Roasted Eggplant with Tahini and Za’atar
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 10 baby eggplants, stems cut off & eggplants halved lengthwise
- Drizzle of olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- Kosher salt & ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons za’atar spice blend, for garnish (you can buy it or make it at home)
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- ¼ cup minced cilantro, for garnish
- Ground paprika, for garnish
Tahini Sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tahini
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the eggplant halves, cut side up, on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle liberally with olive or grapeseed oil and use your hands to rub the oil all over each eggplant half. Sprinkle the cut sides of the eggplants with the chili powder, and season well with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the eggplant is roasting, place the minced garlic, tahini, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Use a fork to whisk together to form a smooth sauce.
- Place 5 eggplant halves on each plate, drizzle with tahini sauce, sprinkle with za’atar, sesame seeds, cilantro, and paprika, and serve. Goes great with wild rice blend and sautéed swiss chard.