Grilled eggplant has a smoky, silky character that loves a bold marinade, and this one delivers. A quick herb-and-balsamic bath does double duty here, seasoning the slices as they come hot off the grill and letting them soak up flavor as they rest. It's a simple, make-ahead side that tastes even better at room temperature.
Ingredient Spotlight. Our Neapolitan Herb Balsamic is the star of the marinade, weaving savory notes of garlic, oregano, and Mediterranean herbs through a bright, tangy base that clings beautifully to the warm eggplant.
Ingredients
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium eggplant (3/4 pound), peeled and sliced about 1/3" thick
Instructions
In the bowl of a food processor or blender add the oil, vinegar, parsley, salt, and pepper. Pulse to finely chop the parsley. Pour into a bowl and reserve.
Preheat an outdoor charcoal or gas grill or a grill pan until smoking hot.
Brush the eggplant slices on each side with olive oil and then arrange the slices on the grill to cover it without crowding. Cook the eggplant until well marked, 3 to 6 minutes, then turn the slices over.
Cook until tender, about 3 minutes more.
Pour the marinade into a shallow dish and dip the hot slices into the marinade and set it aside on a plate. Continue grilling and dipping the eggplant until all the slices are cooked and seasoned. Spoon the rest of the marinade over the cooked eggplant and then cover the dish with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 2 hours (or refrigerate for longer). Serve at room temperature.
Chef's Notes
Dip the slices while they're still hot off the grill. Warm eggplant is like a sponge, drinking in the marinade far better than it would once cooled.
Get the grill truly smoking-hot before the eggplant goes on. That high heat is what gives you clean grill marks and keeps the slices from steaming.
Make It Yours
Turn it into a light meal by piling the marinated slices onto grilled bread with a smear of ricotta or a crumble of feta.
For a brighter, more citrus-forward marinade, swap in our Lemon Fused Olive Oil for some of the extra virgin.
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