Grilled Eggplant with Mozzarella and Tomatoes Recipe
Eggplant slices grilled until golden, topped with mozzarella and juicy tomatoes, then briefly baked until the cheese melts. A light yet satisfying appetizer or dinner, very popular in the summer regions of Italy. It’s a bit like mini baked toasts, just in a vegetable version.
This is a variation on Italian melanzane alla parmigiana and grilled eggplant, but in the form of quick, individual portions that resemble mini crustless pizzas.
These grilled eggplants with mozzarella and tomatoes are like little vegetable “pizzas”, where the dough base is replaced by eggplant slices. The combination of smoky grilled aroma, creamy mozzarella and juicy tomatoes delivers an intense Mediterranean flavor with a minimum number of ingredients.
Why this version works
- Salting and drying the eggplant reduces bitterness and keeps the slices from soaking up too much olive oil.
- Baking in a single layer gives you lightly caramelised edges instead of a stewed, watery texture.
- A short second baking phase melts the cheese without drying out the vegetables.
Chef's tips
Salt the eggplant slices on both sides and leave for 15–20 minutes, then pat them dry – this way they lose their bitterness and absorb less oil. Grill them on a well-heated grill pan or barbecue until clear grill marks appear and the flesh softens but doesn’t fall apart. Place the mozzarella on already grilled eggplant and bake briefly, just until the cheese starts to stretch – baking for too long will make everything release too much liquid.
How to serve
Serve the eggplants as a warm appetizer at a summer barbecue or as a light dinner with a bowl of arugula salad and a glass of red wine, e.g. Chianti. They also work great on a party table as finger food – just cut smaller slices and serve with toothpicks. It’s a good dish when you want to serve something vegetarian yet still filling.
Watch out for
- Don’t pour the olive oil directly onto the baking tray – the eggplant will soak it up like a sponge and turn heavy.
- Don’t bake with the cheese for too long, or the mozzarella will start to shrink and release water.
- Don’t stack the slices on top of each other, otherwise they will steam instead of browning.
Substitutions
- You can replace mozzarella with any cheese that melts well, such as scamorza, gouda or provolone.
- You can swap fresh tomatoes for well-drained canned chopped tomatoes.
- You can replace oregano with Italian herb mix or dried basil, if that’s what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- eggplant medium-sized - 2 piece
- mozzarella ball 2 balls of 125 g each - 250 g
- tomatoes medium, ripe - 3 piece
- olive oil for brushing the eggplant - 4 tablespoons
- garlic pressed, optional - 1 clove
- dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
- fresh basil torn leaves - 1 handful
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Wash the eggplants and cut them into slices about 1 cm thick, trying to keep them a similar size so they bake evenly.
- Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt on both sides and leave for 15–20 minutes on a sieve or paper towel until droplets of juice appear. The surface should look clearly moist but not soft and mushy.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with the pressed garlic and a pinch of salt. Pat the eggplants very dry with a paper towel, arrange them on the tray in a single layer and brush both sides with a thin layer of oil, avoiding puddles of fat.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, turning the slices halfway through. The eggplant is ready when it can be easily pierced with a fork, the edges are lightly browned and the centre is soft but the slice doesn’t fall apart when lifted.
- Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes and cut them into thin slices; remove some of the seed pulp from very watery tomatoes. Drain the mozzarella, pat it dry and cut it into slices similar in size to the eggplant.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Place a slice of mozzarella and a slice of tomato on each eggplant slice. Sprinkle lightly with salt, freshly ground pepper and dried oregano, taking care not to oversalt the cheese.
- Return to the oven for another 7–8 minutes. The dish is ready when the mozzarella has clearly melted and is slightly stretchy, and the tomatoes have softened and released some juice but still hold their shape.
- Remove the tray from the oven and leave the eggplants to rest for 2–3 minutes, until the cheese firms up slightly and the juices stop bubbling vigorously. Sprinkle with torn basil and serve warm, while the edges are still delicately crisp.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in the oven or in a covered pan over low heat so the cheese melts again without drying out the eggplant.
I most often make these eggplants when I’m planning a movie night and feel like something instead of classic pizza – I arrange them on one big tray and eat straight from it. I’ve also used the leftovers as a sandwich topping the next day and ended up with brilliant “Italian toasts”.
