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GET IT NOWPeople often have strong opinions about cooking eggplant. And I get it. I wasn’t always a big eggplant fan, but now it’s right up there with roasted brussels sprouts and sauteed zucchini. When you brush the slices with a generous amount of olive oil, season, and bake them, they get caramelized in the oven and become irresistible! And my roasted eggplant recipe is not only flavorful, it’s also easy as can be, and goes with almost anything. Whether you love this vegetable or you’re on the fence, I hope you’ll try this baked eggplant with me — it might become one of your new favorites!
Why You Need My Roasted Eggplant Recipe
- Sweet, caramelized, and tender – The slices turn out perfectly tender, and you’ll be amazed by the deep caramelized flavor on these slices (my favorite part!). Plus, roasting eggplant brings out its natural sweetness.
- Easy, hands off cooking – I rarely have more than 30 minutes to spend on dinner — do you? This recipe has just 3 basic ingredients (plus salt and pepper), and takes around half an hour. And while I love the crispness of sauteed eggplant, my roasted eggplant is more hands-off, so you can make your main dish while the side dish cooks.
- A healthy favorite – With all the ways you can serve it (see my ideas below), baked eggplant is versatile for all kinds of dinners for your family. And you can feel good about adding a healthy veggie to their plates.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my roasted eggplant recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Eggplant – Try to grab the smaller to medium-sized eggplants, as they are less bitter and have fewer seeds. Give them a little squeeze to test their quality—the skin should be smooth and the flesh firm (no soft spots). I usually go for globe eggplants, the kind you see most often around the U.S., but you can bake eggplant of other types, too. In some countries, you might find it labeled as brinjal, melongene, or aubergine.
- Olive Oil – Oil is very important for caramelization and preventing dryness, so don’t skimp. I like cooking eggplant with extra virgin olive oil, but you can totally swap in another heat-safe oil, like avocado oil. For a little zing, mix fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar with the oil before brushing it on.
- Seasoning – I usually just stick with garlic powder. (Don’t use fresh garlic, because it will burn.) You can also sprinkle with Italian seasoning or your favorite dried herbs, like basil, parsley, or thyme.
- Salt & Pepper – I use sea salt in all my recipes, but kosher salt works fine.
How To Cut Eggplant
Some roasted eggplant recipes call for chopping it up into cubes, but I much prefer circles. It’s faster, you get better caramelization, and there’s no extra bowl to wash (just season right on the baking sheet!).
To prepare the eggplant, simply slice it crosswise to make circles, about 1/2 inch thick. Try to get even slices, so that they cook at the same rate.
My Tips For Slicing:
- Cut off the leafy end only after you are done slicing. This way, you’ll have more to grab onto as you slice.
- The thinner your eggplant slices, the more caramelized edges you’ll get and the shorter the baking time will be. But, you risk burning if you slice them too thin, so 1/2 inch thick (or slightly less) is a good thickness to aim for. Sometimes I cut them a bit thinner for a quicker cook time.
- Don’t peel the eggplant skin. The outer peel of the eggplant (that pretty purple one!) is totally edible, and it actually helps hold the eggplant together as it cooks. If you’re making a dip like baba ganoush, you’d remove the peel, but for regular roasted eggplant recipes like this one, I always leave the peel on.
How To Roast Eggplant In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the eggplant slices. Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer (or two if you don’t have room). Brush or drizzle them with the olive oil, and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Flip over and repeat the oil and seasonings.
- Roast eggplant in the oven. Easy, peasy! Just cook eggplant until it’s soft, golden, and starting to caramelize. Don’t remove it too soon — wait for that caramelization!
My Recipe Tips
- Should you salt the eggplant? People often ask why I don’t do this when I cook eggplant, and there are two reasons. First, most eggplants today are bred to avoid bitterness. Second, I always get small to medium ones, which aren’t usually bitter. However, if your eggplant is large, it’s more likely to be bitter, so you can salt it if you like. To do this, sprinkle the eggplant slices generously with salt — at least 1 teaspoon of salt per eggplant — and place into a colander over the sink to drain for an hour. (It seems like a lot of salt, but this is necessary for the eggplant to release enough moisture and its bitterness along with it.) Then, rinse with water and proceed with my roasted eggplant recipe as written.
- Should you line the pan? This is a personal decision! I use and love this baking sheet and don’t line it, because the nonstick surface is excellent and it gets me better browning. You can also get great browning by lining with aluminum foil — just make sure you brush or spray the pan with oil to prevent sticking. Parchment paper works, but you won’t get as much browning or caramelization, so it’s not my favorite option.
