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5.0 from 18 votes

Incredibly Flavorful Roasted Eggplant

There's so much flavor in this roasted eggplant! Seasoned with garlic and coated in ghee, it's meaty and flavorful.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 192 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

  • 1 eggplant Large, unpeeled, ends trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Halve the eggplant lengthwise and then slice a thin strip off the rounded edges in the same direction to create flat eggplant halves.
  2. Make shallow cuts in a crosshatch pattern on the flesh side. Sprinkle the eggplants with 1 teaspoon of salt and let them rest for 30 minutes. The salt will draw water out. The crosshatch pattern helps the salt penetrate the eggplant.
  3. After 30 minutes, the eggplant will have visible water droplets on its surface. Pat it dry using paper towels.
  4. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  5. Heat the ghee over medium-high heat in a large, 12-inch, oven-safe skillet. I use a cast-iron skillet.
  6. Place the two eggplant halves in the skillet, flesh side down. Cook the eggplant for about 5 minutes until the bottom is browned. If the pan becomes too hot, reduce the heat to medium. Add more ghee if the pan becomes too dry.
  7. Turn the heat off. Flip the eggplant. Sprinkle it with black pepper and garlic powder.
  8. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast the eggplant for 25-30 minutes until tender.
  9. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • It might be tempting to skip salting the eggplant, but please don't. This step is crucial to the success of this recipe.
  • The same goes for pan-frying the eggplant before roasting it. While not as important as salting, it dramatically improves the outcome.
  • There's no need to peel the eggplant before roasting. The peel of a mature eggplant can be slightly bitter, but salting and roasting it removes that bitterness.
  • There's no need to season the eggplant with additional salt after the initial step of salting.
  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Enjoy them cold, like antipasti, or reheat them covered in the microwave.
  • When calculating the nutrition info, I assumed that half the salt would remain in the dish. 

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.5eggplant Calories 192kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Sodium 285mg (12%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 8g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.5eggplant
Calories 192kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Sodium 285mg 12%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 8g 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.