Delicious Grilled Whole Aubergines Recipe With Bruschetta

by Women's Health | Aug 6, 2024 | Recipes

grilled aubergine on a white plate adorned with herbs and spices

Let’s face it: every time you buy an aubergine, you already know you need it for some recipe, right? It’s not exactly a staple like tomatoes or potatoes. But we’re here to open your world: this grilled whole aubergine recipe is going to blow. your. mind. And, it’ll probably become a new staple, since so damn delicious.

Might we add that it happens to be vegan and goes perfectly on the braai menu? Vegetarians and braais typically don’t go well together, but your picky vegan mates will love you for this tasty alternative to the giant mushroom. Lose the bruschetta and this grilled whole aubergine becomes a healthy side attraction to a meaty main. Or, just make it all winter long. No judgement.

Benefits of Aubergine

First off, get ready to have your world rocked: aubergine, by biological definition, is not a vegetable at all, but a berry.

Now that we’ve sufficiently shifted your reality, let’s look at how good this plant can be for your bod. It’s high in fibre and low in calories, making it a great addition to salads, stews and basically anything else you can chuck into a pot. They’re also high in antioxidants which fight off free radicals in the body – the stuff causing things like ageing and other nasties. Also, the fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and antioxidants in eggplants all support heart health. And when it comes to the skin, leave it on and eat it: nasunin, an anthocyanin in eggplant skin, is great for brain health.

Delicious Grilled Whole Aubergines With Bruschetta

This anytime recipe is not only a great addition to your five-a-day, but it feels like comfort food, too.

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Cook Time 20

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack, Starter

Cuisine Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings 6

Calories 339 kcal

Ingredients

6 Medium aubergines (or one per person)
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Sea salt
Milled black pepper

For the bruschetta

1 loaf Ciabatta, sliced
Olive oil
1 head Garlic, halved

Instructions

Prick the aubergines and grill on the braai (or wherever) until charred outside and meltingly soft inside.
To make the bruschetta, brush the sliced bread with olive oil, then toast over the coals. Remove and smear with the halved head of garlic.
To serve, slash a cross on top of each aubergine, squash the sides to open and flavour with olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning of choice.

Notes

This recipe calls for large amounts of olive oil, which ups your total fat content, although saturated fat remains low. To reduce total fat, simply use less oil.

Keyword air fryer, braai, comfort food, Easy Meals, Healthy Recipes, Loadshedding-Friendly, No-Cook Recipes, Vegan