Roasted aubergines with za’atar and tahini sauce

I eat this every week, because for me, it fits the holy trinity of cooking: it’s super quick, it’s healthy and most importantly, it’s delicious! Add any vegetables you like – I like aubergine/eggplant, courgette and especially red onion, because it caramelises beautifully and gets really sweet and tasty. However, vine tomatoes or bell peppers are also really delicious, or use whatever you have on hand. Any vegetable gets better by roasting.

(I think it would also work really well with chicken, but haven’t tried that yet!)

If you don’t have it yet, start by making the za’atar spice mix.

Also, when the oven is on, roast some bell peppers for Muhammara (roasted red bell pepper and walnut dip), or roast a bulb of garlic. It’s a softer sweeter flavour, and you can use some of it for the tahini sauce you’ll serve this dish with.

Grilled aubergines with za’atar and tahini sauce

This recipe is delicious, healthy, and easy!

Keywords aubergine, courgette, easy, eggplant, lebanese, middle-eastern, red onion, tahini, za’atar

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Lebanese, Middle-Eastern

Servings 2

Equipment

• Oven

Ingredients

  

• 2 aubergines medium-sized
• 1 courgette
• 3-4 red onions
• olive oil
• za'atar spice mix
• salt

Garnish

• tahini sauce
• sumac

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Cut the aubergines in half, and make diagonal cuts in the flesh. Make sure not to pierce the skin. Turn around and make another set of diagonal cuts, so you have a diamond pattern. This will make it look really pretty.

  Put some salt on the flesh, rub it in, and place flesh-down onto a bit of kitchen paper to absorb excess water.

  Do the same for the courgette.

  Cut the onions in rings of about 5mm thick. Through trial and error, this seems to be the optimal size so they don't burn or don't fully cook, but don't take out your ruler – it's not rocket science!
• Line your baking tray with parchment paper and put all your veggies on. Coat liberally with olive oil (I use a spray bottle) and za'atar. Don't be shy, if you don't use enough oil and spices, it may taste a bit too bland.
• Put everything into the oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour. This dish is really forgiving, and if you're not sure it's ready, leave it in a bit longer. The aubergine should be soft and squishy!
• When the vegetables are almost ready, whip up some tahini sauce, see link in the notes.
• Serve and garnish with the tahini sauce and sprinkle on some sumac.

Notes

Make your own za’atar mix, I have a recipe for you!

While the vegetables are roasting, make a creamy, delicious Tahini sauce!

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