Get ready to revolutionize your summer grilling with these incredibly flavorful Eggplant Kebabs. Marinated to perfection, grilled until tender, and then nestled into warm pita bread, these kebabs are smothered with a zesty garlic sauce and an abundance of fresh, crisp vegetables. This recipe proudly stands as a vibrant vegan dish, yet its rich flavors are so captivating that even the most dedicated meat-eaters will savor every bite without a second thought.
Grilled Eggplant Kebabs: Your New Favorite Summer Meal
Planning a barbecue or simply looking for a lighter, yet equally satisfying, dinner option? It’s time to swap out those heavy meat skewers for something refreshingly different and bursting with flavor. Imagine this: you’re relaxing outdoors, a cool glass of rosé in hand, the gentle rhythm of your favorite tunes playing in the background, and then – voilà! – you bite into a medley of summer’s finest vegetables, perfectly grilled and tucked into a portable, delicious flatbread. These marinated eggplant kebabs take mere minutes to grill, then they’re lovingly wrapped in a flatbread filled with creamy hummus, ripe avocado, an array of garden-fresh vegetables, and a luscious, subtly sweet garlic sauce. This delightful creation comes courtesy of the talented Nina Olsson, promising an unforgettable culinary experience.
Eggplant Kebabs
David Leite
Saved
Mains
Middle Eastern
4
servings
677
kcal
45 minutes
15 minutes
1 hour
30 minutes
Equipment
-
8 to 16 wooden skewers
Ingredients
For the Marinated Eggplant
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
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2 teaspoons ground cumin
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1 teaspoon ground coriander
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1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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3/4 teaspoon sea salt
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2 medium eggplants, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch (25-mm) chunks
For the Garlic Sauce
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6 tablespoons olive oil
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5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
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2 tablespoons plain yogurt, preferably full-fat
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1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey
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3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
For Serving
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2 avocados, diced
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1 small red onion, thinly sliced
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3 1/2 ounces green or purple cabbage, shredded
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3 1/2 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
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1 about 6 oz red pepper, cut into strips
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2 1/4 cups baby spinach
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A handful fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, and parsley, coarsely chopped
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A handful of toasted almonds or other nuts
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4 flatbreads
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Store-bought or homemade hummus
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Store-bought or homemade harissa
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Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Instructions
Marinate the Eggplant
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In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, ground cumin, ground coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, and sea salt. Mix well to create your aromatic marinade.
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Add the 1-inch (25-mm) eggplant chunks to the bowl, tossing gently to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated with the spice mixture. Allow the eggplant to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. For deeper flavor, you can cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
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While the eggplant is marinating, prepare your wooden skewers. Fill a shallow dish with water and submerge the skewers in it. Soaking prevents them from burning on the grill.
Prepare the Tangy Garlic Sauce
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In a small food processor or using an immersion blender, combine the 6 tablespoons of olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, plain yogurt, agave syrup (or honey), and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Process until all ingredients are well combined and the sauce is smooth.
☞ TESTER TIP: If you don’t have an immersion blender or a small food processor, you can still achieve a fantastic sauce. Begin by mashing the peeled garlic cloves and salt with a fork or the flat side of a chef’s knife until a smooth paste forms. Then, transfer the garlic paste to a bowl and whisk in the remaining ingredients until fully incorporated.
Grill the Eggplant Kebabs
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Preheat your grill: light a charcoal or gas grill and allow it to heat until hot. Alternatively, if using a stovetop, heat a grill pan over high heat.
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Once the eggplant has marinated and skewers are soaked, thread the eggplant chunks onto the prepared wooden skewers. Aim for approximately 8 chunks per skewer, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
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Place the eggplant kebabs on the hot grill or grill pan. Cook, turning them occasionally, for a total of 6 to 12 minutes. The goal is for the eggplant to develop light char marks on the exterior while becoming wonderfully tender on the inside. If using a grill pan, lightly slick the surface with a bit of olive oil before cooking to prevent sticking and enhance charring.
Assemble and Serve the Eggplant Kebabs
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Serve the freshly grilled eggplant kebabs immediately with warm flatbreads and all your desired toppings. Encourage everyone to create their own personalized wraps, combining the tender eggplant, rich hummus, tangy garlic sauce, and crisp fresh vegetables. Any remaining ingredients can be served on the side as a vibrant, fresh salad.
Notes
*What can I substitute for harissa?
Harissa is a beloved North African chili paste with a complex flavor profile that goes beyond just heat. While finding an exact match can be tricky, if you’re primarily seeking to replicate its spice level, sambal olek or Sriracha are excellent choices. However, for a flavor closer to harissa’s unique blend, consider adding a pinch of caraway seeds to your chosen chili paste, as caraway is a key ingredient in many traditional harissa recipes and will impart that signature aromatic depth.
Adapted From
Feasts of Veg
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Scale
Summarize
Nutrition
Serving:
1
portion
Calories:
677
kcal
Carbohydrates:
57
g
Protein:
12
g
Fat:
49
g
Saturated Fat:
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat:
34
g
Trans Fat:
1
g
Cholesterol:
1
mg
Sodium:
1099
mg
Fiber:
20
g
Sugar:
14
g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?
Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Insights from Our Recipe Testers
Helena Pereira
Helena raves about the perfect harmony of flavors in this dish, describing it as a delightful blend of spicy eggplant, fresh salad, robust harissa, and smooth hummus, all enveloped in a soft flatbread. She highlights its healthy yet delicious nature, noting the simplicity of ingredients and ease of preparation. Her experience involved achieving beautifully charred and tender eggplant in just 10 minutes, making it a quick and rewarding meal.
Mel H.
Mel found these eggplant kebabs surprisingly easy to prepare. She used four small globe eggplants, noting that the marinade quantity was ideal for thoroughly coating all the pieces. She let her eggplant marinate for about 4 hours, which likely contributed to a deeper flavor. Without an immersion blender, Mel suggests a clever workaround for the garlic sauce: mashing fresh garlic and salt into a paste before stirring it into yogurt for a smooth consistency. She praised the fresh, crunchy salad components and suggested a simple lemon and olive oil dressing for an added zing. For the eggplant itself, Mel found adding a little extra oil to the second batch helped the spices cook through and made them even more delicious. She cooked them for approximately 6 minutes on the stovetop to achieve a desirable char and tenderness, advising against overcooking as they continue to soften post-grill. The recipe yielded four generous servings, especially when paired with homemade hummus and harissa (which she also made from scratch), concluding that these kebabs are “totally delicious” and a definite repeat.
Melissa Maedgen
Melissa describes these wraps as a “lot going on,” but emphasizes that the effort is well worth the incredible flavor payoff. She highlights the bright, herbal crunch of the salad contrasting beautifully with the smooth eggplant and avocado. The dish offers a symphony of tastes: warm spices from the eggplant, the tang of hummus, pungent garlic sauce, and the satisfying heat of harissa. This combination creates a perfectly balanced vegetarian (or vegan, as she made it) meal, both in flavor and nutrition. Melissa successfully made the garlic sauce vegan using almond yogurt and agave syrup, noting that the strong flavors of olive oil and garlic mask any substitution, making it imperceptible. She also suggests this recipe would work wonderfully with tofu or tempeh for those who are not keen on eggplant. Melissa advises that you’ll likely have leftover garlic sauce due to its intensity and recommends storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freezing for longer. Using one very large eggplant, her cooking time was slightly longer than suggested—about 6 minutes per side on her Big Green Egg—resulting in perfectly browned chunks with appealing grill marks. She prepared 8 eggplant skewers and used two per wrap, ensuring a hearty serving. Melissa also used a generous handful of each fresh herb: cilantro, mint, and parsley, for maximum aromatic impact.
Deirdre Knowlton
Deirdre found these kebabs to be a true “party on the taste buds” when combined with the vibrant salad, rich sauce, and creamy hummus. Though not strictly vegetarian, her household aims to limit meat, and she declared this recipe a truly satisfying vegetarian option. She used large eggplants and found the initial marinade quantity a bit sparse, opting to double it to ensure all the eggplant was well-coated. For convenience, she marinated her eggplant in a resealable plastic bag. Her grilling time was efficient, approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning the kebabs once for even cooking. Deirdre’s feedback underscores the dish’s ability to deliver bold flavors and a satisfying experience for everyone.
Tried this recipe?
Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!