Roasted Eggplant with Sweet and Spicy Chili Oil
This dish is a masterclass in letting your ingredients do the heavy lifting. Smoky eggplant gets paired with a warm prune–chili oil that’s spicy, tangy, and jammy in all the right ways. California Prunes add a subtle richness that turns basic chili oil into something spoon-it-on-everything good. Minimal effort, maximum flavor — and endlessly adaptable. It's spicy, tangy, jammy—next-level flavor for rice, yogurt, or pita bread.
Ingredients
For the Eggplant:
- 1 large eggplant or 2 small
- olive oil
- salt
For the Prune–Chili Oil:
- 6 California Prunes chopped
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 garlic clove sliced
- ½-1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 TBSP red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: smoked paprika sesame seeds, chopped parsley or mint
Instructions
- Choose the way you want to cook the eggplant.
- Using a broiler: Halve, score, oil, salt, and broil cut-side up until soft and browned.
- Using a stovetop: Char whole eggplant over flame until collapsing, then peel.
- Using the oven: Roast at 450°F until jammy and golden.
Make chili oil:
- Heat olive oil. Sauté garlic until golden.
- Add prunes + chili flakes; cook 1–2 min.
- Off heat, stir in vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and any extras.
- Assemble: Smash or halve eggplant on a plate. Spoon warm chili oil over the top.
- Serve: Delicious with yogurt, rice, grilled proteins, or inside a pita.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1portionCalories: 172kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 116mgPotassium: 507mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg