Grilled Eggplant Caprese
To tuck in more seasonality in between the red, white, and green layers of a caprese salad, look towards grilled eggplant.
Serves4
Prep15 minutes
Cook6 minutes to 9 minutes
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It’s hard to beat a late-summer caprese salad. The classic combination of juicy tomatoes, milky mozzarella, and fragrant basil is understated perfection at its very best. While it’s hardly traditional, there’s one ingredient I also love to slip between the red, white, and green layers to bulk up the salad and make it even more seasonally dressed: tender grilled eggplant.
The Simplest Way to Upgrade Caprese Salad
I’ll be the first to agree that an Italian caprese doesn’t need to be tinkered with. However, I’ve come to love adding eggplant because it adds one extra layer of texture and flavor to the equation. Bringing in one more vegetable also turns it into something I feel even more confident serving as the only side to whatever main I am enjoying, whether it’s grilled fish, burgers, or something in between. Plus, eggplant isn’t just any vegetable: It’s a hearty one, which makes this caprese twist hefty enough to also be the meatless main event, paired with nothing but good bread on the side to soak up that wonderful mix of tomato juices, olive oil, and balsamic that’s left behind on the plate.
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Grilled Eggplant Caprese Recipe
To tuck in more seasonality in between the red, white, and green layers of a caprese salad, look towards grilled eggplant.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 6 minutes to 9 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 pound
globe eggplant (about 2 small or 1 medium)
- 1/4 cup
plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1 pound
medium heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes (2 to 3)
- 1 (8-ounce) ball
fresh mozzarella cheese
Handful fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons
aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze
Flaky salt, for serving
Instructions
Heat an outdoor grill for medium-high, direct heat (about 400ºF).
Trim 1 pound eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Place the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush 1/4 cup of the extra-virgin olive oil onto both sides of the slices. Season all over with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Core and slice 1 pound medium heirloom tomatoes crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Slice 1 (8-ounce) fresh mozzarella ball into 1/2-inch thick rounds; halve the slices if large, they should be about the same size as the eggplant and tomato slices.
When the grill is ready, scrape the grill grates clean if needed. Place the eggplant on the grill in a single layer. Cover and cook until grill marks form on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the eggplant, cover, and continue to grill until grill marks form on the other side and the eggplant is very tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Return to the baking sheet.
Arrange the eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella slices in an overlapping pattern on a serving platter. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze.
Tear a handful of basil leaves into small pieces if large; otherwise keep them whole. Sprinkle the basil over the top. Garnish with a generous pinch of flaky salt and several grinds of black pepper.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.