Greek Baked Eggplant with Feta and Tomatoes Recipe
Baked eggplant with feta and tomatoes is a simple way to bring the flavor of a Greek taverna into your home. In Greece, similar dishes are often served as warm meze or a light dinner with bread and wine. At home, they work perfectly as a meatless main course or a side dish to grilled meat.
This dish captures the essence of Greek home cooking with just a few simple ingredients: creamy eggplant, salty feta and sweet tomatoes. Baking the eggplant twice makes it incredibly soft and flavorful, while the fresh herbs and olive oil give it a sunny Mediterranean character.
Chef's tips
Choose firm, shiny eggplants without brown spots – they will bake evenly and won’t be bitter. If your eggplants are larger, extend the initial baking time by a few minutes so the flesh softens properly before adding the filling. Taste the feta before seasoning the mixture with salt; some brands are very salty and may not need any extra.
How to serve
Serve the eggplants on a large platter, drizzled with a little extra olive oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs. Add a bowl of Greek yogurt or tzatziki on the side, plus warm pita or crusty bread. For a fuller meal, serve with a simple green salad, rice, bulgur or roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
- eggplant medium, firm - 2 pieces
- tomato ripe, medium - 3 pieces
- feta cheese crumbled - 150 g
- garlic finely chopped - 3 cloves
- red onion cut into thin slices - 1 piece
- olive oil - 5 tablespoons
- dried oregano - 1.5 teaspoons
- parsley chopped leaves for sprinkling - 2 tablespoons
- salt for sprinkling the eggplants, use carefully because feta is salty - 0.5 teaspoons
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Wash and dry the eggplants, then cut them in half lengthwise. Score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern with a knife, being careful not to cut through the skin.
- Place the eggplant halves on the tray, cut side up. Sprinkle the flesh with salt and set aside for 10 minutes until droplets of juice appear on the surface, then gently pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Drizzle each eggplant half with 2–3 drops of olive oil and spread it with a brush or your fingers so the oil seeps into the cuts. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, until the flesh softens.
- In the meantime, wash the tomatoes and cut them into small cubes, removing the hard cores. Peel the onion and slice it thinly, and finely chop the garlic.
- In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, oregano, pepper and, if needed, a pinch of salt. Add the crumbled feta and gently combine.
- Remove the pre-baked eggplants from the oven. Use a spoon to gently press down the flesh to make room for the filling, but do not remove it completely.
- Spoon a portion of the tomato and cheese filling onto each half, pressing lightly so it doesn’t fall apart. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
- Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 18–20 minutes, until the feta is lightly browned and the eggplants are very soft – a fork should easily pierce the skin.
- After removing from the oven, sprinkle the eggplants with chopped parsley leaves. Serve warm with bread or rice.
Storage
Wystudzone bakłażany przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku 10–15 minut w 180°C, aby skórka znów stała się lekko przypieczona, a ser miękki.
