Garlic & Herb Grilled Eggplant

4.61 from 87 votes

Updated May 20, 2026, Published Aug 07, 2018

These Garlic & Herb Grilled Eggplant are my favourite vegetable to barbecue. They are tender in the middle with slightly charred edges and are coated in a delicious garlic and herb oil which gives them so much flavour.

Grilled vegetables are my go to side dish for any summer barbecue. They are incredibly easy to prepare, go with just about anything, and can be made in advance. While most people grill zucchini, peppers and onions, my absolute favourite vegetable to grill is eggplant.

Unfortunately grilled eggplant (or melanzane, aubergine or brinjals depending on where in the world you are from) can be a tricky vegetable to cook. Too much oil and they become slimy, cut too thick and they have an unpleasant chunky texture.

It took me a trip to Italy where I spent time watching the way the locals prepared it before I finally learned how to grill eggplant.

Grilled Eggplant with Garlic & Herbs Recipe

How to make this grilled eggplant:

It all starts with salting which is meant to draw bitterness out of the slices. I find that salting is required for larger “meaty” eggplant, and is a step that can easily be skipped for the smaller sized ones.
The next step is to quickly dip them in a mixture of olive oil, herbs and garlic which helps stop them from drying out when grilled.
After grilling, toss them back into the oil and herb mixture again which gives them added flavour.

Why you will love these grilled eggplant:

They are tender in the middle and develop a nice char on the edges
By dipping the eggplant slices into the garlic and herb oil before grilling, they absorb a lot of the oil which gives the eggplant so much flavour
Unlike other grilled vegetables such as zucchini, these grilled eggplant last a few days in the fridge without becoming mushy. The leftovers are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of different ways (see more below)
They are low carb and tick the majority of healthy boxes including Keto, Whole30, Vegan, Paleo and SCD Legal

Ways to serve the grilled eggplant:

Serve warm as a side dish
Serve cold as part of an antipasti platter or chopped up and added into a salad
Use as a base for bruschetta topped with pesto, prosciutto or any of your other favourite bruschetta toppings
Use two thick slices as “buns” for burgers. They are especially delicious with Greek lamb burgers

Love grilled vegetables? Here are a few other grilled vegetable recipes you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

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4.61 from 87 votes

Grilled Eggplant with Garlic & Herbs

By Carmen Sturdy

GF DF SCD P V W30

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Ingredients

Instructions

Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices and generously salt each slice. Let them rest for about 15 minutes so that the salt can draw out the moisture and bitterness. Wipe each of the slices with a paper towel to remove the salt and moisture.
Preheat the barbecue to medium heat
In a large dish combine the olive oil, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Place each of the eggplant slices in the dish, flipping them over to ensure both sides are covered in oil.
Grill for approximately 6 minutes per side until golden in colour with grill marks. If the eggplant slices become dry and stick to the grill, brush them with more oil.
Once the eggplant is tender and cooked. Remove from the grill and return back to oil, herb and garlic mixture in the pan. Flip once so that both sides are coated before transferring to a serving platter. Spoon any of the excess herbs & garlic overtop before serving. The eggplant can be enjoyed hot or at room temperature and will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.