by Audrey
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Out of the numerous little bites that came out of my kitchen so far this year, these have to be in my top 3. Inspired from Mediterranean cuisine where eggplant holds a prominent role, these Eggplant Slices with Goat Cheese and Walnuts are as simple to make as they are delicious.
A great, delicious recipe to celebrate this late-Summer, plum purple vegetable.
An appetizer, a salad topping or a side dish.
This is a simple and versatile eggplant recipe, that can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. The eggplant cooks up meltingly tender and creamy, absorbing all the flavors from the olive oil and thyme. The sprinkles of goat cheese and walnuts add a great amount of tanginess and crunch.
You can serve it warm or at room temperature as an appetizer, to top off a salad, or as a side dish.
Cooking notes:
- Draining the eggplant. It is important to drain the eggplant slices in a strainer with salt prior to cooking them. This step extracts the excess moisture from the eggplant to prevent it from turning mushy when cooked, and also to cut out some of the bitterness.
- You can substitute goat cheese for feta, or even bits of brie.
- You can substitute the chopped walnuts for pine nuts.
Eggplant Toasts with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Print Recipe
Serves: 14-16 slices Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 4.2/5
( 15 voted )
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut in 0.5-inch (1.25cm) thick slices
½ tbsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup (60ml) Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup (75g) Goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup (40g) chopped walnuts
4-5 fresh thyme sprigs, stemmed
Instructions
Step 1 - Place the eggplant slices in a strainer and toss with ½ tbsp salt. Let drain for 1 hour. After 1 hour, rinse off the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 2 - Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large frying pan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the eggplant slices until soft and golden, about 3 minutes on each side, working in batches (do not overlap the eggplant slices in the pan).
Step 3 - Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet, in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the goat cheese and chopped walnuts evenly onto the eggplant slices. Top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Drizzle some olive oil over everything.
Bake the eggplant slices until golden, about 12-13 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram and tag @pardonyourfrench
If you try this Eggplant Toasts with Goat Cheese and Walnuts, let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench onInstagram.
Bon Appétit!
If you like Eggplants, you may also like:
- Eggplant Caviar Dip
- Corsican-Style Stuffed Eggplants
Eggplantgoat cheesethymewalnuts
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15 comments
Amen Kahwajy July 16, 2019 - 12:24 pm
Served this as a side last night. The oven finish was key to the “toast”, and the thyme was a great addition. Thank you.
Reply
Pardon your French July 16, 2019 - 5:36 pm
Great, thank you for your feedback!
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sheenam @ thetwincookingproject July 18, 2019 - 4:58 am
oh I love goats cheese and i love grilled/ toasted egg plant!! This looks absolutely delicious,
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Pardon your French July 18, 2019 - 11:57 am
Thank you!
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Doreen August 4, 2019 - 6:39 pm
I made this recipe last evening as an appetizer, delicious combination of flavors. We enjoyed them with a glass of wine on the deck. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Reply
Audrey August 4, 2019 - 8:10 pm
My pleasure, thank you for sharing your feedback!
Reply
diana February 16, 2020 - 10:12 pm
@Audrey, could I just bake on each side for like 15 mins (skip the fry step for more ease and less clean up), then add the toppings and pop back into oven? What do you think?
Reply
Audrey February 18, 2020 - 7:26 pm
Hi Diana. You could try skipping the fry step, and bake the slices 15 minutes on each side – but I recommend you still use the same amount of EVOO and drizzle the slices generously before baking or they will end up dry and uncooked.
Reply
Anonymous June 19, 2022 - 10:40 pm
Served this on top of fettuccini with a white wine and caper sauce. It all melted together beautifully! Love how easy it was, too.
Reply
Audrey June 22, 2022 - 5:23 pm
Thank you!
Reply
15 Eggplant Appetizers(Cold, Fried and Easy) - Best Homemade Recipes October 22, 2022 - 9:24 am
[…] 14. Eggplant Toasts with Goat Cheese and Walnuts […]
Reply
Amanda January 11, 2023 - 12:47 am
These are so good! You can’t stop at just one. I guess it helps that these are all of my favourite ingredients in one bite… a great dish for parties
Reply
Audrey January 11, 2023 - 11:57 am
Love it, Amanda! And why stop at just one, right? These are made to have more than a few!
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Lisa M. March 8, 2023 - 4:01 pm
If you were to serve these over a salad or even just green, what kind of greens would you recommend?
Reply
Audrey March 8, 2023 - 4:16 pm
Hello, Lisa. I think arugula (also known as rocket or roquette) would be a great choice for this. Would love to know how it turned out if you make it this way. I think all those flavors would pair wonderfully with that type of green.
Reply
Audrey
Bonjour ! I'm Audrey Le Goff, a French cookery writer, photographer, creator of the blog Pardon your French, and cookbook author of Rustic French Cooking Made Easy.
