Mediterranean Eggplant Recipes:
Give eggplant a try if you haven’t cooked it much—this Mediterranean Eggplant makes a delicious plant-based supper! Because aubergine is high in fibre and this meal is gluten-free, it has a relatively low net carb count.
I’ll be in Istanbul by the time you read this, and I might have even had some of the delectable Turkish aubergine dishes that are a staple of the country’s cuisine. I therefore thought it would be wonderful to serve an aubergine meal while I’m in Turkey!
I understand that some people find it difficult to embrace eggplant, but ever since I started this blog, I have been a convert to grilled eggplant. I’ve been enjoying roasted eggplant a lot lately, and this Mediterranean Eggplant recipe is so simple and tasty that it doesn’t require any meat.
Just choose a firm eggplant that’s pretty straight on the edges, cut into thick slices, spray with olive oil and season, then roast in the oven while you make the delightful salsa that’s rich with Mediterranean flavors. And although eggplant isn’t incredibly low in carbs, it’s high in fiber hence low in net carbs, enjoy!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
- straight-sided eggplant
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- Kalamata olives
- Jarred roasted red peppers (affiliate link)
- red onion, or a smaller one
- Affiliate link: Capers
- Vinegar with Balsamic (affiliate link)
- Aleppo Pepper or other hot and spicy pepper flakes (affiliate link)
What is the Mediterranean flavoring in this recipe for eggplant?
The Mediterranean salsa—a blend of roasted red peppers, red onion, capers, balsamic vinegar and fiery hot pepper flakes—gives this Mediterranean aubergine an amazing flavour.
Here are some additional ideas for topping the Mediterranean Salsa besides aubergine. If I can’t get you to try aubergine, this Mediterranean Salsa would also be delicious over roasted zucchini or barely cooked zucchini noodles.
Is this Mediterranean Eggplant low in carbohydrates?
Each serving of this eggplant with Mediterranean salsa contains just 8 net carbohydrates. Balsamic vinegar is one component that does add some carbohydrates to this dish. If you’d want even fewer carbohydrates, simply replace that with a red wine vinegar that has less carbs.Collage of process images for roasted eggplant with Mediterranean salsa.
Mediterranean Eggplant Recipe Instructions:
- To ensure uniformly sized slices, select a large eggplant with somewhat straight sides.
- Roughly chop the eggplant into 1-inch-thick slices, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast the eggplant at 400F for about 20 minutes, or until it’s as tender as you like it.
- Halfway through, I flip it over to brown the other side as well.
- Cut the red onion, capers, and roasted red peppers in a jar into small pieces while the eggplant roasts.
- Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salsa ingredients to a bowl.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Aleppo pepper (or other spicy pepper flakes).
- Spoon plenty of Mediterranean Salsa over each slice of eggplant, whether it’s served hot or cold.
Guidelines:
- Set oven temperature to 200°C/400°F.
- Coat a baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil or nonstick spray.
- After cleaning the aubergine and clipping off both ends, slice it into 1-inch-thick slices.
- Place the aubergine slices on a baking pan, brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- After 10 minutes of roasting, turn the aubergine over and continue to roast for another ten minutes, or until the required tenderness is reached.
- While the eggplant cooks, drain the jar of red peppers in a colander placed in the sink, and then pat the peppers dry with paper towels.
- Dice the red onion finely, and then chop the roasted red peppers and Kalamata olives into small, half-inch pieces.
- Toss in the olives, peppers, onion, and capers. Add the two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and the two tablespoons of olive oil.
- Top each plant with a few slices of aubergine and generously spoon over some of the Mediterranean Salsa.
Remarks:
Six ounces is half of a 12 oz. jar of roasted red pepper. Use more or less red pepper to taste.
Although eggplant contains some carbohydrates, its high fiber content reduces its net carbohydrate content.
