Eggplant and Tomato Recipe
The eggplant and tomato recipe is a vibrant and flavorful dish that combines eggplants’ rich, velvety texture with the juicy, tangy sweetness of tomatoes. This culinary duo, celebrated in cuisines around the world, creates a harmonious blend that’s both nutritious and delicious.
Whether you’re looking for a hearty main course or a delightful side dish, this recipe offers a medley of flavors to satisfy your palate. This eggplant and tomato creation will surely become a beloved staple in your cooking repertoire, perfect for a family dinner, a casual get-together, or a solo culinary adventure.
Although I added it to polenta for this recipe, I’ve also spooned it over pasta and served it alongside steak, chicken, or salmon. And don’t forget the crusty bread. Yum.
We are a participant in Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites. #CommisionsEarned. You can read my disclosure here.
Helpful tips
- Start the polenta first, as it takes 25 minutes.
- Wash the vegetables before you cut or cook them. I use a natural, unscented hand soap I get at Whole Foods. I love this soap, as it’s a foaming soap.
- Look for firm, glossy, and heavy eggplants for their size. Smaller eggplants tend to be less bitter and have thinner skin.
- I don’t think it is necessary to ‘sweat’ the eggplant for this dish. Here is an eggplant parmesan recipe where I don’t sweat the eggplant and you can’t tell the difference. But if you want to, here is how you do it: Slice or dice it, place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let it sit for about 30 minutes before cooking. Rinse off the salt and pat dry.
- Use ripe, fresh tomatoes for the best flavor. If tomatoes aren’t in season, high-quality canned tomatoes can be a great alternative. It will change the taste, but it’s still delicious. If you are going to go with this option, use diced tomatoes and not crushed tomatoes.
- I add some dried basil and oregano but fresh herbs also complement the flavors of eggplant and tomato beautifully. Don’t be shy with adding garlic. You could also add sliced onion before cooking the eggplant and tomatoes.
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil can elevate this dish, enhancing the Mediterranean flavors.
- You can also add a sprinkle of cheese on top, such as feta or Parmesan. You can even add a few shakes of red pepper flakes if you want to spice it up.
- To store any leftover vegetables, you can add them to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to make eggplant and tomato recipe
Pre-step
Get a saucepan to cook the polenta according to the package.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – polenta, goat cheese, beef, chicken, or vegetable broth.
Step two
Add beef broth and water into the saucepan and heat on medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, add polenta and stir the mixture every few minutes so it doesn’t stick.
Step three
While the polenta is cooking, gather the eggplant and tomatoes.
Step four
Heat the wok or sauté pan on medium heat and cut up the washed eggplant into cubes.
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, and once that heats (shimmers), add the eggplant and tomatoes to the pan.
Step five
Add garlic paste (or garlic cloves), basil, oregano, and salt. Stand there as it cooks, alternatively stirring the polenta and eggplant.
The vegetables will be done before the polenta; set it aside.
Step six
When the polenta is done, add 2 ounces of goat cheese and stir it in until it melts.
Step seven
Spoon the creamy polenta in a shallow bowl.
Step eight
Dollop as much as the vegetable mixture on the polenta.
This looks delicious! But before we dive in, let’s look at an overhead shot.
I hope you enjoyed this eggplant and tomato recipe. It is super delicious.
If you love polenta, you’ll love this mussel polenta recipe. You’ll love it even more when you see it has wine.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love to hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Eggplant and Tomato recipe
Ingredients
Polenta
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup polenta (corn grits)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces goat cheese
Vegetable
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium eggplants (ends cut off but cut in cubes or chunks)
- 6 ounces tomatoes (I used small heirlooms)
- 1 teaspoon basil (dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste (or 2 garlic cloves, crushed)
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Pour beef broth and water into a saucepan and heat it on medium.2 cups beef broth, 2 cups water
- Once it comes to a boil, pour the polenta in and stir it until incorporated. Continue to stir it every 5 minutes until it's done at 25 minutes.1 cup polenta
- Meanwhile, heat your sauté pan on medium (I used my wok) and add olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add eggplant, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and garlic. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring the veggies while you stir the polenta.1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 medium eggplants, 6 ounces tomatoes, 1 teaspoon basil, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt
- Set veggies aside and once the polenta is done, stir in the goat cheese until it has melted2 ounces goat cheese
- Ladle some polenta in a bowl or dish, dollop some veggie on top.
- Serve, smile, enjoy.
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Don't worry, I promise not to spam you.
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
Helpful tips
- Start the polenta first, as it takes 25 minutes.
- Wash the vegetables before you cut or cook them. I use a natural, unscented hand soap I get at Whole Foods. I love this soap, as it’s a foaming soap.
- Look for firm, glossy, and heavy eggplants for their size. Smaller eggplants tend to be less bitter and have thinner skin.
- I don’t think it is necessary to ‘sweat’ the eggplant for this dish. Here is an eggplant parmesan recipe where I don’t sweat the eggplant and you can’t tell the difference. But if you want to, here is how you do it: Slice or dice it, place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let it sit for about 30 minutes before cooking. Rinse off the salt and pat dry.
- Use ripe, fresh tomatoes for the best flavor. If tomatoes aren’t in season, high-quality canned tomatoes can be a great alternative. It will change the taste, but it’s still delicious. If you are going to go with this option, use diced tomatoes and not crushed tomatoes.
- I add some dried basil and oregano but fresh herbs also complement the flavors of eggplant and tomato beautifully. Don’t be shy with adding garlic. You could also add sliced onion before cooking the eggplant and tomatoes.
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil can elevate this dish, enhancing the Mediterranean flavors.
- You can also add a sprinkle of cheese on top, such as feta or Parmesan. You can even add a few shakes of red pepper flakes if you want to spice it up.
- To store any leftover vegetables, you can add them to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to a week.
I haven’t seen this combination. It looks so good! I need to try this.
Thank you Brandi! I appreciate it!
I love polenta. This is a great use of the veggies with it. Have to give this a try!
Thank you Serena!!
Believe it or not I fell in love with polenta as a child. Of course it was fried in discs and had maple syrup on it but it was a start. Your recipe is wonderful with eggplant and tomatoes. I’ll absolutely be making it very soon.
Thanks so much Ginny!! I had it like that too when I was a kid. Mmmmm.
I never had it like that growing up but I love polenta now. I grew up eating grits in every imaginable way, though, and they are basically the same thing. The only difference is the grind! I make a similar version to this with veg but I add goat cheese in, because I AM A GOAT CHEESE FANATIC! And I have some eggplant just waiting to be used in my fridge right now 🙂
Woohoo Jeni! Hope you like it!
Polenta is a recent discovery in our house, so I would love to try new ways of eating it. This looks delicious.
Thanks so much Dannii!
Oh my!!! Polenta is in my gene as much as it is in Chris’. Mom made it almost the same way as Chris’, just she never served it on a huge board 🙂 I love polenta any way but never made it like yours, it looks so good, I must absolutely try it! YUM!
Thanks so much Patty. Can’t wait to tell Christopher that you had it like he did!!
I love polenta, and I always buy Bob’s Red Mill!!! It’s the best!
I so agree Sarah! I love polenta too! Thanks for your comment!
There is nothing quite like a nice creamy rich bowl of polenta! It’s a blank canvas for adding yummy ingredients to! Thanks for sharing!
This just hit the top of the must make pile, Elaine! OMG yum! I absolutely adore polenta but don’t make it nearly enough. LOVE the story about Christopher’s family too. What a way to enjoy such a gorgeous meal ????
Polenta and egg plant – love both, but I have never thought of combining these two . Looks delicious . Can’t wait to try !
Thank you Syama!!
Sounds delish! That polenta looks so creamy and delicious!
Thanks so much Jessica!
While I’m a total meat eater, I love meatless meal options and this looks delicious.
Thanks Cheryl!
I love polenta and I wish I could eat it the way Christopher use to eat it. Though you might want to let him know that as an Italian he has been living in sin: we never eat meat at Christmas eve. Your eggplant version will do and I am ready to dig in !!!
Laura! Haha. We know about the fish on Christmas Eve but they are rebels!
I wish my husband liked eggplant more. This looks divine! I love Bob’s Red Mill, too.
Thank you Alicia!
It took me a long time to come around on polenta, but now that I have I can’t get enough. I’ll have to try this!
Leslie! I think it’s because we think of corn muffins and sweet. Polenta isn’t sweet. I get it why it took you a while!
I don’t know why I don’t make polenta more frequently – I have a bag of it in the pantry! This recipe looks super appealing, pinning to help me break out of my rut!
Thanks so much Monica!!
I love polenta and definitely don’t make it enough. This dish looks amazing! Love that you used eggplant – It pairs perfectly with the polenta!
Thanks so much Christine!
Sigh. I’m remembering how much I enjoyed eating this meal!!
Hehe Chris. Soon, sir, very, very soon.
This looks like a great side dish or would even be perfect as a light weeknight meal!!
Yes, indeed Kathryn!
Your polenta sounds wonderful! I am a new polenta eater but your recipe is on my list of must-try. Pinned!
Thank you Carrie! It’s rather tasty, hope you enjoy it!
This recipe is A. Making me crave polenta and B. Getting me thinking about fun holiday dinner traditions!
What fun Abby to have this at the holidays.
To me, this is just one huge bowl of comfort! I love the flavors and perfect for a family meal
Thanks so much Eileen!
We enjoy polenta..but never try with eggplant.. İ should try this combination soon.
Thanks Çitra!
Polenta with tomatoes – the perfect combo!
Thanks so much Lynette!! It really is!
I am so glad to come across this recipe! I just picked up some of Bob’s polenta a couple of weeks ago to make a cheesy shrimp and grits. It was so good and the texture was amazing! I used to use just corn meal, until I learned that Bob’s made actual polenta. Can’t wait to try out this flavor combination for something completely different!
Thanks so much Renee! I hope you enjoy it. It’s so delicious!