Easy Roasted Eggplant (Family Favorite!)
- PREP 10min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 40min
My whole family goes crazy for this roasted eggplant recipe. This is how to roast eggplant so that the middle is tender and the outside is perfectly caramelized. Eggplant roasted with oil and salt is perfectly delicious, but if you have the spices available, we highly recommend trying our warm and toasty spice blend. Adam, our son, and I go crazy for it. We have provided measurements for ground spices and whole spices. If you are using whole spices, grind them in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
When choosing eggplants, look for them to have shiny skin, feel heavy for their size, be slightly firm, and have a green stem.
You Will Need
Simple Roasted Eggplant
1 medium eggplant
1 ½ tablespoons oil, like olive oil or avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Warm and Toasty Spice Blend (Optional)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 ¼ teaspoon ground fennel or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 ¼ teaspoon ground cumin or 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 ¼ ground coriander or 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or 1 whole clove
Fresh mint, serving, optional
Directions
Make Spice Blend (Optional)
For ground spices, add to a small bowl and mix well. For whole spices, add to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until a coarse powder.
Roast Eggplant
Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
For cubed eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes. For eggplant slices, slice into 1-inch-thick slices. Cutting the eggplant into thicker pieces makes sure that the inside turns tender and the outside caramelizes.
Add eggplant to a large bowl and toss with 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt and 1 ½ tablespoons oil. If you are adding the spice blend, scatter it over the eggplant and toss well. (It will seem like a lot of spice mix, but eggplant loves to be generously spiced.)
When the eggplant is well coated with the oil, tumble it onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out so that they are not touching.
Roast eggplant for 20 minutes, stir, and then roast for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and caramelized. If the eggplant looks dry while in the oven, toss it with a little more oil (1/2 tablespoon or so).
Serve or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If you have some, serve with fresh mint scattered on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.