Grilled Eggplant
on Jul 01, 2022, Updated Jul 08, 2025
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Grilling eggplant brings out its smoky sweetness and creamy texture, transforming this humble vegetable into something rich, savory, and deeply satisfying. With just a bit of oil, salt, and heat, eggplant becomes a versatile side dish, appetizer, or base for all kinds of summery meals.
Eggplant can be a little…polarizing. But toss it on the grill with a good slick of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and suddenly it’s the vegetable you didn’t know you were craving. Grilled eggplant gets smoky and tender, with just enough char to make it feel summery and special.
It plays nicely with fresh herbs, a drizzle of balsamic, and maybe some crumbled cheese if you’re feeling indulgent. This is one of those grilling moves that looks impressive but really couldn’t be easier. Once you’ve got this method down, you’ll find yourself adding grilled eggplant to everything from sandwiches to grain bowls.
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It takes just a few minutes to grill and is a terrific side for other grilled dishes like grilled Balsamic Skirt Steak, Indian-Inspired Lamb Kebabs, or Grilled Chicken Thighs in Indian Curry Marinade. Or make a whole bunch of grilled vegetables!
What's In This Post?
Grilled Eggplant: When eggplant is sliced and grilled it takes on a terrific texture and a fantastic smoky flavor.
Tips and Variations
- Use eggplant in sandwiches, salads, pasta, or even layered into lasagna or other baked casseroles.
- Grilled eggplant pairs beautifully with fresh tomatoes, feta, and mint or basil.
- Try brushing with garlic oil or a bit of smoked paprika before grilling.
- Keep a close eye on the eggplant — it can start to burn quickly.
- You should feel free to move the eggplant about the grill to cooler spots if they look like they are browning too quickly. You can grill them for longer. If you want softer eggplant, just make sure to flip them as needed and not let the slices start to get too brown in any spots.
- See How to Salt Eggplant — larger or older eggplants can be bitter, and salting them before grilling reduces that bitterness and improves the texture.
How to Grill Eggplant
- Oil the eggplant: Brush the eggplant on both sides with olive oil.
- Grill the eggplant for about 8 minutes until browned and tender.
FAQs
I like to cut the eggplant about ½-inch thick in circles, but you can also trim off the very top and bottom and slice it lengthwise into larger planks. You can also cut thicker slices. Thinner slices will cook very quickly and have a tendency to burn easily.
If your eggplant is large and has seeds, salting it first will help with texture and bitterness. However, if your eggplants are fresh and small, this step isn’t necessary.
Nope the skin softens nicely and helps the slices hold their shape.
Make sure it’s well-oiled, and don’t flip it too soon – wait until it releases easily.
How to Serve Grilled Eggplant
You can serve it plain and simple or with a dipping sauce, like Sriracha Sauce, Creamy Mustard Oregano Sauce, Simple Herb Dipping Sauce, Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce, Red Pepper Sauce, Chermoula, or Harissa Dipping Sauce. Also, think about combining grilled eggplant with other simply grilled vegetables (see below). Perhaps add it to an antipasti platter.
You can also give it a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and another little drizzle of olive oil. Some fresh herbs torn and strewn over the top would be lovely: try basil, marjoram, or mint.
Grilled eggplant can be diced and added to all kinds of pasta and grain salads. Or use it to make Caponata! You can also use it as the base of babaganoush (a Middle Eastern eggplant dip) or another dip or spread.
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Grilled Eggplant
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Japanese eggplants (or 1 large “regular” eggplant)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- ¼ cup olive oil (approximately — for brushing)
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high.
- Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch slices.
- If you are using a larger eggplant, place a few slices of eggplant in a colander (you can skip this step for Japanese eggplant). Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Continue to add layers of eggplant alternating with generous sprinkles of kosher salt until all of the eggplant is salted. Let sit in a sink or over a plate for 30 minutes; you will start to see moisture beading up on the eggplant, and some liquid may collect under the colander.
- Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Brush the eggplant on both sides with olive oil.
- Place the eggplant slices on the grill. Grill the eggplant, covered, for about 5 minutes until they get nice grill marks on the bottom and begin to soften, then flip them and grill for another 3 minutes or so.
- Remove from the grill and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- The key to non-bitter eggplant, no matter how you are cooking it, is to salt it first. This isn’t necessary for very small or young eggplants without many seeds, like Japanese eggplant, but for larger eggplants, it makes a big difference. It’s easy to do; it just takes a few extra minutes.
- You should feel free to move the eggplant about the grill to cooler spots if they look like they are browning too quickly. You can grill them for longer. If you want softer eggplant, just make sure to flip them as needed and not let the slices start to get too brown in any spots.
