30 Minute Moroccan Roasted Eggplant

This Moroccan roasted eggplant recipe comes together in just 30 minutes! Cubes of eggplant are roasted until tender with Moroccan spices, olive oil, and fresh herbs. A wonderfully flavorful vegetable side dish!

This is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes to use as a side dish or appetizer. The eggplant gets chopped, tossed in oil & spices, then roasted to crispy golden brown perfection.

If you’re familiar with Moroccan cuisine, you know how much we love using paprika and cumin, two spices that sing when used with roasted eggplant recipe. The flavors here work in a similar way as this Eggplant Dip (Zaalouk).

And to take this easy recipe to the next level, I recommend serving with a generous drizzle of my favorite tahini sauce!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this eggplant side dish:

• eggplant
• olive oil
• paprika
• cumin
• salt
• pepper
• fresh parsley

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by Step

Reminder: Feel free to peel your eggplant if you aren’t into the texture. Otherwise, I like to leave it on.

Varieties of Eggplant

For this recipe I like using globe eggplant, which is usually the most common variety available in American grocery stores.

That said, you can make this recipe with whatever eggplant you have available to you. Just be aware of the size of your eggplants, and adjust the quantity accordingly.

When using globe eggplant, you will only need 2, but for smaller/thinner varieties you may need more.

Here are some other varieties I’ve tried:

• Chinese Eggplant – this variety is longer and skinnier than most, and really delicious used in soups and stews.
• Zebra Eggplant – my parents grew this variety in our garden growing up and they are spectacular! 10/10 recommend using them if you can get your hands on some.
• Italian Eggplant – this variety is very similar to globe eggplant, but smaller and usually has a sweeter flavor to it.
• Indian Eggplant – these are so cute, but very small, so make sure you get enough to make 4 cups of chopped eggplant.

Whatever variety you decide to use, aim for a total of 4 cups of chopped eggplant.

Substitutions

This Moroccan side dish is super versatile and easy to customize. Here are some easy ways to mix it up:

• Spices – while the spices used in this recipe have Moroccan influence, you could really take the flavors of this dish in any direction depending on the spices you use. For a more colorful flavor profile, try using this Ras el Hanout spice blend.
• Herbs – try experimenting with your favorite herbs instead of or in addition to parsley! I like using fresh oregano and dill sometimes.
• Toppings – try finishing this dish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses and/or toasted pine nuts for an additional sweet depth of flavor

What to Eat With This Dish

As mentioned above, this is one of those vegetable side dishes that can be customized and enjoyed in many different ways.

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this roasted eggplant recipe:

• in any kind of grain or veggie bowl
• thrown on top of your pasta for some extra veggies
• in salads, or amongst other Moroccan salads
• as a side to this chicken tagine
• with a generous drizzle of tahini sauce

Storage

This is best enjoyed fresh, but should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

This roasted eggplant recipe doesn’t stand up well to freezing.

Enjoy,

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