finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

  • Recipes By Type
    • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Goodies
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes & Veggies
    • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
    • Snacks
    • Full Recipe Index
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
    • Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist
  • Whatcha Need??
    • Foods I’m Obsessed With
    • 30 Minutes or Less…for the Time-Challenged Cook
    • What Bread To Make (Based on Your Time)
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Super Healthy
    • Cooking for One
    • Soup
    • Unleavened Bread Recipes
  • About Me & More
    • Get In Touch!
    • How-Tos
    • Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With
    • Food and Travel—Two of My Favorite Things
    • Bunion Surgery Recovery Tips
    • Tips for Liver Detox / Gut Health Protocol

Grilled Eggplant with Goat Cheese, Balsamic, & Pine Nuts

August 5, 2013

I have a confession. I’ve never really loved eggplant. I don’t hate it, but I never choose it. I find it kind of squishy and a little bitter and mostly underwhelming. I will never order eggplant parmesan, and I find baba ganoush just plain weird.

I feel like they’re going to take away my Italo-phile card…

grilled balsamic eggplant finished

The great thing about this dish is that it’s super simple, but seems fancy, like you took a lot of time with it. And anything that has goat cheese, balsamic, and pine nuts is okay by me!  

(Even eggplant.)

grilled balsamic eggplant finished2

I won’t say that this dish totally changed my mind on eggplant or anything, but I really enjoyed it and it was cool to try preparing a new vegetable (which has been a theme lately, stay tuned for my kohlrabi efforts).

It’s a shame to waste this pretty of a purple on a weird vegetable.

Cut the eggplant into even slices. I went a little thick because I wanted to make sure they held up on the grill, but next time I’d go a little thinner since eggplant can be a little tough—and they were totally fine on the grill.

SO. The original recipe didn’t say anything about having to prep the eggplant, which made me very confused. Everything I’ve ever read or been told about eggplant (including by my Italian host mom, Giovanna) says you have to prep eggplant correctly or it will be nasty and bitter. I remember sitting with her while she carefully patted them dry before frying and layering them. So I went ahead and did that, just in case.

To prep it, salt each side of the eggplant and stack them on a plate or in a container. Leave them for at least half an hour, but I’d do an hour if you can swing it (mine were still a tiny bit tough and bitter). Then rinse the salt off each piece and pat dry with a flour sack (tea) towel or paper towels.

Prepping your eggplant is important for taste and texture

You can toast the pine nuts ahead of time, just put them in a little skillet for a couple minutes over medium heat. Shake them around once or twice so they don’t burn, and set aside.

grilled balsamic eggplant pine nuts

Get your goat cheese out a little ahead of time as well, so it can soften. Then cut into little chunks. It really is better to use the log goat cheese for this instead of the “goat cheese crumbles”, which are drier and harder, and not nearly as delicious.

grilled balsamic eggplant goat cheese

When your eggplant has been rinsed and patted dry, brush each side with olive oil or toss the whole lot in a bowl with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Also, heat your grill to a medium temp (like 350-400 ish??).

grilled balsamic eggplant slices oil

Grill for about 4 minutes on each side, and make sure you get good grill marks on each side (don’t turn too soon!). 

grilled balsamic eggplant slices grilling

Once the eggplant is done, pull them off the grill and arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle the basil (I didn’t have, so I omitted), pine nuts, and goat cheese over the top and drizzle the balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and remaining oil over it.

Et voila…grilled balsamic eggplant with goat cheese and pine nuts!

grilled balsamic eggplant finished3

Overall I loved the flavors of this dish, though eggplant still isn’t my favorite. 

Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic, Goat Cheese, & Pine Nuts...delicious grilled side dish

One other tip…it’s not nearly as good leftover, so if you’re making I’d make a batch just big enough to eat, or make it for a big group of something.

Other grilled side dishes you’ll love:

  • Grilled Gorgonzola Potatoes
  • Cheesy Rosemary Sweet Potatoes on the Grill
  • Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Salt

Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic, Goat Cheese, & Pine Nuts

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1/3 cup of fresh basil, chiffonade (finely minced)
  • 6 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled (log is WAY better than crumbles)
  • 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup of toasted pine nuts
  • ½ teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of fresh-ground salt
  • Extra salt for “prepping” the eggplant

Prep the eggplant ahead of time. Lightly salt each side of the eggplant and stack them on a plate or in a container. Leave for at least half an hour—I’d do an hour if you can swing it. Then rinse the salt off each and pat dry with a flour sack (tea) towel or paper towels.

Heat the grill to medium (350-400 F ish) and brush 3 tablespoons of the oil over both sides of all the eggplant slices. Grill for about 4 minutes on each side, and make sure you get good grill marks on each side. 

Arrange the grilled eggplant on a serving platter. Sprinkle the basil (I didn’t have, so I omitted), pine nuts, and goat cheese over the top and drizzle the balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and remaining oil over it.

Original recipe here

Pin for later!

Grilled eggplant with balsamic, pine nuts, & goat cheese

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Side Dishes & Veggies, Super Healthy

« Time for a change of scenery…
Barbecue Chardonnay Chicken »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

Follow Along!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Recent IG Adventures!

