Are you looking for a side dish fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party or just want to make something that is visually stimulating and positively delicious? Well, I have you covered! You'll have to try my Roasted Eggplant with Yoghurt Tahini Sauce recipe.
Eggplants or Aubergines are sliced and roasted until they are golden brown and delicious. They are layered over a rich, tangy, nutty, citrus-forward and aromatic Yoghurt Tahini Sauce, before being topped with a sprinkling of earthy za’atar, vibrant mint, tart pomegranate seeds and bright lemon rind. All the ingredients combine to create a rich, complex and satisfying bite that is best described as an explosion of flavours in your mouth.
For those of you who have never had or heard of za’atar, let me fill you in. It’s a Middle Eastern spice blend consisting of sesame seeds, thyme, sumac and sea salt. It’s earthy, floral, nutty and lemony tasting notes add quite a bit of savoury flavour wherever it’s added. Try it on top of a fried egg, add it to a salad, toss it into your bread dough, sprinkle it over dips - such as homemade hummus, or enjoy it as a seasoning on your favourite vegetables and proteins. The possibilities are endless! This spice can be found at your local grocer or specialty store and I highly recommend stocking your pantry with a bottle, given its sheer versatility and big flavour.
My Roasted Eggplant with Yoghurt Tahini Sauce couldn’t be easier to make, comes together in 40 minutes and is sure to impress the crowd! Enjoy it for lunch, dinner or as a snack. You really can’t go wrong! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients:
Roasted Eggplant
2 large globe eggplants, stems removed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp za'atar
1/4 cup mint leaves, chiffonade (See Notes below)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Zest or rind of 1 lemon (See Notes below)
Yoghurt Tahini Sauce
3/4 cup Greek Yoghurt
1/4 cup tahini
3 Tbsp lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (approx. 3 cloves)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried dill weed (See Notes below)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 11” x 17” and 8” x 10” baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lay the eggplant slices across both baking sheets, in a single layer. Then, brush the eggplant slices (both sides) with 3 Tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt, garlic powder and pepper.
Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and cook for 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cook time.
While the eggplants are roasting, to a medium bowl, add the Greek yoghurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, dried dill, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Remove the eggplant slices from the oven and let them slightly cool.
To a serving platter or plate, add 1/2 of the Yoghurt Tahini Sauce and, using a large spoon, smooth the sauce over the base of the platter or plate. Arrange the eggplant slices over top, overlapping them ever so slightly.
Spoon generous dollops of Yoghurt Tahini Sauce over the eggplants and then sprinkle za’atar, pomegranate, mint and lemon zest or rind over top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
I Don’t Have Dried Dill Weed At Home: If you don’t have dried dill weed in your pantry, you can simply substitute it with fresh dill fronds. Given the high potency of dried herbs, you will need to adjust the recipe to replicate the taste and flavour profile and add 1 Tbsp of finely chopped dill to the sauce.
Mint Chiffonade: Chiffonade is a French culinary technique used for cutting mint, basil and other leafy greens, resulting in thinly sliced ribbons. I love using this technique with mint. Not only does it add tons of herbaceous flavour throughout the dish but it also makes for a prettier presentation. Start by gathering all your mint leaves and stacking them, one on top of the other. Then, lengthwise, start rolling the mint into a log. Hold it in place with your fingers and, using a sharp knife, thinly slice the herbs. Check out my Fresh Bruschetta video for a demonstration and additional guidance.
When Life Gives You Lemons: zest them or peel the rinds. For this recipe, you can go either way! If you are looking for a faster alternative, go ahead and zest your lemon with a microplane. This will also give you a little more lemon flavour with each and every bite. Or, if you have a little more time on your hands and want to make this dish extra special, then use a vegetable peeler to gently remove the rind, being mindful to avoid the pith (or the white part of the lemon). The pith is bitter and will change the flavour of this dish. Once you have peeled the rind, using a sharp paring knife, cut the lemon rind into thin slices and use it as a garnish for the dish.