Easy marinated eggplant
Grilled eggplant marinated in a spicy garlic and herb marinade is a delicious, gluten-free addition to any antipasto platter or cheese board.
I made a big batch of this marinated eggplant recipe for my birthday dinner a few weeks ago as part of a grazing table I set up. Even though the table was weighed down by glorious cheese, charcuterie and fresh bread, the dish everyone kept talking about was this marinated eggplant. It is truly a joy, intensely flavored with fresh garlic, lemon, herbs and chilli.
I almost always have a large jar in the fridge now and we have it on sandwiches, chopped up in pasta dishes and as a simple lunch with good bread often.
Ingredients needed
- Eggplant. Aubergine/brinjal.
- Extra-virgin olive oil.
- Fresh lemon juice. White Balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar can be substituted.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Chilli flakes or fresh red chillies.
- Dried oregano. Other dried herbs like thyme or parsley will also work.
- Salt and black pepper.
How to make marinated eggplant (summary)
Slice eggplant into thin slices and brush with olive oil. Grill in a hot grill pan until soft and caramelized on both sides. Place the grilled eggplant into a large jar or sealable container. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, finely chopped chillies and dried oregano with a generous pinch of salt and pepper together in a large bowl then pour over the grilled eggplant. Seal the jar or container and allow to marinade for at least 6 hours but up to 1-2 weeks.
How long can you marinate eggplant?
Ideally the eggplant should marinate for at least 6 hours to allow the eggplant time to absorb the flavors, however eggplant can be left submerged in the marinade, sealed in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
How to serve marinated eggplant
- As part of an antipasto platter, mezze platter or cheeseboard.
- On sandwiches with salami, parma ham and cheese.
- In Italian caponata.
- As a pizza topping.
- Drained, chopped in frittatas and pasta dishes.
- Use the marinade as salad dressing.
More antipasto recipe ideas:
- Easy Antipasto wreath with marinated mozzarella.
- Marinated cherry tomatoes with whipped ricotta
- Easy Antipasto platter
Easy marinated eggplant
Ingredients
- 6 medium eggplants thinly sliced
- olive oil for brushing
For the marinade
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1/3-½ cup fresh lemon juice (amount depends on the acidity of the lemon juice)
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2-3 tsp red chilli finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Brush the slices of eggplant with olive oil then grill in a hot grill pan until softened and caramelized on both sides.
- Place the slices of eggplant into a large jar or sealable container.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together, adjust seasoning as necessary and pour over the eggplant.
- Seal the jar or container and allow to marinade for at least 6 hours but up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
Video
@simplydeliciousfood Easy marinated eggplant. #eggplant #vegetarian #farmersmarket #summerproduce ? Right Down the Line - Sam Evian
could i roast the eggplant instead?
You could, the flavor won’t be as smoky but it will still be delicious.
If I did some zucchini and capsicum the same way, could I put them in the same jar, and would it last as long in the fridge?
Yup! They will last just as long as the eggplant.
Delicious – homerun hit with our dinner party guests. Super easy. I made 1 eggplant, 1/4 of marinade, and used a pinch of ground birds eye chili because I couldn’t find a fresh red chili. This recipe is now officially in our rotation.
How many jars would you need for 6 eggplants? Can this be canned to keep it longer than 1-2 weeks in the fridge?
I haven’t ever tried canning it and my knowledge on the subject is limited so I can’t give accurate advice. 6 eggplants will cook down quite a lot so you could maybe fit them into one large-ish jar.
To keep longer, just use vinegar instead of lemon juice. Just taste the tartness you desire. You’ll love it too. I keep it in the fridge and it never lasts for too long,as we all love it!
I know this is a question you asked a long time ago. As a health care provider and expert canner, I can tell you this: eggplant and summer squash are among the lists of foods that cannot be canned in anything. Not alone, not in sauce, not at all. They aren’t safe: the density of the food as it cooks is such that the mid of the jar doesn’t get hot enough for the product to be safe to eat. Hope this helps.
I love this. I made it to use up some leftover eggplant and it has the perfect balance of flavors — not too tart, not too oily, not too spicy. I don’t have a grill pan, so I just used a plain cast iron skillet. I also cut the slices into quarters. It’s good on pizza or as a side to a salad or pasta dish. I’ll be making this again and again.
It’s our absolute favorite way to eat eggplant and I make it weekly. So happy you liked it too Bernadette!
Delicious and so easy to make!
My family raved about this. It was one of several appetizers but everyone crowded around it and ate it until it was gone. Simple ingredients but amazingly delicious. So tasty and a great way to deal with eggplant abundance in the garden.
Easy and delicious. I only had one eggplant and about two hours to marinate it. I used all the marinade and the warm eggplant soaked it up. Will make again.
Mezze looks soooooo delicious ,& recipes easy to follow
Shall be making when entertaining next…but put on individual plates for safety! Thank you!