Grilled Marinated Eggplant

A Mediterranean-inspired dish featuring grilled eggplant slices marinated in balsamic vinegar and topped with a flavorful mixture of parsley, capers, garlic, and herbs. Perfect as a side dish or appetizer.

4 servings

2 hr 44 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
•2 tablespoons drained capers
•1 clove medium garlic clove
•½ teaspoon dried oregano
•¼ teaspoon minced peperoncini
•¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
•to taste Kosher salt and black pepper
•1 medium eggplant
•3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Cooking Instructions

1.
Finely chop the parsley with the capers and garlic. Add the oregano and peperoncini and chop everything together. Put the mixture in a bowl, stir in the oil, season with salt and pepper, and reserve.
10 min
2.
Preheat an outdoor charcoal or gas grill or a grill pan until smoking hot.
10 min
3.
Put enough eggplant slices on the grill to cover it without crowding. Cook the eggplant until well marked, 3 to 6 minutes, then turn the slices over. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove the eggplant from the grill.
9 min
4.
Pour the vinegar into a shallow bowl. While still hot, dip each eggplant slice into the vinegar and set it aside on a plate. Continue grilling and dipping the eggplant until all the slices are cooked and seasoned.
15 min
5.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the parsley mixture onto a platter and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Arrange half of the grilled eggplant on the parsley in a single layer. Smear each slice of eggplant with more parsley. Place a second layer of eggplant on top and spread the remaining parsley on it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 2 hours (or refrigerate for longer). Serve at room temperature.
120 min
6.
You could make the parsley mixture in a food processor, but I don't. I find hand chopping gives me the somewhat drier texture I prefer.
7.
For this recipe, I don't salt or oil the eggplant; I grill it dry. This way, it has a nice chewy texture. I marinate the eggplant as soon as it comes off the grill so the flavor of the marinade penetrates.

Ingredients

•½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

•2 tablespoons drained capers

•1 clove medium garlic clove

•½ teaspoon dried oregano

•¼ teaspoon minced peperoncini

•¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

•to taste Kosher salt and black pepper

•1 medium eggplant

•3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Cooking Instructions

Finely chop the parsley with the capers and garlic. Add the oregano and peperoncini and chop everything together. Put the mixture in a bowl, stir in the oil, season with salt and pepper, and reserve.

10 min

Preheat an outdoor charcoal or gas grill or a grill pan until smoking hot.

10 min

Put enough eggplant slices on the grill to cover it without crowding. Cook the eggplant until well marked, 3 to 6 minutes, then turn the slices over. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove the eggplant from the grill.

9 min

Pour the vinegar into a shallow bowl. While still hot, dip each eggplant slice into the vinegar and set it aside on a plate. Continue grilling and dipping the eggplant until all the slices are cooked and seasoned.

15 min

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the parsley mixture onto a platter and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Arrange half of the grilled eggplant on the parsley in a single layer. Smear each slice of eggplant with more parsley. Place a second layer of eggplant on top and spread the remaining parsley on it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 2 hours (or refrigerate for longer). Serve at room temperature.

120 min

You could make the parsley mixture in a food processor, but I don't. I find hand chopping gives me the somewhat drier texture I prefer.

For this recipe, I don't salt or oil the eggplant; I grill it dry. This way, it has a nice chewy texture. I marinate the eggplant as soon as it comes off the grill so the flavor of the marinade penetrates.