Eggplant Caprese is my twist on the classic Tomato Caprese Salad. Laying grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil topped with either Skinny Basil Pesto or Balsamic Glaze makes this an epic appetizer or side dish. This grilled eggplant recipe is an easy one to prepare and can be served hot or at room temperature.
I knew immediately that I wanted to share this super Easy Grilled Eggplant Caprese Salad. I am a huge eggplant fan and grilling eggplant is easy and a great way to add more vegetables into my families diet.
Although my vegetable garden is not producing anything yet, I am getting fabulous eggplants and tomatoes from my local produce market. My Eggplant Caprese salad takes the Caprese Salad to the next level, an amazing blend of eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella = delicious!
Eggplant is a super healthy fruit, yes eggplant is a fruit, go figure! When I got sick a few years ago, in my research of foods to amp up in my diet, I was pleasantly surprised to know that one of my favorites foods was really healthy to eat.
A few healthy FAQ's to keep you making Grilled Eggplant Recipes:
- Like mushrooms, Eggplants are 90% water which makes them a good weight loss food, feel full faster.
- Eggplants contain polyphenols which can aid in cancer prevention.
- These yummy eggplants are full of Vitamin K which improves bone density and prevents osteoporosis.
- Dietary Fiber reduces risks of heart disease and bad LDL to reduce cholesterol and eggplant is loaded with fiber, 14% of your daily requirement.
- Eggplants contain folates which are essential for everyone but especially pregnant woman, so enjoy your eggplant.
- Then there is my favorite, eggplant has bioflavonoids, which helps reduce high blood pressure.
Let's not forget about the tomatoes in this Grilled Eggplant Salad! Tomatoes are also an awesome fruit that has many health benefits. I love this article about the benefits of tomatoes. My favorite benefit of tomatoes is that they contain lycopene, which aids in reducing the risk of strokes. Combing an eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella makes not only a delicious meal but it is super healthy. I can justify the mozzarella cheese because the eggplant and tomato are so healthy, moderation at its best!
So you can not only enjoy eating my Eggplant Caprese Salad, you are also eating a really healthy meal. A win-win for everyone.
When making Eggplant Caprese, do you need to salt the eggplant and why?
Salting eggplant before cooking or grilling helps to reduce the bitterness. I salt the eggplant for about 20minutes. Then I rinse and dry the eggplant before cooking or grilling.
Do you need to remove the skin before making any grilled eggplant recipes?
The skin on eggplant is full of vitamins and it can be eaten. Especially, in the Eggplant Caprese Salad, keep the skin on the eggplant to ensure the shape stays intact.
How do you store eggplant before using in any recipe?
Eggplant does not need to be refrigerated and it should be used within a few days of purchasing or taking off its vine. Keep the eggplant at room temperature.
Love eggplant and tomatoes as much as I do, check out these yummy recipes:
Slow Cooker Mediterranean Eggplant
Tutorial to Learn How to Make Grilled Eggplant Caprese Salad:
- Wash the eggplant and slice into ½ inch thick slices. Salt the eggplant on both sides and place in a colander to sweat the eggplant for 20 minutes.
- Slice the tomatoes into ½ inch slices. set aside. Wash and dry the basil leaves. Slice the mozzarella into ¼ inch slices.
- After the 20 minutes is up, rinse the eggplant and pat dry.
- Preheat grill to 500 degrees.
- Brush eggplant with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Reduce heat to medium, around 400 degreesF and place the eggplant on the warm grill. Eggplant should be cooked in about 10 minutes.
- Flip the eggplant halfway through.
- Remove from heat and layer eggplant, basil, tomato, mozzarella. Feel free to make a double stack.
- If you prefer to melt the cheese, place the eggplant Caprese on a baking sheet on the grill, close cover and let cheese melt, about 1 minute.
- Adding a chiffonade of basil to top. Roll the basil and chop the leaves.
When you make this yummy Grilled Eggplant Caprese Salad, take a pic and tag me on Instagram @everyday_eileen or #everydayeileen
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Eggplant Caprese Salad
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Equipment Needed:
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant, sliced ½ inch thick
- 4 large vine ripe tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 20 basil leaves
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 1 teaspoon salt, for the eggplant to sweat
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Toppings for Eggplant Caprese
- skinny basil pesto optional
- Balsamic Syrup optional
- chiffonade of basil optional
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant ½ inch thick, salt the eggplant on both sides and place in a colander to sweat the eggplant and remove any bitterness. Keep in the colander for 20 minutes.
- Slice the tomatoes ½ inch thick and the mozzarella cheese ¼ inch thick, set aside.
- Clean grill grates and either brush olive oil on grates or use non-stick spray on the grates. Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Wash the salt off the eggplant and pat dry.
- Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper, salt, and garlic powder.
- Reduce heat to medium, 350 degrees, place the eggplants on the grill. Cook about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove eggplant from the grill.
- Stack the eggplant as follows, eggplant, fresh basil. mozzarella. If you prefer melted mozzarella, place the eggplant stacks on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet on the grill. Close cover and let cheese melt.
- I love to top my Eggplant Caprese Salad with either Skinny Basil Pesto ora Balsamic Syrup and some fresh basil.
NOTES
- The nutritional value does not include the optional toppings. Calculate the toppings you have chosen.
- Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
Nutrition
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