Oven-Roasted Eggplant With Honey & Chermoula
These oven-roasted eggplant (aubergine) halves are paired with a delicious chermoula sauce and a drizzle of honey. It’s a simple vegetable side dish recipe that’s packed with both sweet and savoury flavours! Recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
This roasted eggplant recipe was inspired by these INCREDIBLE eggplant chips I had at a restaurant recently. They were served drizzled with honey and a side of chermoula for dipping – I was so blown away by the taste that I knew I had to recreate those flavours in my own way!
Enter: this oven-roasted eggplant recipe. It’s such a delicious way to season eggplant and can be served as a side to a variety of proteins and starch options (I’ve included some pairing ideas below).
As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that eggplant is packed with nutrition benefits! If you’re new to preparing this vegetable, I’ve included some handy tips for how to roast eggplant below as well. The recipe video should also help for my more visual learners. Enjoy 🙂
Want more side dish inspiration? Check out my roundup of 20+ easy, healthy vegetable side dish recipes for more ideas!
Ingredients Needed
All you need to make this eggplant recipe are 11 simple ingredients:
- globe eggplants
- olive oil
- honey
- cilantro
- parsley
- mint
- garlic
- cumin
- paprika
- red pepper flakes
- lemon juice
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
How To Roast Eggplant In Oven
Roasting eggplant in the oven is such a delicious way to prepare the vegetable, and (despite being a few steps) is also very easy!
- Start by washing and drying the outside of the eggplant.
- Then, slice the eggplant in half lengthwise.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully score the eggplant in a “cross-hatch” style. I like working down one side of the eggplant first – slicing diagonally from one end to the other about a 1/2-inch apart. Then, rotate the eggplant and repeat in the other direction. Be careful not to pierce through the skin when doing this!
- Next, place eggplant face side up on a baking sheet or on the cutting board. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt on top of each eggplant half.
- Allow the eggplants to sit with the salt for about 30 minutes. This will help to draw out any excess moisture.
- After 30 minutes, gently squeeze each eggplant to press out more water. Pat the face of each eggplant dry with a paper towel.
- Then, brush the faces of each eggplant with some olive oil and place face side down on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake them in the oven for about 45 minutes (at 400F), until they start to collapse a bit and the face side is golden brown.
- Remove and let cool before flipping over and adding toppings.
TIP: Be sure to watch the recipe video in this post for a better visual of how to cut and prepare the eggplant, if needed 🙂
Can You Eat Eggplant Skins?
Yes! If you want to eat the skin of roasted eggplants, it’s entirely safe to do so. If you find it a bit tough, feel free to just scoop the insides out and enjoy those.
What Is Chermoula
Chermoula is a type of sauce or marinade that originates from North African countries, like Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. It is used to add flavour to seafood, meat, and vegetable dishes.
Common ingredients include garlic, cumin, cilantro, olive oil, lemon, and salt, but regional variations add in a variety of different ingredients and flavours (like other spices and herbs).
The recipe I’ve created in this post is by no means a traditional one – I’ve taken inspiration from the ingredients in other recipes and tried to make my own version, using staples in my spice cabinet. If you have your own chermoula recipe or would prefer a store-bought one, you can certainly use that in its place!
What To Serve With Roasted Eggplant
This roasted eggplant with chermoula side dish would pair beautifully with a variety of simple proteins, like fish, shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef, or eggs.
To round out the meal, you can serve it with some whole grains (like quinoa or farro) or some roasted potatoes!
TIP: make some extra chermoula sauce to drizzle over the rest of your meal too 😉
Eggplant Nutrition Benefits
Eggplant is:
- a good source of dietary fibre
- a source of vitamins + minerals, like:
- manganese
- folate
- potassium
- vitamin K
- vitamin C
- high in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins (which give them their vibrant purple colour!)
More Roasted Vegetable Side Dishes
- Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash
- Roasted Broccolini & Kale With Honey
- Maple-Roasted Carrots With Harissa Yogurt
- Honey-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Blue Cheese
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale With Coconut Cream
Did you give this Roasted Eggplant With Honey & Chermoula Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Oven-Roasted Eggplant With Honey & Chermoula
Ingredients
Eggplants:
- 2 medium-large globe eggplants
- Salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Approx. 1 Tbsp honey
Chermoula Sauce:
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 2 Tbsp mint
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1.5 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp paprika
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (adjust or omit according to desired spiciness)
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start by washing and drying the outside of the eggplants. Then, slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, carefully score the eggplants in a "cross-hatch" style. Be careful not to pierce through the skin when doing this!
- Next, place eggplants face side up on a baking sheet or on the cutting board. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt on top of each eggplant (much of the salt will be wiped off, so don't worry about adding too much!)
- Allow the eggplants to sit with the salt for about 30 minutes. This will help to draw out any excess moisture.
- Meanwhile, make chermoula by blending all sauce ingredients in a food processor. Adjust seasonings to taste and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After 30 minutes, gently squeeze each eggplant to press out more water. Pat the face of each eggplant dry with a paper towel. Then, brush the faces of each eggplant with olive oil and place face side down on a lined baking sheet.
- Place eggplants in the oven for about 45 minutes, until they start to collapse slightly and the face side turns golden brown.
- Remove eggplants from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Flip eggplants over and evenly drizzle chermoula and honey overtop. Serve and enjoy hot!
Notes
- This roasted eggplant side dish would pair beautifully with a variety of simple proteins, like fish, shrimp, scallops, chicken, or beef.
- To round out the meal, you can serve it with some whole grains (like quinoa or farro) or some roasted potatoes!
- TIP: make some extra chermoula sauce to drizzle over the rest of your meal too 😉
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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