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Healthy Pan Fried Baby Eggplant with Gremolata

This incredibly easy and delicious eggplant recipeΒ comes together in only 15 minutes! Β Thinly sliced eggplant is smeared with garlic and herbs after it has been delicately pan fried. Β This is a side dish done right!

Pan-Fried Eggplant with Gremolata - Girl and the Kitchen

I have had a love hate relationship with eggplant. Β I really loved it in salads and as the main ingredient in eggplant parmesan…but that was about it. Β Plain grilled eggplant just never did it for me. Β I never got what the fuss was all about.

The Russians generally are big fans of eggplant. Β However, it is typically smeared or stuffed with mayo and perhaps some carrots, dill and random other ingredients that in my opinion do absolutely nothing for the recipe. Β Even as I write this, my upper lip is curling up in disgust. Β Please understand, it’s not that I dislike mayo, or carrots or dill, it’s just that I do not feel it should all be put together in one fattening and creamy blend and smeared onto soggy eggplant slices.

So a few weeks ago when I was at my friends house for New Year’s Eve and she mentioned that her mom was going to make her signature eggplant as one of the vegetarian dishes that I can eat…I knew I would starve.

Pan-Fried Eggplant with Gremolata - Girl and the Kitchen

Typically, I hate being wrong…but this time around, I was so glad I was. Β Her mom made the most delicately fried baby eggplants and then added some raw garlic on top. Β I rolled one up, placed it in my mouth and was instantly in love. Β They were tender, the edges were crispy and the garlic and herb mixture was precisely what this simple eggplant needed. Β As it turned out, this herb mixture was nothing more than a classic gremolata, basically a fancy way of saying an herb rub.

When I re-created this recipe at home the other day, hubs could not get enough and made me swear to not tell anyone that he ate vegan food. Β Oops.

The best part is this vegan and uber cleanΒ baby eggplant recipe fits perfectly into mine and hub’s clean eating plans as we get ready for our Valentine’s Day getaway to St. Maarten. Β (I know I am a lucky girl) Β TheΒ clean and simple flavors in this recipe are not only delicious but are good for you. Β An entire baby eggplant has only 65 calories and is sure to fill the bellies and please the taste buds! Β So fill up all you please because there is no guilt in devouring these babies!

Pan-Fried Eggplant with Gremolata - Girl and the Kitchen

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Pan Fried Eggplant with Garlic and Herbs-4

Healthy Pan Fried Baby Eggplant with Garlic and Herbs


  • Author: Mila Furman

Description

This incredibly easy and delicious eggplant recipe comes together in only 15 minutes! Thinly sliced eggplant is smeared with garlic and herbs after it has been delicately pan fried.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 baby eggplants sliced thinly (about 1/2 an inch thick.*)
  • 6 garlic cloves (minced finely on microplane)
  • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
  • zest off of 1/2 a lemon
  • a pinch or more of red chili flakes
  • 4 tbsp of olive oil
  • vegan butter flavored pan spray
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and chili flakes in a small pot. Heat over low heat to infuse the oil with flavor. This will only take 5 minutes or so, it is crucial that you do not allow the mixture to boil or you run the risk of burning the garlic.
  2. Heat up a large pan or a griddle* over medium-high heat and spray with the pan spray.
  3. Lay out the eggplant slices so they do not overlap and can cook evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. After 3-4 minutes, flip over to the other side and season the other side with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes.
  5. With a pastry brush or a spoon, brush on the gremolata.
  6. Serve immediately.

Notes

1. You can use Japanese eggplants or regular eggplants as well. I just love baby eggplants and they happened to be on sale this week at the grocery store.
2. I really loved using my griddle for make these. I was able to cook them quickly and evenly and used minimal oil.

  • Category: Vegan
  • Cuisine: American
This incredibly easy and delicious eggplant recipe comes together in only 15 minutes! Thinly sliced eggplant is smeared with garlic and herbs after it has been delicately pan fried.

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36 Comments

    1. Yummy!!! I love eggplant it was my brother’s favorite veggie. He passed away 11 yrs ago & I love eggplant I think more bc it remo me of him. But it was one of my 1st veggies, he introduced me to, In eggplant parmigiana, oh my the Goodness. I made it w a lil variation, I used spinach, another one of my bro fav put it I processer w all other ingredients then spread on my air fried eggplant ❣️ Amazing❣️ Thx

      1. Awww i love how good can transport you and make you feel completely inspired! Thank you for sharing your story!

      2. Hi there! Love what wrote about your brother… I also LOVE eggplant and spinach love to receive your recipe. Thank you and Take care.

  1. Eggplant is my fave, and this is seriously going straight on the to-make list. Grilling it is so good, but I normally end up leaving it plain and just serving it with other dishes, like roast tomato pasta – but I love the idea of making it a centre piece it itself with the gremolata. x

    1. Thank you so much honey!!!! I grill it often in the summer time but as you can imagine Chicago in the dead of winter is not as fun as you would imagine to grill πŸ™‚

  2. Do you have to let the slices of eggplant sit on paper towels first or blot them after slicing them (to remove excess water) ? I can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow!

    1. Hi Pia!!!! I didn’t! But I’m sure you can salt them and put the on paper towels first. But the ease of this recipe is the fact that it goes from raw to done in 10 minutes πŸ™‚

  3. Im 55 & never liked the taste of veggies (other than occ pepper & onion). My health now reflects this & I’m determined to change my evil ways! This was healthy, delicious & super easy!!! I need to find more veg recipes like this
    Thank you!!!

    1. Tammie! So glad I could help!!! Make sure to hang out here a bit more often and check out some of my other recipes! You will find most of them are healthy and always delicious!

  4. Oh my! Fries baby ones as you did. Put some fresh made spicy chimichurri on and sprinkled with feta cheese. SOOO good! Thank you so much!

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