Roasted Miniature Eggplant with Tahini Yogurt and Plum Salsa

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This Roasted Miniature Eggplant with Tahini Yogurt and Plum Salsa is the perfect vegetable side dish for any weeknight meal.

I’m at that point of summer where my mind keeps wandering to fall – the smell of crisp leaves on the ground, piling sweaters over flannel just to enjoy a cup of coffee on the porch, wandering the apple orchards on a cool afternoon, and whipping up cozy curries on the stovetop. Really the only thing keeping me sane during this last leg of this hot and muggy summer is the abundance of produce at the market right now.

It’s been a busy summer so I decided to take a Saturday for myself the other week and head to the market with no game plan at all. Unlike my usual routine, I had no long grocery list for meal planning or structured schedule of time I needed to be back to recipe develop. Instead, I just spent as much time as I wanted wandering the aisles of summer abundance and picking up whatever looked appealing in the moment. When I got home from my carefree morning, I pulled out my haul to discover I went on a purple binge: I had a big bunch of miniature eggplants, purple basil, and a dozen plums.

An afternoon of tinkering in the kitchen gave way to this purple themed dish. Savory and smoky roasted miniature eggplant halves are laid over a bed of slightly bitter and tangy creamy tahini and then topped with a juicy and fresh plum salsa. I threw some black sesame seeds on their for a crunch but you can use regular ones if that is what you have on hand. This dish is perfect as a side to any weeknight meal or as a light lunch.

5 from 1 vote

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Roasted Miniature Eggplant with Creamy Tahini and Plum Salsa

This Roasted Miniature Eggplant with Tahini Yogurt and Plum Salsa is the perfect vegetable side dish for any weeknight meal.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 110 kcal

Ingredients

For the miniature eggplants:

• 1 pint miniature eggplant washed and dried
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• dash salt and pepper

For the Yogurt Tahini Sauce:

• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• dash salt and pepper

For the Plum Salsa:

• 4 ripe plums diced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 jalapeno seeded and minced
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• dash salt and pepper

Garnish:

• Cilantro or basil chopped
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

For the miniature eggplants:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degree and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the eggplant in half and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
   
2. Drizzle with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper and toss to coat.
3. Arrange the halves cut side down and bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until soft.

For the Yogurt Tahini Sauce:

1. Whisk all the ingredient together and season with salt and pepper.
   

For the Plum Salsa:

1. Stir all ingredients together until combined. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice (if needed). Store in the fridge until ready to use.
   

To Assemble:

1. Spread the yogurt tahini sauce evenly across the bottom of a small platter. Lay eggplants over the tahini sauce and top with plum salsa. Garnish with fresh cilantro or basil and sesame seeds. Serve right away.
   

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Miniature Eggplant with Creamy Tahini and Plum Salsa

Amount Per Serving

Calories 110 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 13mg1%

Potassium 262mg7%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 275IU6%

Vitamin C 8.5mg10%

Calcium 45mg5%

Iron 0.6mg3%

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