Grilled Eggplant Bruschetta is a light take on a summer classic with the freshest flavors of juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, and rich olive oil all served on perfectly grilled eggplant slices. For a complete meal, follow up this fun app with our tasty grilled steak or a classic burger.
Delicious Grilled Eggplant Bruschetta
Grilling eggplant is a super easy way to whip together an impressive looking and tasting appetizer for friends and family this summer. This grilled eggplant recipe is light, delicious, and Whole30-friendly, making it prefect for those hot evenings when all you want is something light and refreshing.
What You Will Need
- Roma tomatoes – This tomato is known for it’s low moisture content, fresh and tangy flavor, and bright color.
- cherry tomatoes – A sweet, juicy, and cute little veggie to bring all the summer flavors.
- garlic – Just a bit of heat, earthiness, and pepper.
- fresh basil leaves – An herb known for its fresh, slightly spicy, and mildly sweet flavors.
- olive oil – A high quality olive oil is best in order to carry all of the summer flavors in each bite.
- kosher salt – Just a bit to let all the other fresh flavors shine.
- eggplant – A mild vegetable that tends to adopt the flavors of whatever it’s cooked with and the perfect substitution for bread in this summer classic.
How To Grill Eggplant Bruschetta
Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, dice the Roma tomatoes and quarter the cherry tomatoes, making sure to de-seed them both. Place the cut up tomatoes in a small bowl with the chopped garlic, roughly chopped basil leaves, olive oil, and kosher salt. Use a spoon to combine everything until everything is combined.
Recipe Tip:
Let this mixture sit for about 30 minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to meld.
Sprinkle salt on both sides of your sliced eggplant and let them sit in a colander for about 15 minutes. This process extracts moisture out of the eggplant, leaving you with a softer, more tender eggplant after grilling. Take a paper towel and press each piece of eggplant to release the excess water.
Next, heat up your gas or charcoal grill to a high heat, around 450°F, and grill each eggplant for around 3 minutes per side. Remove the eggplant slices from the grill and serve immediately with the tomato mixture on top.
Recipe Tip:
If you’re feeling extra fancy, drizzle some sweet balsamic glaze or vinaigrette on top for an extra pop of flavor.
Recipe FAQs
- tomato varieties – Use whatever you have on hand, but we’ve found that the mixture of cherry tomatoes and Roma tomatoes provide the perfect amount of juiciness and flavor.
- how long to grill eggplant – Eggplants are a naturally tender vegetable and therefore, don’t require a lot of time on the grill. We recommend 3 minutes of grilling on each side.
- storage – Store the eggplant and bruschetta mixture separately to keep your eggplant from getting soggy. Store the leftover bruschetta tomato mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Place leftover grilled eggplant in a separate container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
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Delicious Grilled Eggplant Bruschetta
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 36 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 8-10 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delicious Grilled Eggplant Bruschetta – A light and delicious appetizer or small plate! Perfect for summer!
Ingredients
- 8 Roma tomatoes; de-seeded and diced
- Approx. 30 yellow cherry tomatoes; quartered and de-seeded
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon garlic, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 3 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon high quality olive oil
- 1 1/2 Teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- 2–3 medium/small eggplant, cut lengthwise approximately 1/2 inch thick
Instructions
- Combine Roma tomatoes, yellow cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and salt in large bowl.
- Mix well and taste to determine if you want any additional garlic, basil or salt.
- I would recommend letting the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Take sliced eggplant and sprinkle salt on each side.
- Place in a colander and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Take a towel or paper towel and press each piece of eggplant to release excess water.
- Grill eggplant on high (approx. 450 degrees) for 3 minutes a side.
- Serve eggplant immediately with tomato mixture on top.
- (optional: if you want to drizzle some balsamic glaze or vinaigrette on top go for it; just check ingredients if you are Whole30)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Eggplant Bruschetta
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 19.4 g
- Sodium: 268.7 mg
- Fat: 6.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.2 g
- Protein: 6.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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