This easy to prepare harissa roasted eggplant is sweet and spicy and deliciously creamy on the inside.
Eggplant, (like and kale and beets) is one of those vegetables people tend to have pretty strong opinions about. You either love it or hate it and that’s that.
I can certainly understand why eggplant can be hard to love, it so often can be bland and spongy when not prepared correctly and quite heavy as well since it soaks up oil so readily. But just like the aforementioned kale and beets, the key to transforming eggplant haters into eggplant lovers is in the preparation. In this case the secret is heat.
Why roast eggplant?
Roasting eggplant in the oven is so easy (no salting necessary) and you end up with eggplant that’s delicate and tender, not oily. The screamingly high heat of the oven transforms the insides from spongy to wonderfully silky.
What kind of eggplant is best for roasting?
While eggplant comes in a variety of shapes and sizes I like to stick to the smaller ones for roasting so that they cook evenly throughout. Chinese or Japanese eggplant are great for roasting. Look for ones that have smooth shiny skin and are firm to the touch (soft ones will be spongy). They both have a thin skin, contain fewer seeds than globe eggplant, and are creamy on the inside when roasted.
How to make harissa eggplant:
- You start by cutting your eggplant lengthwise and scoring the flesh with a knife. Scoring before roasting creates grooves for the glaze to sink into as it roasts.
- Next comes the spicy honey harissa glaze which is brushed on before going into the oven. The honey helps the surface of the eggplant caramelize while the harissa brings plenty of spice and heat to offset the sweetness.
What you end up with is a dish that’s vibrant with flavor and fantastically creamy on the inside.
More eggplant recipes:
Honey Harissa Roasted Eggplant
Honey and harissa roasted eggplant is sweet and spicy and deliciously creamy on the inside.
Ingredients
- 6 Chinese or Japanese eggplants, halved lengthwise
- 2 Tablespoons/30g extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml raw organic honey
- 2 teaspoons harissa
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons, chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, honey, harissa, garlic, cumin, sea salt and pepper.
- Score eggplant with knife and brush with honey harissa mixture to coat.
- Roast eggplant on baking sheet until golden, about 15-20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with mint and serve warm.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 204mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Billy says
Love the way this looks! The photography is great. I really want to try making this at home. Honey and harissa together sounds like a match made in heaven.
Tasty Details says
These photos are absolutely awesome! Couldn't resist to share your post in my blog, in my last round up of different versions of dishes with eggplant and honey. Hope you like it! Thanks for sharing amazing things like this.
Patricia.
Carol says
I tried this recipe tonight using small Chinese eggplant. It was amazingly delicious.
2pots2cook says
This is sooooo tempting...... not to mention the photos... Eggplant so tastly dressed.....
You are an inspiration in every way !
All th ebest,
2pots2cook
Shobha Naik says
Recipe seems to give an exciting fillip to an otherwise boring eggplant. But for those who live in countries where Harissa is not available , i would request for a recipe for the same.
Shobha Naik
Maria says
Yum! I love eggplant but never know what to do with it. This is great!
Megan says
I've never been an eggplant person--but this looks so beautiful I would def dive in!
Marye says
This looks absolutely delicious! I love eggplant, I definitely need to try this!