Looking for a quick side dish for dinner? This Sweet and Sticky Oven oven-roasted eggplant is healthy, gluten-free, and cooks in no time. These vegan eggplant “steaks” are roasted in the oven to bring out the natural sweetness of the eggplant.
Eggplant has always seemed like an enigma to me regarding vegetables. They’ve got an oblong shape, a spongy texture, and have no real discernible smell when raw. Before I ever tried it, I remember thinking, “How do you even cook eggplant?”
I attempted to cook it on various occasions and mimic restaurant dishes. Sometimes, it was greasy, mushy, and sometimes raw in the middle. So, what was the secret to getting the odd purple veggie to cook correctly?
Thankfully, after a few attempts, I cracked the code for making the best roasted eggplant, and I’m sharing all the details with you below on the recipe card. This is one of my favorite ways to make a yummy eggplant dish.
In this free 5-day email series learn all my tips for incorporating a low-carb lifestyle into the life of your family.
This easy recipe is low-carb, keto, paleo, whole30, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Be sure that you check out my recipe for Eggplant Lasagna and Baked Eggplant Gratin as well!
And check out my coolest eggplant ever. I got this cute little guy in my Misfits Market box.
Ingredients
- Eggplant – There are plenty of eggplant varieties that you can use for this recipe.
- Salt – Helps to draw the moisture out of the eggplant slices.
Glaze
- Coconut aminos – I use this in place of soy sauce.
- Garlic cloves – Adds flavor.
- Red pepper flakes – Add spice and heat.
- Cumin – An easy addition to add warmth.
- Sesame oil – Helps the seasonings stay on the eggplant slices.
- Olive oil – Helps to keep the glaze thin.
- Black pepper – Just a pinch.
How to Roast Eggplant in the Oven
The secret is in the prep! Since eggplants are high-moisture vegetables like mushrooms, you must draw that moisture out to get crispy, evenly cooked eggplant.
Step One: Slice the eggplant evenly into thick slices.
Step Two: Sprinkle kosher salt onto a cutting board or a cookie sheet, and lay the slices of eggplant on the salt.
Step Three: Coat the slices with another layer of salt. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
Step Four: Pat the slices dry with a paper towel to absorb the excess moisture.
Step Five: Coat the slices with the glaze. Bake the eggplant in the hot oven and then finish in the broiler.
This eggplant is smeared with a garlic soy-inspired sauce, so you’re going to want to have all of the flavors seep into this paleo eggplant. It is also a great vegetarian main dish.
Top Tip💡
Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. The last thing you are going to want to do is overbake it. Trust me on this! It will get dried out. Instead, check the temperature until it reaches 158 degrees then you can pull it out of the oven. It will continue rising to reach 160.
Substitutions
Type of Eggplant – You can use varied types of eggplant for this basic recipe. Japanese eggplants, Globe eggplants, Chinese eggplants, or even Italian eggplants can all be used. Some do have thinner skins than others, so be aware of that with your choices. Smaller eggplants will also cook faster than larger eggplants, so keep that in mind.
Love this recipe? Try Keto Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts next!
Variations
Spices – You can add your favorite herbs and spices to give the oven roast eggplant flavor. Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, or even a bit of tahini sauce added to the glaze are all fun flavors to add to the oven-baked eggplant slices.
Herbs – Fresh herbs pair well with the texture of this oven-roasted eggplant recipe.
Equipment
All that you’ll need is a baking tray and a sharp knife.
Common Questions
It’s super simple.
No fancy gadgets are needed here. If you have a sealable jar and 30 seconds, you have eggplant glaze. The prominent flavors in this sauce are coconut aminos, garlic, cumin, and sesame oil.
All you have to do is put all of the ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until it forms a salad dressing-like consistency.
The eggplant glaze sauce in this recipe is a spin on a soy garlic sauce. Instead of soy sauce, though, I use coconut aminos. If you’ve never used it, it has a soy flavor, but it’s sweeter and naturally gluten-free. It’s very versatile and by no means overpowering.
Because of that, this glaze can be used in many ways beyond this healthy eggplant recipe, including:
Marinade for chicken or pork
Stir fry sauce
Dumpling dipping sauce
Try it on baked portabella mushrooms
You can even make a double batch and keep the extra in a mason jar.
When cooking oven-roasted eggplant, you want to look for a balance between tenderness and crispness. It’s very easy to under-cook eggplant, so you’ll want to do a few things when you cook it.
Pierce the cooked eggplant with a knife. It should go straight through without any resistance. If you feel stiffness in the middle, it means the eggplant hasn’t roasted long enough and it needs some extra time.
Since this eggplant is really flavorful from the marinade, it goes better with a milder side dish such as cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, mashed sweet potatoes, roasted squash, or zucchini noodles.
Yes, if you’re an eggplant lover, you can change the shape of the eggplant pieces. You can do eggplant cubes, eggplant fries, diced eggplant, and more. Just be sure that you find a good eggplant that is a good size, as the cut can make a big difference in the cooking time.
Also, make sure that you’re cooking them on a single layer on the sheet pan so that they can all cook evenly and turn a delicious golden brown.
Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & a 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!
Oven Roasted Eggplant
Looking for a quick side dish for dinner? This Sweet and Sticky Oven Roasted Eggplant is healthy, gluten-free and cooks in no time. These vegan eggplant “steaks” are roasted in the oven and go well with your favorite gluten-free grains.
Ingredients
- 2 lb eggplant
- 2 teaspoon salt
Glaze
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tbs olive oil
- pinch black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-
Slice the eggplant into even ½ inch thick slices. Sprinkle a cookie sheet or cutting board with 1 teaspoon of salt and then place the eggplant slices on the salted surface. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt on top of the eggplant slices in an even layer and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. The salt will draw out excess moisture.
-
Use a paper towel to pat dry both sides of the eggplant slices and rub off excess salt.
-
Add all of the glaze ingredients into a sealable jar. Shake for 30 seconds until all ingredients are combined (should be a salad dressing like consistency).
-
Place eggplant slices on a lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze on each side of the eggplant. Bake 10 minutes on 400 degrees. Switch the oven to broil, and broil an additional 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 79Carbohydrates: 11gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1005mgPotassium: 346mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 3.6mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 0.5mg
This was originally a guest post by Ashley of Bright Roots Kitchen on March 26, 2019. It was republished on January 28, 2024.