- You don’t have to have a barbecue to make delicious, “grilled” vegetables, and sometimes I like to remind people of that. You don’t have to own fancy stuff to make fancy food!
- I like my eggplant sliced super thin, which would require a grilling pan for the barbecue. Since I don’t have one, however, I’ve opted to fry mine so that you can see how it should look.
All of that said, this recipe is just as good or better over the open flame of a summer grill (I sometimes slice it a little thicker for the barbecue since I don’t have the grilling pan), and I love to recommend it as one of my favourite ways to prepare eggplant.
How to prepare eggplant for grilling
I’ve seen a lot of people salt their eggplant before they cook it, to draw out moisture and to mellow out the bitter flavour that some eggplant can have. I have never found this step necessary for this recipe, so I just wash them, remove the stems, and slice them as thin as I can manage. A good quality serrated knife is the best tool for this step.
What makes this grilled eggplant so delicious
This eggplant is dry fried or grilled until it softens and gets a little bit of that browned/grill flavour, and then it is tossed with minced fresh garlic, chopped fresh parsley, salt, and olive oil. It can be served warm or cold, and while it seems a little bit simple to deserve an award, sometimes the best things are the easiest to make. And this, in my opinion, is one of those recipes.
Can you cook other vegetables with this method?
YES, and again I say, YES! My favourites are sweet bell peppers (red, orange or yellow), or green or yellow zucchini. The dry fry is essential because it prevents the vegetables from becoming soggy ahead of time, and it allows the outside to dry out and get that nice, browned flavour. For bell peppers, especially on the barbecue, I love for them to get a little bit blackened on the skin if I can.
Is eggplant healthy?
According to WebMD, eggplants are rich in fibre and antioxidants (such as vitamin A and C), and it can also help your body process sugar more effectively due to the presence of natural plant chemicals called polyphenols.
When eggplant is prepared this way, with raw garlic, fresh parsley, and cold pressed olive oil… well, you practically have yourself a super food!
For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 eggplant (serves about 4)
- Fresh parsley
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Cutting board
- Quality serrated knife
- Quality chef’s knife
- Grilling pan or non-stick frying pan
- Serving bowl
- Tongs
Grilled Eggplant with Fresh Garlic and Parsley
This super simple eggplant recipe is the perfect grilled summer side dish!
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 handful fresh parsley (I used flat-leaf for this recipe)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Wash and eggplant and slice it in half lengthways. Place the halves cut side down on a cutting board, and slice the eggplant again (with a serrated knife), as thinly as possible. Set aside.
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Wash and chop the parsley, and peel and mince the garlic. Set aside.
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In a dry frying pan or grilling pan, cook the unseasoned eggplant until just browned. Lift the eggplant off of the pan into a serving bowl, and repeat until all of the pieces are fried.
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Season the eggplant with your fresh chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt (to taste), and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm or cold.
Wait a second… How much did you make for this post??
In this tutorial, I used 4 eggplant to serve a crowd of 14 people. When you come from a family with 12 kids, you need at least a *few* servings!
A question for you
What is your favourite way to eat eggplant? Let me know in the comments!
As always, if you make this recipe, tag me in your photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial – I’d love to see your delicious grilled veggies!
Thanks for stopping in! I’ll be back soon,
–Naomi
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