While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in o While I eagerly await warmer weather, I snuck in one last winter cocktail...here's some Sage Advice! It's a winter-y version of a whiskey sour bringing both cinnamon and sage, and then skirting the line of daiquiri with the substitution of lime juice for the traditional lemon. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking
#cocktailrecipe #bourbon #bourboncocktails #whiskeysour
Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cooki Forget your run-of-the-mill double chocolate cookies 🍫 These TRIPLE dark chocolate cookies (with a hint of whiskey & balance with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt) are rich indulgence without being sickly sweet. They're also soooo easy...no special tools, no dough chilling. Delish cookies in under 30 minutes! 

Tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo to get the full recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#chocoholic #chocolatecookies #darkchocolate #cookierecipe
A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? A recipe that gets me to eat broccoli every day?? SOLD. And it is so fast & easy that it can barely be called a "recipe"...these cumin roasted broccoli bits in the air fryer (though you can use an oven instead) are crazy fast, healthy, & delicious!

Tap the link in my IG bio & pick this photo to see the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#airfryer #broccoli #easysidedish #airfryerrecipes
I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient browni I've been making these healthy 5-ingredient brownies on REPEAT for a couple months now. And knowing that they only take a few minutes to make has been a bit dangerous on random Tuesday nights when my sweet tooth strikes! 

Oh, and I forgot to mention that they're naturally gluten- & grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, and (optionally) no sweetener added? 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! --> @findingtimeforcooking 

#healthydessert #healthybrownies #glutenfreerecipes #vegandessert
This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic This cranberry snack cake is seriously my platonic ideal for a cake. I DREAM of this cake. A soft, moist, dense buttery vanilla cake batter is studded with tart fresh cranberries, with a tiny crunch of raw sugar on top. A perfect dessert or snack for pretty much any occasion...including with a cup of tea on a random Tuesday afternoon...

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe! 
--> @findingtimeforcooking 
#cranberrycake #cranberries #cranberryrecipe #bestdessert
These super easy marinated white beans are packed These super easy marinated white beans are packed with flavor & only take a few minutes to make! Even better?? They're best when made ahead of time (in 5 minutes!) and left for a day or two in the fridge for the flavors to really meld & intensify. 

This has become a go-to plant-based recipe, but I often throw some grilled salmon or chicken on top for a full meal. 

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this pic to get the recipe!
#veganrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #whitebeans #plantbasedrecipes
A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it A lot of people don't realize how easy & cheap it is to make your own kombucha at home...you can have an entire gallon for less than the cost of one bottle at the store! 

I can't even keep a bamboo plant alive, yet have managed to keep the same "scoby" starter healthy & active for well over a decade. 

Here are easy step-by-step instructions for making your own kombucha at home, & the tools you'll need to do so! Tap the link in my IG bio (@findingtimeforcooking) & click on this photo to see the whole post.
#homemadekombucha #kombuchabrewing #healthyguthappylife #scoby
I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying I'm not generally a soup person, though I'm trying to be more 🍜 But this Turkish corba (a spiced red lentil soup) has always been one of my exceptions.  It's CRAZY easy to make, full of veggies and the protein from the lentils, and just feels like a warm hug in a bowl!  A great vegetarian dinner idea, perfect on any detox protocol, and just a great cozy recipe for the winter months.

Tap the link in my IG bio & choose this photo to get the recipe!
#corba #redlentils #souprecipe #drcabraldetox
Today, we FANCY. But also lazy. When I first saw a Today, we FANCY. But also lazy. When I first saw a recipe for the "lazy person's kouign amann", I was intrigued...and it definitely lives up to the hype! The texture isn't quite the same as the much more time-consuming and complex authentic French pastry it's hacking, but it's darn close and absolutely delicious. 

To see the recipe, tap the link in my IG bio & click on this photo! --> @findingtimeforcooking 
#kouignamann #frenchpastries #bakingfromscratch #frenchbaking
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Popular Posts

Socca (Chickpea Flatbread) with Roasted Veggies & Goat Cheese

Maple-Glazed Chicken With Sweet Potato Hash

Birthday Vanilla Spice Coke Cake with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting

Porto Tonico: Why the White Port & Tonic Needs To Be Your Next Cocktail

Smitten Kitchen’s Whole Lemon Tart…Birthday Celebration Part 1

Recent Posts

  • Sage Advice: A Winter Bourbon Cocktail
  • Weekday Indulgence: Easy Triple Dark Chocolate Coo…
  • The Best Easy Air Fryer Broccoli Bits (Roasted wit…

Categories

  • Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
  • Bread Recipes
  • Breakfast Goodies
  • Cooking for One
  • Desserts
  • Drinks: Cocktails & More
  • Eating Out
  • Family Secret Recipes
  • Food-Related Miscellany
  • Foods I'm Obsessed With
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Go-To Recipes
  • How-Tos
  • Kitchen Gear
  • Main Dishes
  • Pasta Recipes
  • Recipe Experimentation
  • Sauces, Spices, & Other Basics
  • Side Dishes & Veggies
  • Snacks
  • Soup
  • Super Healthy
  • Travel and Food
  • Uncategorized

Privacy Policy & Disclosures

Copyright & Terms of Use

Copyright 2023 Finding Time For Cooking

3 shares