Quick Roasted Eggplant
Published August 27, 2024
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 large globe eggplant (1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and black pepper
Chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley or mint), for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
10 grams carbs; 131 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 10 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 391 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 6 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Place the eggplant on the prepared pan and drizzle with oil. Working quickly, toss with your hands until well coated. Season with the oregano and a ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss again.
- Step 3
Roast for 15 minutes, then toss. If the eggplant looks dry, drizzle with another teaspoon or two of oil. Roast until the eggplant is browned and tender but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Step 4
Sprinkle with more salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve hot or warm.
Private Notes
Comments
Given that eggplant absorbs oil so quickly, the quickest and most efficient way is to toss it with oil in a bowl, not on the sheet. (I don't understand why the Times uses that as an instruction in just about every sheet pan recipe, causing many readers comment about its inefficiency.) Any oil remaining in the bowl can then be drizzled over the sheet.
Every Italian cookbook with recipes involving eggplant such as caponata, Pasta alla Norma, eggplant parmigiana, etc. etc. calls for frying the eggplant in batches in a pan. No, no, no, never do that!! Much more work, and the eggplant absorbs a lot of oil, which makes it seem heavy, and it becomes fattening. Just roast it by this method, using parchment paper, whether cubed or sliced as the recipe requires. The beauty of this is also that you can set the timer and do other things while it roasts.
I frequently prepare eggplant this way, but I flip the cubs at 20 minutes and give it another 20 minutes. Generally, I add the roasted eggplant to a tomato sauce created by simmering chopped tomatoes in a bit of olive oil with pepper flakes and some tomato paste. I serve either with pasta or polenta.
I used this recipe to roast eggplant in my air fryer. It was delicious and I loved the texture!
I love roasted eggplant (and zucchini) but despise firing up the oven on high to heat up the house. Instead, slide into 1/2 inch thick planks, spray with olive or avocado oil cooking spray, and roast at 400°F in the AIR FRYER for 15 min, flip and roast the other side for 15 min. (Only 10 min per side for zucchini) Done! Let cool for a few minutes, then cut into cubes for soups or caponata, or use as planks for parmesan, lasagna, or as a side dish.
Usually try to follow as written but I was nervous about getting unpleasantly crunchy ravioli, based on enough comments to notice. I used a cast iron saucier thing to preserve moisture if necessary but I still found the ravioli to be more tough than I wanted. I think I’ll stick to boiling it. I love roasted tomatoes with olive oil and garlic though, and I was glad to use up cherry tomatoes that were wrinkly in the fridge. I wonder if the brand of ravioli can be the issue here. Mine were a frozen private label store brand.