Roasted Eggplant with Goat Cheese

A super simple recipe that’s just perfect for a weeknight dinner when you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. The combination of flavors is perfectly balanced and the recipe makes enough to share.

• 1 large eggplant
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 4 large garlic cloves, coarsely minced
• Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled and divided
• Steamed rice (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cube the eggplant into 1-inch pieces and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and set aside while making the marinade.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and cumin in a small bowl.
4. Dab away any extra water that has beaded up on the eggplant with a paper towel, pour in the marinade, add in the garlic and toss everything to combine.
5. Spread the eggplant on a large baking sheet lined with parchment and slide onto a rack placed in the center of the oven. Roast for 40 minutes, or until very tender and slightly browned, making sure to stir halfway through to make sure everything browns evenly. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
6. Whisk together the lemon juice, soy sauce and most of the goat cheese (reserve a little to garnish). Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture.
7. Serve on it’s own or over steamed rice. Share or go back for seconds.