoes and Tangy Goat Cheese
Looking for the best grilled eggplant recipe to add to your repertoire? This dish is a true celebration of summer flavors. The eggplant takes on a wonderful, smoky char on the grill while staying tender, creating the perfect base for juicy tomatoes and tangy goat cheese. It’s an easy eggplant recipe that feels sophisticated, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner or your next cookout. This healthy eggplant recipe is also naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
Ingredient Highlights
This grilled eggplant recipe isn’t just delicious; it’s also packed with flavor and nutritional benefits from a few key ingredients.
Eggplant
This versatile nightshade vegetable is a true star on the grill. When cooked, its firm flesh becomes silky-smooth and absorbs a beautiful smoky flavor. Eggplant is a great source of fiber and antioxidants, and its low-calorie content makes it a staple in many healthy eggplant recipes.
Tomatoes
Bursting with color and flavor, tomatoes are loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant known for its health benefits. When added to the warm grilled eggplant, their freshness and acidity perfectly complement the dish, providing a juicy contrast to the creamy goat cheese.
Goat Cheese
Adding a bold, tangy kick to the recipe, goat cheese provides a delicious creaminess without being too heavy. It’s a fantastic source of protein and calcium and offers a rich, satisfying element that takes this eggplant recipe to a new level.
What to Serve with Your Grilled Eggplant
This smokey grilled eggplant recipe can stand on its own for sure, but it’s even better as part of a complete summer spread. The key is to balance the rich, savory flavors with fresh and vibrant sides.
Start with the ultimate summer side dish: corn on the cob recipes. Our selection of creative compound butters—like the tangy Cilantro Lime or spicy Maple Bacon Jalapeño—add a flavor-popping contrast to the creamy goat cheese and sweet tomatoes on your eggplant.
To keep things refreshing, serve a crisp side dish from our six watermelon recipes. And for a sparklingly festive drink, the vibrant blueberry-basil lemonade cuts through the savory flavors and adds a citrusy kick to the meal.
Finally, for a dessert that’s at season’s peak, our easy summery plum tart recipe is the just the way to finish on a sweet and satisfying note.
Ingredients
Preparation
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, basil, shallots, and vinegar. In another small bowl, mix the chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture. Season the tomatoes to taste with salt and pepper.
- Trim the rounded part off 2 opposite long sides of each eggplant. Cut the eggplants lengthwise in half and place on a small oiled baking sheet. Brush both sides with the oil mixture and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking over high heat. Place the eggplant on the grill. Cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes per side. Return the eggplant to the baking sheet. Divide the cheese among the eggplant halves. Place the baking sheet on the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Divide the cheesy eggplants into appetizer-sized bites. Spoon the tomato mixture over each and serve right away.
