Grilled Tomato Eggplant (Printable)
Smoky grilled eggplant and ripe tomatoes with balsamic herb marinade, a Mediterranean summer favorite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
02 - 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
→ Marinade
04 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
06 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
12 - 1.8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until evenly hot.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Brush both sides of the eggplant and tomato slices generously with the marinade. Let them stand for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
04 - Place the eggplant slices on the hot grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until tender with distinct grill marks. Grill the red onion slices alongside if using.
05 - Grill the tomato slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side, just until lightly charred but still holding their shape.
06 - Arrange the grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and red onion in layered stacks on a serving platter. Scatter the torn basil leaves and crumbled feta cheese over the top if desired.
07 - Serve warm or at room temperature as a main dish or a hearty side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The balsamic garlic marinade turns ordinary eggplant and tomatoes into something you will crave all year long, not just in August.
- It comes together in about thirty five minutes and works hot off the grill or sitting at room temperature two hours later, which makes it the most flexible dish in your summer rotation.
02 -
- Eggplant acts like a sponge and will drink up all your oil if you are not careful, so brush rather than pour the marinade and resist the urge to drown the slices.
- Tomatoes collapse into mush if you grill them too long, two to three minutes per side is truly the limit before you lose that beautiful slice shape.
03 -
- A basting brush gets the marinade on evenly without wasting it, and silicone brushes are easier to clean than bristle ones.
- Let the grill grates get genuinely hot before adding anything, that is the only way to get those dark dramatic marks that make this dish look as good as it tastes.