- Brush on the olive oil instead of drizzling. I used to drizzle (as shown in my picture above), but now prefer brushing because the eggplant soaks up the oil so quickly. You get a more even coating if you brush it on. You can also use an oil mister instead, which is faster.
- Do you flip halfway through? It’s up to you! I’ll be honest, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. You do get more even browning if you flip, but I’m often juggling multiple tasks at once, and the baked eggplant recipe still turns out great if I don’t flip it.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. You can even turn them into cheesy eggplant lasagna or mix them into eggplant caponata.
- Meal prep: You can roast eggplant in advance, but I don’t recommend slicing and storing the raw slices, because they will turn brown.
- Reheat: Warm up roasted eggplant in the oven at 350 degrees F. (I use a lower temperature for reheating than for roasting, so that they don’t burn.)
- Freeze: This recipe freezes pretty well. After cooling, freeze the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Ideas
This easy side dish goes with so many meals! You’ll find all my healthy dinner recipes here, but here are some of my favorite pairings for this roasted eggplant:
- Chicken – Keep it basic with my baked chicken thighs, crispy drumsticks, or air fryer chicken breast. For an Italian-inspired meal, try my chicken cacciatore or chicken marsala.
- Steak – It’s a less common combo, but I actually like this dish with my tender sirloin steak, filet mignon, or New York strip.
- Seafood – I’ve got lots of fish options, from classics like pan seared salmon (my favorite) or baked cod, to more interesting sea bass, trout, or haddock. For a fancy dinner, baked eggplant is perfect with crab legs, lobster tail, or garlic butter shrimp.
- Lamb – I think eggplant goes really well with lamb, since both are common in Mediterranean cooking. Try my lamb kofta kebab, or if you’re feeling fancy, baked lamb chops.
- Sauce – I usually serve roasted eggplant with marinara sauce on the side, but tahini sauce or tzatziki sauce would also work beautifully.
- Brunch – These go perfectly with my favorite shakshuka recipe!
More Easy Eggplant Recipes
Roasting is one of the best ways to cook eggplant, but I’ve got many other ways! Try some of my others:
Roasted Eggplant (Easy Recipe)
Learn how to cook using the easiest method! My simple roasted eggplant recipe comes out perfectly caramelized and tender every time.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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Slice the eggplant crosswise to make circles, about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut off the leafy end only after you are done slicing, so that you'll have more to grab onto as you slice.
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Arrange the eggplant slices on an extra large baking sheet in a single layer. Brushwith olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Flip and repeat the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
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Roast eggplant in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until soft, golden, and caramelized. You can flip halfway through if you like, but you don't have to.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 slices, or 1/4 entire recipe
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Roasted Eggplant
Gratitude Moment
I’m so happy it’s eggplant season! I wait impatiently for it every year.
Sometimes I get so impatient that make this roasted eggplant recipe anyway, even when it’s out of season. At least when I’m lucky enough to find a decent eggplant at other times of year.
Do you have foods like that, where you convince yourself they’re okay even out of season because you like them so much? Do you get them anyway or wait for the season? Let’s chat about it in the comments below!
163 Comments
Diane Hui
1I’ve been trying many of your recipes and I appreciate the simplicity. Today’s eggplant recipe took the mystery out of the preparation process making it easy to caramelize. I have avoided eggplant for 30 years because I thought it was a complicated vegetable. I was wrong. Thank you. Will move on to your lasagna recipe with eggplant next week.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Diane! I’m so honored that my recipe helped you enjoy eggplant for the first time in 30 years — yay!
jean
1Excellent. Hugs and Kisses! EASY! Thank you. Moussaka in the near future now 🙂 Perhaps out of habit I salt and leave the eggplant slices to drain for half an hour before I baste them with olive oil and bake.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jean! Best wishes! And yes, this roasted eggplant is perfect for moussaka. Yum!
Marilyn
1The eggplant was easy to make and came out crispy and tasty. Brushing on the olive oil made it cook evenly and brown nicely. Even without flipping halfway, it turned out great. I’ll definitely make this again!
Mary Shore
1The eggplants had a lovely caramelization. Brushing the olive oil on instead of drizzling made a big difference in getting an even coating. I didn’t flip the eggplant halfway, and it still browned beautifully. This method is definitely my new go-to for preparing eggplant! Thanks for the tips, Maya!
Patience Lomax
0Love love love this recipe for dipping sauce. I used a cottage cheese blended with a little butter, garlic powder and onion powder. If you haven’t tried this it’s absolutely delicious thank you. Thank you for sharing.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy you loved it, Patience! That cottage cheese twist with garlic and onion powder sounds amazing, I’ll have to try that next time! Thanks for sharing your version!
