Let’s be honest, eggplants aren’t for everyone.
Some people find them too slimy or too seedy in texture, and others find its earthy, rooty flavour downright offensive.
I personally prefer not to associate with such people.
Alright, alright, I kid. I of course have several friends (and even a boss/business partner) of the eggplant-hating persuasion, and while I will forever be lost as to the mysterious ways in which their tastebuds work, I try not to let it bother me too much. After all, it means more babaghanoush for me, right?
Eggplants, to me, are one of the most truly versatile vegetables out there. Looking for a meaty component to a curry or stew? Eggplants. Need a grilled companion to your hummus and sun-dried tomato sandwich? Eggplants. Craving a creamy yet smoky vegetable dip?
I expect you see where I’m going with this.
Despite the fact that I obviously think eggplants make for a great ingredient, one of my favourite ways to prepare the humble purple vegetable is as a whole ingredient.
It requires minimal prep, comes together in a matter of minutes but tastes (and looks) like you’ve been slaving away at it for hours.
- 2 medium eggplants, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 2-4 tbsp za'atar spice mix
- One serving of raw vegan labneh or ½ cup soy yoghurt
- Preheat your oven to 200 C.
- Using a knife, score your eggplants lightly flesh side up. Season liberally with salt and allow to rest in a bowl for 5-10 minutes, this will help release excess moisture.
- Using a pastry brush, brush some olive oil on each eggplant and sprinkle on 1 tbsp (or more, depending on preference) of za'atar - use your fingers to really massage or "rub" it in.
- Place the eggplants face down on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until the eggplant looks slightly collapsed and is easily pierced with a knife.
- To serve, spread some raw vegan labneh or soy yoghurt and garnish with tomato slices and parsley or even pomegranate tendrils and more za'atar.
And there you have it. Whole baked eggplants marinated with za’atar and olive oil topped with creamy raw vegan labneh. The quintessential component to a vegan Mediterranean feast.
I hope you make this soon, especially if, like me, you often find yourself with a lonely eggplant at the bottom of your vegetable drawer just begging to be used.
Ps. Thoughts on the new logo and blog design? I’m still working on some updates so please bear with me or shoot me an e-mail if something you’re looking for disappears!
This looks great! I’m lazy and will probably just use tahini sauce instead of making vegan labneh 🙂
Tahini sauce would be great with this! Let me know how it turns out.
Tahini was a hit! I was down to the last of my zaatar but I had just enough to give a nice flavor. It was to easy to toss the eggplant in the oven and whip up a side dish while they baked. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Sometimes I love eggplant, and sometimes, not so much – which means it isn’t the eggplant’s fault, it’s all in preparation! This looks great (and simple!), I love za’atar, it’s nice and bright!
This recipe looks amazing. But I want to know that is this Brinjal in the recipe ingredients? Some ingredients are unknown for me. I can’t understand what is this za’atar spice. Plz explain . So that i can try this recipe.
Hello Mikkel! Check out this article on how to make your own Za’atar spice, it may be of some help!
Your eggplant looks amazing! In one dish I have liked a bite of eggplant and hated another. I don’t understand it-maybe the ripeness?? I always give it a chance though 🙂
I looooooove this recipe. So easy to make and tastes amazing. Thank you!
You’re welcome Lana! So glad you enjoyed.
Hello nada this is new recipe for me. I like the new and creative recipe. Images are looking awesome. I will try this on my week off.
Hi Malin – thank you so much! I hope you love it, let me know how it turns out.
My husband and I LOVED this dish!!! Thanks for posting!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it Hillary!
I LOVE eggplant, but I always struggle with cooking it properly. Any suggestions for making sure these don’t come out spongy/underbaked? I’m adding diced tomatoes and garlic to mine–will report back! Looks amazing.
Hi Yasmeen – my top tip is to salt the eggplant generously before cooking and allow it to sit for 20 or so minutes – this really draws out the moisture that gives it that spongy texture and also cuts the bitterness. If you use a lot of salt don’t forget to rinse some of it off so you don’t end up with a super salty eggplant. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Excellent–will do! Thanks!