Welcome, new readers, to The Soulicious Life and the 2nd anual Virtual Vegan Potluck. I’m thrilled to be participating! There are 105 awesome recipes full of inspiration here today. Simply use the forward and back buttons at the bottom of this post to navigate your way through the virtual buffet line and get ready for your mouth to water!
Over the years, my grandmother Viv taught me many secrets, about life, about love, and about food. I attribute all I know about Mediterranean cooking to her and our Armenian heritage. It makes me so proud to know I grew up eating hummus, tabbouleh and stuffed grape leaves (dolmades), before they ever hit the (sorta) mainstream.
Roasted Eggplant is a favorite in our family. It makes an appearance at every special occasion from birthdays to holidays, as well as anytime the garden is blossoming with this pretty purple vegetable. Garlic lovers will adore it (if you eat a piece, be sure your partner does too!), and so will anyone who appreciates a simple, easy-to-prepare appetizer with minimal ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 2 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1/3 c. aged balsamic vinegar (plus more to drizzle)
- 6 whole wheat pitas, sliced into triangles
Directions
Soak sliced eggplant in a large bowl of tepid, salty water for 20 minutes to remove its bitterness. Toss the eggplant a few times as they will float.
Pour eggplant rounds into a colander and rinse with warm water. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil.
Broil on low (with oven door ajar) for 7-10 minutes or until well-browned. Flip eggplant over and repeat.
Place one layer of eggplant in a shallow dish and cover with some of the garlic and balsamic. Repeat until all eggplant, balsamic, and garlic are used up. It is important that the eggplant be drenched with balsamic! Marinate in fridge overnight.
Eat cold or at room temperature with freshly cut pita or even whole grain crackers. It also shines as the main star in a sandwich. Choose a whole wheat pita or thick, crusty bread and accompany it with roasted red peppers, red onion and arugula
What’s your favorite way to eat eggplant?
To start at the beginning of the potluck, click here.
I shared this post on Your Green Resource, Pennywise Platter, Keep it Real, Thank Your Body, Fight Back Friday, Monday Mania, Must Try Monday, Natural Living Monday, Fat Tuesday, Hearth and Soul, Tasty Tuesdays, The Gathering Spot and Tiny Tip Tuesday, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, Health 2day and Whole Food Wednesdays.
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I love eggplant, and this looks like such a delicious way to roast it. I really like the idea of using balsamic vinegar!
Hi, new fan here! I found your blog on the Little Homestead on the Hill and would like to invite you to join me at the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week if you can make it! http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/11/clever-chicks-blog-hop-7-country-craft.html
I hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
Hi Kathy – nice to meet you! Looking forward to joining you at Clever Chicks tomorrow!
I love this. Thanks for sharing a family favorite!
Thanks, Aliza!
I have a hit and miss relationship with preparing aubergine dishes. I am definitely going to give this one a bash. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hooray!
How fun! Thanks for sharing at Must Try Monday!
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I don’t eat eggplant often but apparently I need to start! This looks simple, classic and amazing!
Thanks, Vanessa!
Roasted eggplant is definitely my jam, so good!
I love eggplant by itself or specifically with grilled chicken or a grass-fed beef burger!
Love eggplant!
This looks fantastic! Can’t wait to try it out!
Thanks for stopping by, Julie!
Yum! Roasting is my favourite way to have eggplant, this looks delicious!
Thanks; roasting makes any vegetable most delicious!
Oh my that looks amazing, especially with the balsamic vinegar! I love that stuff!
So much flavor in a good balsamic!
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Beautiful recipe – thank you! I love eggplant
Thanks, Anne. My kinda gal!
So my speed. I love everything here.
I know; so many delicious dishes to try!
i LOVE eggplants, I usually make something similar when I don’t have the time to make a full on entree
Nice!
Eggplant fan here! perfect way to make eggplant. Yum. I dig it this way and could live on baba ghanoush.
Love Baba ghanoush! That’s one recipe I’m missing. Got a good one?
This looks delicious! I lovee roasted eggplant, hands down my favorite way to eat it!
You MUST be my new BFF!
I adore eggplant every single which way it can be prepared! I really like the look of this roasted eggplant! So yummy!
A fellow eggplant lover – hooray!
I love roasted eggplant, this one looks wonderful. Bookmarking it for future use!
Hooray! Thanks!
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Woah, this sounds great!
I aim to please.
Thanks for stopping by!
I’m not a huge eggplant fan but I’m always willling to try it in new applications. Thanks for sharing!
I admire your adventurous nature! I hope this doesn’t disappoint.
We call eggplant: aubergine over here & I love them. Your recipe is a classical winner! I love my classic’s a lot!
MMMMM!
Thanks, Sophie. I remember aubergines well from my travels! Hooray for classics!
I’ve never been a huge fan of eggplant, but this looks too good not to like. I bet it makes the best sandwich!
It’s definitely awesome on a sandwich, especially with a little hummus. I swear my stomach just started growling with that image!
OOO, good. This looks easy. i have never had eggplant this way, and this looks delicious.
It is – and so easy!
Just making my way through the VVP & wanted to say hey
Welcome, and thanks!
I could eat eggplant daily! Thank-you for an amazing recipe.
Hooray! I find people either love it or hate it. I think you just have to learn to cook it the right way.
I’m a garlic and eggplant fan. This sounds like the perfect pairing.
Totally perfect!
This is my kind of recipe!
I love eggplant and paired with balsamic vinegar it must be heavenly, maybe with a few mint leaves mmmm
Thanks, Sawsan. Mint makes everything better!
I can’t say that I’ve ever tried proper Armenian food, but I looove experimenting with ethnic foods so I’ll definitely have to give it a shot. Looks delicious!
Thanks for stopping by, Barb. Mediterranean food is tops in my book.
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Yum! I adore eggplant. I definitely have to try this.
Eggplant lovers unite!
Thanks for keeping your grandmother’s recipes and tips alive. This roasty toasty eggplant is a grat app!
It’s so important to me to keep the traditions going. Hard to do them all, but this one is a definite keeper.
Sounds like a delicious snack! And seems so easy to make too. Especially the marinating part is making me drool. Haha
Can you suggest other vegetables I can try this with? Hubby doesn’t like eggplant (crazy, right?) so when I make this for myself, I’ll make some with another veggie for him.
Delicious! I love aubergine (eggplant) and I think this in a pitta with some salad sounds delicious. I’m a garlic fan!
Yes! Perhaps Greek salad?
This sounds delicious! Do you serve it cold? Room temperature? Warm it up? I think I would have liked your grandmother’s cooking.
Cold or room temp, Emmy. Thanks for the reminder to add that to the directions.
Nom nom nom… That looks outstanding!
Thanks!
Love roasted eggplant! I spent a few months in Yerevan and met some wonderful people and ate some incredible food. Thank you for a delicious contribution to the Potluck!
Lucky you! I’d love to know what your favorite plant-based dish was that you found.
At the time I was an omnivore – this was years ago! I LOVED the breads and I confess, the chocolate pudding I found at the local stores
!