During the season we just love coming up with new ideas to top eggplant slices, it's healthy and can be so versatile.
This recipe can be adapted with meats, other vegetables, more or less cheese, and just about anything you like on top drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil gets this roasted in around 15 minutes.
I love a crispier cheese so I do like to broil mine for a few minutes to get it all toasty.
Since we have some picky eaters that aren't vegetable lovers, adding some crushed meatballs, and sliced cooked sausage makes these family members very happy.
Of course in a hurry, you can add sliced pepperoni to your topping also, anything goes on top but for today, we kept our low calories with some fresh basil, sliced tomato, pepperoncini, and then melted cheese.
Great as an appetizer, light lunch, and perfectly stuffed in a piece of hard-crusted Italian bread if you don't mind the carbs!
Even after you've roasted this caprese-style eggplant you can even top it with your favorite deli meats.
We have some shortcut step-by-step instructions for you, tips, and suggestions below in our recipe card to change up your eggplant every time you make it.
Just scroll to the bottom of the page to print off the directions.
Easy to Make Step by Step to make Italian Caprese Roasted Eggplant
- prepare a baking dish with cooking oil and preheat the oven
- slice the eggplant, place on paper towels and salt for 30 minutes then rinse the salt off
- place eggplant in the baking dish
- top with diced tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and basil, then add the cheeses
- bake until tender
Other Substitutions and Tips:
- use zucchini in place of eggplant
- for topping substitutions you can mix and match:
- asparagus diced,
- any kind of peppers
- chopped celery
- chopped green beans
- sliced mushrooms
- fresh spinach or arugula
- julienned carrots
- use any kind of cheese you prefer
- ground seasoned cooked meats can be added for meat lovers
- add marinara sauce first then cheese
- add taco sauce with chilies and cheddar
Ingredients You Will Need Refer to the recipe card below for exact measurements
- fresh eggplant slices
- Caprese Topping:
- cherry or grape tomatoes
- pepperoncini chopped stems and seeds removed
- garlic cloves, sliced thin
- fresh basil leaves chopped
- slices of provolone or whole milk mozzarella
- salt, and pepper to taste
- Pecorino Romano grated cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
Try My Other Favorite Recipes
Eggplant Parmesan
Zucchini Rollatini
Eggplant Boats
Pin for later
Easy Eggplant Side Dishes or Appetizers
This eggplant Caprese is so versatile when it comes to toppings so you can make a whole meal out of it or a side dish.
We love this recipe for a light lunch, especially on days where you want to eat light before going out to dinner later on in the evening.
The eggplant cooks quickly and is so flavorful plus is very low in calories depending on your additions.
If you're an eggplant lover, you will love the simplicity of the recipe and the variations can be endless with just some creativity.
Yield: 6
Italian Caprese Roasted Eggplant
Baked and roasted eggplant slices topped with provolone melted cheese, sliced tomatoes and pepperoncini with garlic. Perfect as an appetizer or light lunch.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- 1 large eggplant long sliced thickly, washed and dried brushed with lemon juice
- placed slices on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with sea salt for 30 minutes or up to an hour (wash the salt off then blot dry)
- extra virgin oil or cooking oil spray
- sea salt or table salt
- Paper towels to drain eggplant on
- Caprese Topping:
- 4 cherry or grape tomatoes sliced or quartered
- 3 or 4 small pepperoncini chopped stems and seeds removed
- 3 minced garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 3 fresh basil leaves chopped
- slices of provolone or whole milk mozzarella slices one per eggplant slice
- salt, and pepper to taste (also add cayenne pepper for folks who love hot foods
- Pecorino Romano grated cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease a baking dish big enough to hold all slices and not crowd them.
- Slice the eggplant into long slices and brush with lemon juice to keep it from browning.
- Place on paper towels sprinkle lightly with salt on paper towels and let drain for 30 minutes,
- Rinse the salt off.
- Place in the greased baking dish (lay flat not crowding).
- Dice up the Greek-style peppers, slice the tomatoes and use torn fresh basil leaves and sliced garlic, and top with a slice of cheese.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake at 400 degrees until the eggplant softens around 15 to 20 minutes.
- Note: for crispier cheese broil on high for 1 minute.
Notes
Other Substitutions and Tips:
- use zucchini in place of eggplant
- for topping substitutions you can mix and match:
- asparagus diced,
- any kind of peppers
- chopped celery
- chopped green beans
- sliced mushrooms
- fresh spinach or arugula
- julienned carrots
- use any kind of cheese you prefer
- ground seasoned cooked meats can be added for meat lovers or deli meats
- add marinara sauce first then cheese
- add taco sauce with chilies and cheddar
Nutrition Facts
Calories
50.68Fat (grams)
3.8Sat. Fat (grams)
1.03Carbs (grams)
2.47Fiber (grams)
0.74Net carbs
1.7Sugar (grams)
0.82Protein (grams)
2.16Sodium (milligrams)
97.53Cholesterol (grams)
5.24Pin for later
Eggplant Favorite Recipes
Eggplant Ricotta Casserole
Eggplant aka Zucchini Roll-Ups
Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Boats
Greek Topped Eggplant
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2014. It was edited and re-published in 2022.