Nate
0Followed the recipe to a T, except I took it out 10 minutes early. The pieces that weren’t burnt to a crisp were disgusting. Bad recipe and I wasted an entire eggplant.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nate, It doesn’t sound like you followed the recipe to a T. It’s impossible for the pieces to be burnt to a crisp being taken out that much earlier, unless something is wrong with your oven or you sliced the eggplant incorrectly. You also didn’t really explain what was wrong with the pieces that were not burned, but if you pulled out of the oven early, I suspect they were undercooked and therefore tough and flavorless instead of caramelized. Is that what happened?
Mary
0I have not made this recipe.Never eggplant. Senior dunderhead chief. Anxious to try your easy does it recipe. Having a nice dinner party. Will make the eggplant paired with butter garlic shrimp. The recipe for your garlic shrimp? Thank you so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hope you and your guests love it, Mary! Enjoy the garlic butter shrimp, too.
Raelena
0It turned out great! I’m making it again right now.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad it turned out well for you, Raelena! Love that you’re already making it again!
Brenda Mackey
0I haven’t tried it yet but I’m going to. It’s a very easy recipe and it looks delicious so it’s a must I try it. Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks, Brenda! I love hearing that you’re excited to give it a try. Easy and delicious recipes are always a win!
Molly
0Easy, quick, and delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Molly!
Belinda King
0I’m trying to find the temperature to cook the eggplant. I found temp to reheat but not cooking temp.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Belinda, It’s 400 degrees F. This info is on the recipe card above, please make sure you read it so you don’t miss a step. Enjoy your roasted eggplant!
~Chrissie O.
0Making a suggestion, having worked with eggplant for years. First off, taste of this dish is simply sublime! So, hear that first!!! IN MY EXPERIENCE, I slice my eggplant, any kind, Japanese or otherwise, and lay them out on a rimmed baking sheet. I fairly-heavily salt them; I find that salting before cooking draws out any bitterness. Blot the heck outta them so you can proceed with your recipe as written, after 10-15 minutes of resting/and then blotting. But, the recipe, is great!!! For folks who worry that eggplant (or even zucchini!) is too bitter, the secret is salting beforehand… then blotting off all that extra moisture! ENJOY!!! It’s SO WORTH ENJOYING!!! Legit!!! ~Chrissie
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing your experience, Chrissie! I covered my experience and thoughts on salting in my tips above. 🙂 Enjoy!
Joanne
0The recipe, just as printed, was delicious. Easy, quick and really, really good.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy you liked it, Joanne! Quick, easy, and delicious is always the goal.
Nolen
0This recipe is easy to make, taste, and healthy. Within 15 minutes, I was able to prepare a great meal that was filling and great tasting.
Wholesome Yum D
0Nolen, that’s awesome to hear! A quick, healthy, and tasty meal in just 15 minutes is a total win, glad you enjoyed it!
Joyce davidson
0It was the easiest recipe. It was so delicious. I usually make eggplant parmesan. But this was easy & so good. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Joyce! I’m glad you enjoyed this one.
Gurjinder Chopra
0can we make this recipe in microwave ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gurjinder, Sorry, no, the microwave is not suitable for roasting.
Monica
0I haven’t been an eggplant eater but want to eat more Mediterranean. I loved the carmelly texture and taste. I’m making it today for the 2nd time.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Monica! I love the caramelized texture, too.
Patty G
0Excellent oven roasted eggplant recipe with tips on how to buy. We loved it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Patty! I’m so glad you loved it.
K D Batey
0I would definitely recommend flipping the eggplant halfway. I didn’t and burnt 4 slices…maybe my cookie sheet isn’t very good!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that happened! Flipping definitely helps if your oven doesn’t heat as evenly or if some slices are thicker than others.
Karen
0Love 💕 it
Cindy
0This is delicious eggplant! It will definitely be my go to. And so simple. I just discovered your site. Now I can’t wait to try more recipes.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad you liked it, Cindy! I’m so happy you found the site. Can’t wait for you to try more recipes. 🙂
Jim Herndon
0Great and simple recipe. I tried it with salsa on the side and I love marinara. Just wnated to try something different and it worked well. Thanks so much for sharing. Goes great with a GOLO diet.
Daniel
0Miss, where are the recipes? I’m looking all over the pages trying to find I one place where you said jump to recipe jumped but it wasn’t there please put me on the right track lol;
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Daniel, The jump to recipe button at the top jumps right to the recipe. It’s also right above the form where you left your comment.
Sheila
0Thank you Maya
susan32
0This is a simple and delicious recipe.
Ellen Blair
0I have a situation where I can’t know ahead of time when we will stop to eat. Can I partially cook the eggplant and then finish it for only about 10 minutes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ellen, I’ve never done it this way so am not totally sure if it would affect the final texture, but yes, it should probably work as long as the total time is the same. It might taste a bit more like it was reheated than it would baked fresh all at once.
Diane A
0Made roast eggplant for the first time and loved it. Only had a small eggplant and cut unevenly so some burned. Also added Alleppo pepper which I didn’t know also has salt so was too salty… but didn’t prevent me from eating the whole thing 😋 Will make this again! Thank you.
Eve
0What sauce are you paring with the eggplant in the picture?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Eve, It’s marinara sauce. You can use store-bought, or make my homemade marinara recipe.
Amsterdam NY
0Awesome recipe! Followed exactly and was perfect! Thanks for posting it
Ruth Burley
0What’s the green garnish on these roasted eggplants? I haven’t made the recipe yet, but it’s definitely on my list :).
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ruth, In my pictures I have fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. Fresh basil works really well, too.
Jennifor
0I love it. Thanks❤️
Jane
0I never tasted eggplant so good and yummy.
Frank
0Do I need to flip the roasted eggplant slices half way through the 30 minute cooking time?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Frank, It’s up to you! I usually don’t, but you can.
Janet Smith
0First time eating aubergine. Very tasty and the recipe was easy and simple to follow and make.
Kara
0I’m in love with this Roasted Eggplant Recipe!! I love eggplant and this simple way of making this delicious recipe is added to my favorites list I made one eggplant for myself, for breakfast this morning and ate it all!
Denise
0Do you flip while cooking? Thank you. One of my favorite recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, I don’t usually flip them while baking, but you can if you like.
Melva Melchor
0i watched your video. very helpful I did put aluminum foil on my pan second batch of eggplant i took off the foil & brush with oil & my seasoning. When I started with this eggplant I did wash & salt so when I added MY seasoning BOY it was very SALTHY. Second batch in the oven now. I am in Houston Tx. using the oven to warm my old wood frame house!
MELVA MELCHOR
0Used tony charchere seasoning, avocado oil bake @ 400 degrees 30 minutes did not get the same result as your picture eggplant is soft not golden.
Karen
0This recipe is easy and delicious!
Joan
0I roasted the eggplant for 30 minutes as described. If I am making eggplant Parm do I bake this again with all the layers or just heat it? Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Joan, Yes, you’d bake it again with all the layers. I have a recipe for eggplant lasagna that is pretty similar.
Laurie Cusick
0Simple and delicious!
Lisa Benson
0Absolutely delicious flavor and crispiness! I’m going to freeze for a future eggplant parmesana! Thank you!
steve
0I luv roasted eggplant, but the only thing I would suggest, is to use fresh thin sliced garlic and perhaps a little minced garlic while roasting.
Carmen
0Very good I use pasta sauce and cheese til it melts.
Jo-Ann Fontana
0Can I cover the sheet pan with parchment paper so easier to clean? Will that prevent eggplant from browning?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jo-Ann, You can but it does significantly reduce browning and caramelization. If you want to line the pan, I’d recommend lining with foil instead and coat in a thin layer of oil to prevent sticking.
Suzmom
0Fabulous results. Never ate eggplant like this before. The caramelization is awesome. Printing the recipe this time so I don’t have to search or lose it. Thank you.
mary
0OK, probably a silly question but do I set my oven to ROAST or BAKE?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mary, My oven is simple so does not have multiple settings like that. I would assume that “roast” or “bake” settings might be different temperatures on yours? I would just use whichever option lets you set the temperature manually to the temp on the recipe card.
Theodore
0I would use roast, to get more browning.
Dan
0Just what I was looking for! Thank you!
Carol
0This recipe is awesome. It was easy to follow. I made a tomato sauce to go with it (cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil) cooked in a cast iron pan. I sprinked parmasan cheese on top and garnished with basil. I poured this sauce on top of the eggplant. It was to die for! The next time I will add a little bit of pasta.
jane victor
0This was so satisfying and delicious and I will make this recipe often. To me it tasted like potato pancakes.
Cari Sakell
0Can I leave my salted eggplant slices overnight in the fridge? I’m making roasted eggplant.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cari, Yes, you can, but I don’t usually salt them unless they are large. I have more details about this in the post above.
Riana
0Is eggplant a good vegetable to eat because it has lectins in it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Riana, I personally love eggplant and think it’s a great veggie to eat. You’d have to do your own research if you’re concerned about it.