Garlicky with just a hint of heat, this roasted garlic eggplant is simple to make and delicious to enjoy.
Interestingly, I’d never eaten eggplant until adulthood, but now my partner and I are hooked on it. Eggplant itself has a pretty mild, neutral flavor which makes it highly versatile since it can take on the flavor of basically any dish. It’s also SO GOOD roasted.
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The very first thing you’re going to want to do with this recipe is peel and cube the eggplant. Eggplant has a lot of moisture in it, and that makes it practically impossible to roast unless we draw that liquid out. Once your eggplant is cubed, toss with salt and place the cubes in a colander or fine mesh strainer. You’re going to want to make sure that the eggplant isn’t just sitting on a flat surface. It it is, it’ll just reabsorb the water you’re drawing out of it with the salt. Let your eggplant sit for about 30 minutes, and then gently pat the cubes dry with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
Then, toss the eggplant with the garlic, olive oil, paprika, and ground black pepper until evenly coated. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and golden-brown. Stir halfway through roasting for even browning.
Seriously, if you haven’t tried roasted eggplant yet, make that a goal for this year. It quickly went from something I had never tried before, to a regular on our meal rotation. It’s that good.
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave your thoughts and a rating in the comments below. Don’t forget to tag me @HookomOnHealth and use the #HookomOnHealth so that I can see your creations online!
Please note there are Amazon affiliate links in this post. While the cost to you is the same, I do earn a small commission on any sales made through the links in this post. I would never recommend anything that I don’t believe in–thank you for your support!
Roasted Garlic Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant peeled and cut into ~1.5" chunks
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place eggplant chunks into a colander or fine mesh strainer and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Pat eggplant chunks dry.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or foil.
- Toss eggplant with garlic, olive oil, paprika, and ground black pepper. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and golden-brown. Stir halfway through for even browning.
Notes
- It's very important that the eggplant is salted and allowed to sit for at least 30 minutes to help pull excess moisture out of it. If this doesn't happen, the eggplant won't brown.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.