Roasted Mini Eggplants in Tahini Sauce
You know that feeling when a dish is placed on the table in front of you, and you just want to smile and clap your hands with excitement? Or maybe that’s just me? Either way, these delightful roasted mini eggplants topped with tahini sauce gives me that feeling. The mini eggplants are totally finger-food friendly (because forks, blah), and are topped with crumchy almonds, fresh herbs, and glimmering little pomegranate gems. I can see this dish as an elegant and untraditional side on your Thanksgiving table, a unique appetizer option, or as a light meal with some pita, hummus, and fresh veg. However you choose to eat it, the flavor combination of eggplant, tahini, garlic, and lemon is one you just can’t go wrong with.
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So I’m a real sucker for a Baby Eggplant
I can’t say that I’ve really noticed mini eggplants before this year, but now that I have I’ve been sort of obsessed. I’ve got these precious little purple eggplants, the size of ones finger. More bulbus green ones, with some beautiful spotting, and my favorite, some small orange-red ones that are just stunning. I never knew there were so many different eggplant varieties! Despite the fact that I had no real ideas what to do with them, I purchased many a baby eggplant this summer. I mean how can you not get the tiny, cute form of a vegetable? They’re so darn stinkin’ cute. The first couple times I bought them, I simply roasted them with oil, salt, and pepper. Delicious! Later, I even tried stuffing them and roasting them- also delicious! This dish here is a fancier version of my initial simple roasting technique, but with all sorts of bits and pieces added on top for a little flair and pizzazz.
Looking for Eggplant Recipes? Try one of these!
- Eggplant and Heirloom Tomato Cobbler (Vegan)
- Air-Fried Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce with Jicama
- Eggplant, Chestnut, and Mushroom Vegan Holiday Loaf
- Baked Eggplant Parm Vegan Sandwich
How to Make Roasted Mini Eggplants
This recipe has three components- the eggplant, the dressing, and the toppings. The eggplants are the only part that needs any cooking- they are tossed in a little oil, salt and pepper, and then roasted until soft. Some darkening and maybe a little charring on the skin is just what you’re looking for. The dressing is tahini based (if you can’t find tahini at your local market, you can easily get it online). The other ingredients are olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and water, and it all gets blended together until you have a thick but pourable dressing. The final elements are the toppings, and there’s no blending or cooking involved, just some good old fashioned chopping. Almonds add nuttiness, mint and parsley add freshness, and pomegranate seeds add sweetness, plus just really make the whole dish look beautiful. After all of your elements are ready, it’s time to put it all together. Normally I believe that the aesthetics of a dish that you prepare for yourself in your own home aren’t important (unless you enjoy doing that stuff), but with this one I really encourage you to take a minute or two to make it pretty. Just because it has such great potential to be pretty. Think about the best dish you have to serve it on- something that all your mini eggplants fit on well. I kept all my stem-sides facing out towards the edge of the dish, so they could be easily and neatly eaten and would be less likely to get covered in sauce. Drizzle the sauce on top- you can put it all on, but I decided to serve some of the dressing on the side because I liked how the more minimal dressing looked. Then sprinkle all of your topping elements on top of the dressing. And that’s it- enjoy your beautiful little dish!
Roasted Mini Eggplants in Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb. mini eggplants
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for cooking
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 5 fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 tbsp. almonds, roughly chopped
- A few sprigs of parsley
Instructions
- Set the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place your eggplant on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until soft, turning after about 15 minutes. This should take about 40 minutes, but make sure you check for doneness before then.
- While the eggplant cooks, combine the 2 tbsp. olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend with an immersion blender, adding enough water to get a nice dressing consistency (about 3 tbsp.). You can also chop your almonds, mint, and parsley finely, and get your pomegranate seeds removed from the skins at this time.
- Once cooked, remove the eggplant from the oven. Place on a serving plate or platter, and drizzle with the prepared dressing. You can pour all the dressing on, or save some and serve it on the side as desired. Top with the chopped mint, parsley, pomegranate and almond.
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