italian marinated aubergine

Beautifully soft and smoky marinated aubergines with the flavours of Italy, a perfect accompaniment to any anti-pasti platter.

Italian marinated aubergine is one of my favourite recipes on this blog and a simply delicious way to enjoy aubergine. This makes great use of any gluts of aubergine that anyone might have growing in their greenhouses over the Summer months. It’s quick to make and once done will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks, ready to add as a side dish, to salads or a sharing style platter.

This simple recipe for Italian marinated aubergine is not one I can take credit for. In fact, I tasted this delicious aubergine dish while on my family camping holiday to Cornwall in the summer.

A lovely woman called Ellie, a fellow foodie, had the pitch next to us. She made these for dinner one night and very kindly let me have a taste. I adore aubergine, Ellie herself isn’t so keen, however enjoys it cooked this way. They are delicious and very moreish.

Ellie said that the recipe for this marinated aubergine was not her recipe either, instead it was given to her by her Italian friend Cadia. Ellie kindly wrote it down for my and I said I’d put it on our blog, but ensure full credit was given to Cadia.

Recipe steps:

How to serve marinated aubergine?

Aubergine char-grilled over a barbecue and then added to a simple marinade. This recipe is so simple to prepare but really delicious to eat. I’ve made this recipe numerous times since coming home. I’d like to say my family enjoy it too, but I can’t convince any one of them to enjoy aubergine, regardless of how I cook it!

However, I always cook Italian marinated eggplant for myself and I keep it in the fridge for when the fancy takes me. They make a super simple lunch, with freshly baked sourdough bread and a bowl of olives.

I enjoy them on an anti-pasti board with olives; salad vegetables; pickled vegetables; meats and other cold cuts; cheese; and hummus. They also taste delicious as a side dish alongside some spicy couscous, or some grilled meats.

But quite often they’re eaten straight from the tub in the fridge and don’t actually make it to the plate! The same process and marinade can be used for courgettes and peppers.

Can I substitute other vegetables?

As we had the barbecue going we decided to add some red peppers and courgettes to our Italian marinated aubergine too. All of these work really well in the marinade. Worth mentioning that if you are adding other vegetables you may wish to double the marinade ingredients.

The aubergine and courgette are sliced and charred on both sides. However, the pepper needs to be treated a little differently. The process for grilling peppers in explained below.

Charring peppers:

If you want to include peppers place them on the barbecue whole and allow the skin to completely blacken on all sides. Once the pepper skin has blackened, place it straight into a plastic bag and seal. Allow the pepper to steam for around 10 minutes, then remove it from the bag.

By this time the skin should slip right off the pepper. Discard the skin, gently open the pepper up and remove the stalk, inner core and any seeds. Before running under cold water, drying it on some kitchen paper and adding to the marinade.

How long will Italian Marinated Augergine keep in the fridge?

These Italian marinated aubergine should last in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Just ensure that when you place them in the storage container that you completely cover the vegetables with the olive oil. If necessary add a little extra olive oil if it gets too low!

Don’t waste the flavoured oil!

Once you have eaten the marinated aubergine, don’t throw away the olive oil. It is beautifully flavoured and can be used to drizzle over food, like salad or meat; in salad dressings; for sauteing vegetables; or as a simple dipping oil with a chunk of crusty bread.

A huge thank you to Cadia, who shared the recipe with Ellie. Also to Ellie for passing it on to me so that I can share it with you. This is what I truly love about conversations with foodies, especially generous ones who love to pass on a recipe as we do.

Over the years I’ve met many foodies. There are those who choose to hold onto their recipes, unwilling to share. I’ve never understood that concept, then again I’m a food blogger so I wouldn’t.

Then there are those who share generously, and when I make this delicious aubergine, I’m transported to a warm sunny day on a campsite in Cornwall, talking foods and flavours!

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Additional recipe suggestions:

Planning a vegetable based meze party then try some of our other great meze side dishes like our Quick Courgette & Shallot Pickle, Simple Hummus, our Spiced Carrot Hummus and how about our Scandinavian Egg Salad. All great served alongside Soft Flatbreads and our Potato Galette.

If you like this recipe then why not try some of our other vegetable based side dishes. Popular with everyone who tries it, our Warm Potato Salad with Wild Garlic, our Warm Vegan Potato Salad, our Creamy Potato Salad, our Easy Bean Salad, Fennel & Apple Slaw or our Harissa, Carrot & Chickpea Salad.

Italian Marinated Aubergine

Beautifully soft and smoky char-grilled aubergine with an Italian marinade

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 35kcal

Author: Lesley Garden

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 aubergine (sliced)
• ▢ 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• ▢ 1 red chilli (de-seeded and finely chopped)
• ▢ 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley (chopped)
• ▢ 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ▢ juice of half lemon
• ▢ olive oil
• ▢ salt & pepper

Instructions

• Slice the aubergine into rounds and place on either a hot barbecue or grill pan and char on each side until softened. Turn frequently taking care not to burn the aubergine. Do not add any oil to either the pan or the aubergine as this will make the vegetable soggy. Once done set the aubergine aside to cool.
• Place all the remaining ingredients into a bowl, add the cooled aubergine and mix well to combine. Transfer to a good sealing container, ensuring the olive oil completely covers the aubergine, if not then top up with more olive oil. Place in the fridge where the aubergine will keep well for a week if properly sealed.

Notes

Once the aubergine has been eaten the flavoured oil makes a great dipping oil or you can use it to cook with.

Nutrition Facts

Italian Marinated Aubergine

Amount Per Serving

Calories 35 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 4mg0%

Potassium 298mg9%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 154IU3%

Vitamin C 19mg23%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Canape, Starter, Side

Cuisine : Italian

Keyword : vegan, vegetarian

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