File this away under “good to know” kitchen tips. Recently, I made a cooked salad that required fried eggplant cubes. I don’t like frying eggplant. It soaks up oil like a sponge, which means you end up using a lot more oil than you would normally need for other vegetables. The frying process can also be somewhat messy. I decided to roast the cubed eggplant instead, tossing it with a little olive oil and putting it in a hot oven till tender. The results were spectacular. I love roasting other vegetables like cauliflower and beets, so naturally eggplant works the same way. The eggplant developed a natural sweetness in the oven, a depth of flavor I’ve never achieved from frying. Some pieces caramelized on the edges, adding extra flavor. I ate it up like finger food; all it needed was a little salt to offset the sweetness. Of course, you can add black pepper or any number of seasonings during the roasting process to give it a different flavor.
I can imagine all kinds of uses for these delectable cubes of roasted eggplant. So far, I’ve tried substituting it for fried eggplant in cooked salads (like Mooshi’s Eggplant Salad), which works great. I’ve added it to a cold mixed green salad; it makes the salad more filling without adding a lot of calories. I’ve simmered it for a few minutes in curry sauce and served it as a vegetarian entree. I’ve also used it as a pasta substitute. Top the eggplant with marinara or bolognese sauce for a lower carb, gluten free, more nutritious alternative to pasta. My husband likes his topped with a little Greek yogurt, labneh, or tahini sauce. You can also roast eggplant rounds, like I do in this recipe for Vegetable Moussaka. The possibilities are endless!
If you want to roast eggplant for a dip like babaganoush, the process is different. Click here for a complete tutorial.
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How to Roast Eggplant Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant (you can fit up to 2 lbs. eggplant per baking sheet if you want to double the recipe)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Optional ingredients: black pepper, your favorite seasonings
NOTES
Instructions
- Peel the eggplant. You can either peel it completely, or leave a few strips of skin on for texture. If you're planning on eating them as-is or using them as a meat or pasta substitute, peel them completely. If you're simmering them in sauce or adding them to a cooked salad, leave a few strips of skin on to help the eggplant keep its shape during cooking.
- Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes.
- Place the eggplant pieces in a colander and sprinkle with salt, tossing the pieces with your hands as you sprinkle to make sure all the pieces are evenly coated. Allow the eggplant to stand at room temperature for 30-45 minutes till beads of liquid form on the surface. Rinse the eggplant thoroughly and pat dry. This salting process helps to remove any bitterness from the eggplant. Note-- if you're using younger, smaller eggplants it's pretty rare to get a bitter one, so you can skip the salting to save on time!
- Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Spread out the eggplant cubes on a baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with olive oil and use clean hands to toss the cubes, coating them lightly with oil. Sprinkle the cubes lightly with salt (if you're salt-sensitive, skip this step... the eggplant will already be slightly salty from the pre-salting process). You can also sprinkle them with pepper or your favorite seasoning. Black pepper, red chili flakes, paprika, lemon pepper and curry powder all add a nice flavor... just be sure to season lightly so you don't overpower the natural flavor of the eggplant.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Let the eggplant roast for 10 minutes. Take the eggplant out and stir it with a spatula or wooden spoon. Return it to the oven. (Note-- if you have doubled the recipe and are roasting two batches of eggplant on two sheets, switch the sheets between racks at this point). Let it roast for 10-20 minutes longer till the eggplant is tender and some of the pieces are caramelized.
- Remove the eggplant from the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature, or add it to your favorite eggplant recipe. The eggplant is particularly delicious when simmered for a few minutes in your favorite warm sauce (tomato sauce, curry, etc.). Or, you can snack on it plain, like I do... simple, with a touch of salt. Makes a tasty finger food! I also love it drizzled with a little tahini sauce. Yum!
Iris Ellner-Miller says
great idea!
Debbie Michelson says
Looks really tasty
Susan Rose says
They DO look yummy!
Brian Bronco Broussard says
I like to do them exactly this way and then treat them like sushi… grab ’em with my chop sticks, dab on a bit of wasabi paste and dip them in soy sauce
Serra says
Excellent idea to treat the roasted eggplant cubes like sushi!
Rik Helderman says
Looks delicious
Marah Rose-Rawe says
I love eggplant.
Kathryn McMorrow says
Me too.
Alicia Hurley says
One of my favorite veggies!
Funukkah says
Love eggplant! Yum! <3
Michelle MP says
We roast eggplant all the time!! Lovvvvvve!! 🙂
Michele Ann Inabinet says
Yum
Jodie Davis says
I do it all the time! Eggplant is my favorite!
Stephanie R. Cannon says
I love eggplant
Sevil Wingate says
I can eat eggplant everyday, my Favorite vegetable, you can pour some plain yogurt with some crushed garlic on top its delicious!!
Kimberley Barca says
Yum do you puree this make baba?
Tori Avey says
Kimberley no, the process is different for baba ganoush. Here is the link for roasting whole eggplant for dips: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2011/06/how-to-roast-eggplant/
Susan Ideta Okazaki says
Looks easy and sounds delish!
Meredith Schneider says
Yum! Love eggplant SO good for you!! I had roasted broccoli and zucchini tonight.
Yelena Leychik says
Please , help! First of all, mine never come out that pretty, when I roast it cut in to pieces. Maybe its because I dont use a broiler, just a 400-425 degree oven. Second of all… I dont even know what a broiler is. How to use it… Or if my oven even has one…. Lol. Can you please help? 🙂
Tori Avey says
Yelena I don’t use a broiler, but I do roast them at 425 degrees. I wonder if your oven runs a bit cooler than mine? Roast them at 425 (or maybe even 450) and try stirring them after 15 minutes instead of 10, this will give the surface of the eggplant more time to brown and caramelize. By the way, not every piece will brown, but at least half or more should. Good luck!
Bill Evans says
I love eggplant….. I use it in place of pasta noodles when making Lasagna…… I also use it fried instead of bread for french toast……
Marisa J Fadavi says
Love eggplant!
Nancy Henderson says
Sounds like I’d like it with a little arrabbiata sauce and some grated cheese. Thanks for the suggestion as a pasta substitute.