Roasted Eggplant Halves Recipe

Roasted Eggplant Halves Recipe

Learn how to prepare and roast eggplant halves for using it in stuffed eggplant recipes with my foolproof method

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Resting time 30

Total Time 1 20

Servings halved eggplants

Calories 119kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 globe eggplants
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Rinse eggplant under cold water and dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Then using the tip of a knife, score the flesh into a diamond cross-hatch pattern going about an inch deep making sure to not pierce the skin.
Transfer the eggplant halves cut side up onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Season evenly with the kosher salt.
Let them sit for 30 minutes on the sheet pan.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (or 200 degrees C).
Over a kitchen sink or a bowl, gently squeeze the eggplants to get the extra moisture out. Pat-dry the cut face of the eggplants using a paper towel.
Brush the halves evenly with olive oil.
Arrange eggplants face down on the baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes or until the eggplant collapses and the bottom side turns golden brown. Let it cool on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
Gently turn the cut side up and use in your recipes.

Notes

I wrote the recipe for only 2 eggplants but you can easily multiply this recipe and use as many eggplants as you want.
Storage: Though they’re better fresh, eggplant halves can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. Remember to bring them to room temperature before storing them. To reheat, place the eggplant halves in a 300-degree F. preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
Freezing: Because eggplant halves tend to lose their shape when exposed to cold temperatures, I don’t recommend freezing them.
Instead, you can freeze the flesh. To do so, scoop out the flesh, place it in a bowl lined with a colander, wait for it to drain out all of its juices, and place it in an airtight container.
Lining the Sheet Pan: You can line your baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, but I find that using an unlined sheet pan can reduce eggplant baking time by increasing contact between the eggplant halves and the hot metal. Still, if you prefer easier clean up, line your sheet pan.
Salting the Eggplants: It’s important not to skip salting your eggplant halves. Because eggplants have so much water in them, salt is the best way to draw out the extra moisture so that the eggplants don’t absorb all the oil used to roast their outer layers.
Removing the Salt: Because this recipe uses such a small amount of salt, you don’t have to worry about removing the seasoning once the moisture has been drawn out of the eggplant halves. However, you may rinse the salt off the eggplant halves after waiting a full 30 minutes. Just be sure to dry the eggplant halves with a paper towel afterward.

Nutrition