Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese (Easy Recipe)

Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese (Easy Recipe)

Nothing spell summer more so than grilled eggplant topped with ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese

Tomatoes Caprese is a summer favorite and an easy recipe for the grill.

This recipe uses grilled or roasted eggplant in addition to a summer favorite caprese salad.

Typically I make a tomato caprese with tomato slices, top with slices of fresh mozzarella and basil and drizzle with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

But for this recipe I used diced tomatoes and mozzarella in a olive oil and lemon dressing and spoon it over individual eggplant slices.

It is essential to choose the most delicious tomatoes, the freshest mozzarella cheese and homegrown basil.

If you can grow your own, the flavors are much fresher and pronounced.

I have always been a fan of growing my own eggplant during the warm summer months.

Nothing tastes better than homegrown eggplant.

But it’s easily available at your local farm market or grocery store.

A plate of grilled Eggplant rounds topped with tomatoes and mozzarella

Eggplant is quite a delicacy.

In years past it was only available in the summer and only for a short period of time.

Luckily now it’s available all year round.

Grilled eggplant is meaty and delicious and can be served as a main course or as a side.

My Eggplant Parmesan is a dinner in itself.

But we eat this dish as a versatile side dish or even an appetizer all summer long.

Grilled Eggplant topped with tomatoes and mozzarella

Is eggplant healthy?

It’s healthy, low calorie and low fat if you’re trying to eat light over the summer.

And this is a favorite recipe of mine for the grill.

I discovered this recipe in Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue Bible.

We’ve been eating eggplant this way for years.

We love it.

Eggplant slices on the grill

Adding the right blend of spices to the eggplant before grilling results in in meaty texture with a little heat.

A spoonful of fresh tomato Caprese salsa and this recipe can be on your table under 30 minutes.

Homegrown summer tomatoes are best in this recipe, but if you don’t have access to local or homegrown, look for Campari tomatoes.

These little beauties are a smaller on-the-vine variety.

A bowl of diced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

They are sweet and literally burst in your mouth.

This recipe has so much flavor and is delicious.

This eggplant masterpiece is a straight up winner!

And delicious on grilled eggplant with a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

One of my faves for summer…and for a little added knowledge…did you know that like the tomato, eggplant is considered a fruit?

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese on a table top.

What to serve with Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating. Be sure to follow HOME & PLATE on FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST for all the latest content, recipes and updates.

Remember to subscribe to HOME & PLATE NEWSLETTER to get the latest recipes delivered directly to your inbox!

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH A TOMATO CAPRESE

Ali Randall
Nothing spell summer more so than grilled eggplant topped with ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
  • 3 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
  • 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, (about 5 ounces ) chopped into 1/4- inch pieces
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/4 cup loose fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with a little bit of salt and set aside for half an hour. The kosher salt draws out the excess moisture in the eggplant.
  • Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil. Add to a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  • Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Place eggplant slices on a plate and drizzle the sides of each round with olive oil and season with red pepper flakes, garlic, oregano and parsley.
  • Heat the outdoor grill to medium heat and grill eggplant slices for 4-5 minutes, creating a crosshatch of grill marks on each side.
  • Remove the grilled eggplant slices from the hot grill to a large plate or rectangular platter and spoon the tomato caprese over each slice of eggplant.

Notes

Updated July 24, 2022
Keyword Grilled Eggplant with Tomato Caprese
Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese | Nothing spell summer more so than grilled eggplant topped with ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

If you make a recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!



31 thoughts on “Grilled Eggplant with a Tomato Caprese (Easy Recipe)”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating