Looking or roasted eggplant and tomato recipes to use up your summer garden veggies? This roasted eggplant and cherry tomato recipe brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables. This eggplant recipe is super easy to make and enjoy a variety of ways. It’s low a carb, gluten free, and Vegan easy recipe.
Roasted Eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic Recipe
Roasting vegetables is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to bring out their natural flavors, and when you combine eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and garlic, you’ve got a dish that’s bursting with fresh, savory goodness. If that sounds amazing to you, do try my caponata recipe! It’s truly a delight.
Plus, when it’s that time of year when eggplant and fresh tomatoes are coming in, you need a good eggplant recipe.
This easy recipe is healthy, and perfect for serving as a side dish, mixing into pasta for a main dish, adding to an omelette or enjoying on its own with a crusty piece of bread for a snack.
Moreover, you only need a few basic ingredients, parchment paper for easy cleanup, and 20 minutes in a 400°F oven! Cooking times can vary, especially if you’re making this in an air fryer. Check on it.
This eggplant recipe tastes great hot or at room temperature, which makes it great serving at for parties. Use it as a great side dish, mix it in with pasta or put it on crostini for an easy appetizer that you can make ahead and just top the crostini before serving.
Plus, the eggplant becomes soft and juicy after roasting. It tastes so good!
If you’re an eggplant lover like me, you must try my fried eggplant recipe without using breadcrumbs. The eggplant slices are fried with flour. It’s one of my top recipes.
Additionally, roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates their flavor, making them even sweeter and juicier. Roasting garlic mellows its flavor, turning it from sharp to soft and buttery.
Depending how you cut garlic, it can cook quickly, infusing the vegetables with their delicious aroma. Roasted tomatoes, roasted eggplant and roasted garlic sounds amazing. Doesn’t it?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission but, the price you pay is the same.
Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Recipes
What kind of eggplant should I use?
For roasting, the best type of eggplant to use is Italian eggplant or Globe eggplant. They are the most common varieties you can find in your grocery store, and they work well due to their firm texture and mild flavor.
Alternatively, Japanese or Chinese may be used. They are long and slender with a thinner skin and fewer seeds. They tend to be more tender and slightly sweeter, roasting up nicely without getting mushy. Additionally, baby eggplants can be used because they’re sweeter and have fewer seeds if you don’t care much for the seeds.
Also, choose eggplants that are firm, shiny, and heavy for their size. Avoid ones with soft spots or wrinkled skin, as these are signs that they may be overripe. They may be bitter.
While most eggplants these days are bred to be less bitter, every once in a while you may still get one that is. The reason for this is likely because it’s old. Young, fresh eggplants that you get from a farmers market are rarely bitter because they’re recently picked.
How should I cut the garlic?
You may thinly slice the garlic, mash whole garlic cloves, or chop it. I don’t suggest mincing the garlic because it will cook faster at a a high degree oven and may burn which will render bitter results.
Ingredients
*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- fresh eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
- cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- fresh garlic
- good quality extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley
Kitchen Tools Needed
- sharp serrated knife (to cut through eggplant skin easily)
- large baking sheet (<<I use this) or baking dish
- cutting board
- parchment paper for lining the baking sheet (optional but, helpful)
Instruction Summary
*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
First, preheat the oven to 400F.
Then, clean the eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Next, cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Use a sharp knife (serrated knives work best to cut through the tough skin.) The smaller the cubes, the quicker they’ll roast.
Eggplant can soak up oil quickly, but don’t worry—it will become soft and juicy when roasted.
Then, in a large bowl, add the vegetables with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley. Stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.
The olive oil helps the vegetables roast beautifully, giving them a golden brown, caramelized exterior.
Next, line a large baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. This step prevents the vegetables from sticking to the pan and ensures even roasting. It also makes cleanup a lot easier, as the paper catches any stray juices or caramelized bits.
Then, spread the eggplant cubes, tomatoes, and garlic in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Ensure the vegetables aren’t too crowded because it allows them to roast properly rather than steam.
If they’re too close together, they won’t get a crispy and caramelized texture.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven (400F) and roast eggplant and cherry tomatoes for about 20 minutes. At the halfway point, give the vegetables a quick stir to ensure even roasting.
Tips for knowing when it’s done
- The eggplant should be soft and slightly browned on the edges.
- The cherry tomatoes will have burst, releasing their sweet juices and becoming tender.
- The garlic should be golden but not burned—if you notice the garlic browning too quickly, you can loosely cover the pan with a piece of foil.
Why Roast with Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper is a lifesaver when roasting vegetables. It prevents them from sticking to the baking sheet and allows for even cooking without the need for excessive oil.
Plus, it makes cleanup a easy wit no scrubbing required. Just toss the parchment paper away and wipe your baking dish clean.
Roasting eggplant and cherry tomatoes with garlic, EVOO, and parsley is a perfect example of how simple ingredients can create an incredibly flavorful dish.
When cooked in high heat, the heat enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and transforms the eggplant into tender deliciousness.
Obviously, the roasted garlic adds an aromatic touch, and the fresh parsley gives it a final burst of brightness and additional herb flavoring.
Therefore, whether you’re serving this as a side dish or mixing it into a larger meal, the combination of flavors is sure to impress. Best of all, it only takes 20 minutes in the oven, so it’s quick enough for a weeknight meal but special enough for guests.
Plus, it’s an easy recipe that’s a delicious way to use up garden your eggplant. It just may become one of your favorite dishes.
Recipe Additions
- Add fresh tomato sauce to this eggplant recipe and toss it with your favorite pasta to make it a main dish that’s vegetarian.
- Top fresh basil at the end of cooking.
- Add a 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts for crunch.
- Add sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese before serving.
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I took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.
Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Italian eggplant (You may use Chinese, Japanese or baby eggplant)
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes (You may use grape tomatoes.)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 400F.
- Then, clean the eggplant and cherry tomatoes.
- Next, cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Use a sharp knife (serrated knives work best to cut through the tough skin.) The smaller the cubes, the quicker they’ll roast.
- Then, in a large bowl, add the eggplant cubes, cherry tomatoes, garlic and parsley with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper. Stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Next, line a large baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. This step prevents the vegetables from sticking to the pan and ensures even roasting. It also makes cleanup a lot easier, as the paper catches any stray juices or caramelized bits.
- Then, spread the eggplant mixture in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper.) Ensure the vegetables aren’t too crowded because it allows them to roast properly rather than steam. If they’re too close together, they won’t get a crispy and caramelized texture.
- Put baking sheet in oven and roast eggplant at 400F for about 20 minutes. At the halfway point, give the vegetables a quick stir to ensure even roasting. The eggplant should be soft and slightly browned on the edges. The cherry tomatoes will have burst, releasing their sweet juices and becoming tender. The garlic should be golden but not burned—if you notice the garlic browning too quickly, you can loosely cover the pan with a piece of foil.
Notes
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Delicious!