I absolutely love eggplant. Because it isn’t broccoli but it still counts as a vegetable. I also love tahini but it can be a bit salty, oily and bitter if you don’t jazz it up a bit. Welcome to the jazziest tahini dressing that is smooth and just a bit sweet and lemony. It’s the perfect drizzle for my Grilled Marinated Eggplant with Honey Lemon Tahini Sauce.
Quick summer dishes, especially side dishes are so simple to make but sometimes you just can’t just come up with a new idea. So let me help you add this grilled marinated eggplant to your go-to list of summer sides that aren’t the usual potato or tomato salads. Not that there is anything blah about those, but everyone needs something new in their life once in a while, right? Fortunately, not only is this simple, it is also really different.
When I am grilling, I like to pair the flavors in a marinade with the any topping or dressing that will go on top or in a side dish. So, for example, if I am marinating a flank steak in red wine and thyme, I will add the same flavors to the vinaigrette that I put on the side salad. Here, I marinated the eggplant using honey and added honey to the tahini drizzle to round out and soften the flavor of the grilled marinated eggplant. I call this PARALLEL FLAVORS, and it’s really a great concept because your dishes don’t all taste the same, but they blend well together when served as a meal.
Summer is just beginning and along with the change in the weather, I am firing up the grill and hope to bring you lots of new ideas so that your days (and especially your weekends) all become celebrations because sunlight makes all things happy and bright. Including your meals! And, summer produce season means lots of fresh, delicious fruits and veggies! This Grilled Marinated Eggplant with Lemon Honey Tahini Sauce is the perfect celebration of summer and the bounty it brings.
Looking for more great recipes featuring eggplant? Check out my Turkey Moussaka Eggplant Boats, Grilled Vegetables with Goat Cheese and Spinach Fettuccine, and Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Platter with Sweet and Savory Eggplant, Labneh, Feta and Hummus.
Grilled Marinated Eggplant with Lemon Honey Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
For the eggplants:
- 2 eggplants each sliced vertically into 4-5 slices
- 1 tablespoon salt
Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
For the tahini sauce:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup tahini preferably Soom brand
- juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
For the eggplants:
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Evenly salt all of the eggplant slices which you can lay on paper towels in the sink. Let the eggplant sit for ½ hour until all of the bitter juices have risen to the top. Wipe each slice thoroughly with a damp paper towel so the eggplant is not too salty.
For the marinade:
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Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss in the eggplant slices. You can grill them immediately or set them aside for up to an hour, tossing them around from time to time.
For the tahini sauce:
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Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Thin the sauce with 2 tablespoons of very hot water until it is very smooth. Put the sauce in a small Ziploc sandwich bag, spooning it down in one corner. Set aside.
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Heat outdoor grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Place the eggplant slices in a single layer and turn the heat to medium. Close the top of the grill. Grill the eggplant until it is just brown on one side, about 10 minutes. Turn the eggplant over and grill for 2 more minutes, covered. Turn off the grill and let the eggplant continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until it is soft but not falling apart. If you are cooking the eggplant on a grill pan, cover the pan with aluminum foil after you first put the eggplant slices on the pan.
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Transfer the eggplant slices to a plate, cut the corner off of the Ziploc bag and drizzle the tahini sauce all over the eggplant.
