Roasted Eggplant Sandwich

Roasted Eggplant Sandwich is one of my favorite eggplant recipes! This is such an easy way to use up fresh eggplant and this eggplant recipe is baked in the oven. Roasted eggplant slices are then layered over garlic aioli and homemade bread! You will love this eggplant tomato sandwich!

 

Ukrainian and Turkish eggplant recipes are rich in garlicky flavor! Healthy may I say? After all, two superfoods combined into one fabulous side dish are good enough for me. Try our other favorite eggplant recipes like one of our Easy Eggplant Recipes (sauteed eggplant with a vegetable blend), and Baked Eggplant Roll-ups.

What is a Roasted Eggplant Sandwich?

My roasted eggplant sandwich is an open-faced sandwich layered with eggplant, tomato, and garlic aioli, all over homemade wheat bread. It’s so simple to make you’d be surprised how tasty it is! Ukrainians can eat eggplant as a spread (Ikra), eggplant salad, fermented, baked, and even canned! We love eggplants and this open-face eggplant sandwich is one that comes to mind when I’m craving eggplants.

Eggplant dishes are a nutrient-dense way to feed a crowd. Sandwiches stretch the servings and the oven-roasted method makes this fewer calories. Everything comes together so simple you’d probably never think eggplant for sandwiches can taste so good!

Ways To Cook Eggplant:

Baked eggplant is easy to cook and doesn’t require babysitting the stove. How to cook eggplant is completely up to you and there are a few ways you can cook this vegetable side. The best way to cook eggplant depends on how soft you like the flesh. Eggplants absorb lots of oil when cooking, thus frying will make silkier slices (if used with a fair amount of oil), whereas baking can dry out the eggplant slices if lacking oil.

• Fried eggplant: pan frying eggplants is quick however you’ll need to work in batches and may also get oil splattered on your stove during the cooking process. To fry eggplant, simply heat enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Fry each side until softened and brown.
• Roasted Eggplant: to roast eggplant you’ll want to lightly coat the slices with oil and seasonings and arrange them onto an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet. Roasting eggplant is easier to clean up and is a healthy option for frying. An eggplant bakes for around 20 minutes or until the flesh softens. Eggplant roasted in the oven should be flipped once for even baking.
• Air-Fryer Eggplant: arrange eggplant slices into a single layer in the air-fryer basket. Cook at 370°F for 10 minutes.

Note: if salting eggplant you can saute the eggplants quicker as they are softer to work with. Sauteed eggplant is fried quickly and may not need as much oil to cook with.

Best Eggplant Variety To Cook With:

Black beauty is the most common eggplant variety commonly grown. This oval-shaped fruit with little eggplant seeds is eaten as a vegetable and is typically recognized as a dark purple or black cultivar. Although black-skinned eggplants are the most common there is also a white-skinned variety called “Casper.” Eggplants come in different shapes and sizes which is why it’s best to weigh them for cooking as a baby eggplant will differ from a big one. Small eggplant varieties can be more purple than mature black-skinned eggplants.

How To Cut Eggplant:

The key to cutting an eggplant is to not go too thin or too thick when slicing. Whether you’re slicing wedges, circles, or chunks, you’ll want to cut eggplant on the thicker side so they don’t fall apart during the cooking. For easier slicing use a sharp knife to cut away the top of the eggplant (called the calyx) first. Eggplant skin is edible and does not need to be removed or peeled when preparing.

Is Salting Eggplant Needed?

Raw eggplant is firm and can tend to be bitter. Many cooks salt eggplant slices prior to cooking as that may remove some of the bitterness. I’ve noticed that salting eggplant slices not only removes any bitterness but cures the eggplant and softens the flesh. This makes cooking eggplants easy and quick, rather than starting from raw eggplant slices which can take longer to cook. I do prefer the salting stage for roasting, it will make the eggplant moister.

Ingredients For Roasted Eggplant Sandwiches:

This is an easy eggplant recipe using simple ingredients. Greek seasoning makes this dish really stand out but if you don’t have that spice simply use basic salt and pepper and a dash of Italian seasoning. Everyone should try this eggplant dish!

• Eggplant: use, medium to large black-skinned eggplants for these eggplant sandwiches.
• Olive Oil: eggplants absorb lots of oil, so use liberally. Not enough grease can rather dry out the eggplant slices. Other healthy oils like unscented sunflower oil or avocado oil work great!
• Seasoning: the only seasoning needed for eggplants is salt and pepper. Use liberally here and go easy on the salt if salting eggplants first.
• Tomato: there’s something about a red tomato here that adds flavor and makes these sandwiches so good! I can eat this combination over and over again. Dress your open sandwich with any red variety.
• Eggplant Spread: this roasted eggplant recipe has a flavorful but simple spread of fresh garlic, mayonnaise, and Greek seasoning. My friend likes to use  from the European market, however, I usually go with Hellman’s mayo, any brand will work to prepare the base.
• Bread: I like to make my homemade wheat bread for these open sandwiches. You don’t have to be a baker in order to make this easy loaf and it doesn’t take long to bake. I love this moist bread combined with the silky eggplants and juicy tomatoes. Typically, I’d cut half slices from this loaf as seen in the photo.

How To Make Eggplant Sandwich:

Once you marinated eggplant, baking eggplant will be easy. This is one of the easiest sandwich recipes to make and is a great meat substitute for Vegan and Vegetarian cuisines. For a Keto or low-carb option, simply use the tomato as a base then spread it with the garlic aioli and top it with the eggplant pieces.

1. Cut the eggplant into slices. Salting the eggplants is preferred but you skip that step and roast longer. Season to taste.
2. Arrange slices onto a foiled-lined 13x9 baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until soft.
3. Meanwhile, make the garlic mayonnaise by combining the aioli ingredients.
4. Cut the tomato and assemble the sandwiches.
5. Spread garlic aioli over a slice of bread, and top with eggplant, tomato, and pepper to taste.

Note: eat these as cold eggplant sandwiches or warm from the oven. They are delicious either way!

Storing Eggplant Sandwiches:

This eggplant appetizer stores great after assembling. The key in how to store eggplant is to layer it as the base of the sandwich so the tomato juices don’t steep through. The thick garlic aioli spread and eggplants help prevent the bread from getting soggy. This makes it great for a make-ahead appetizer! Store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Note: Keeping the sandwiches out for too long may turn the mayonnaise spread opaque.

What To Serve With Eggplant Sandwiches:

Eggplant sandwiches are served as a vegetable side and are packed with a garlicky flavor. It’s basically like a really good eggplant veggie sandwich. Want to make an eggplant sandwich with no bread? The best substitute for bread is a thickly sliced beefsteak tomato. Simply spread the aioli over the tomato then top with the eggplant pieces for a low-carb Vegetarian option. Here are more delicious ways to serve these little appetizers;

• Eat this with pasta or pizza.
• These open-face appetizer sandwiches go great with a starchy potato dish, like creamy mashed potatoes or baked potato wedges.
• Serve with a side of Crispy Chicken Tenders and extra aioli sauce
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Parmesan or Lasagna will pair so nicely with this side

More Eggplant Recipes:

• Easy Eggplant Recipe– perfect recipe for dinner in one pan
• Baked Eggplant Roll-ups

 

How To Make Roasted Eggplant Sandwich: