When transitioning to a plant-centric diet, people sometimes remove the meat only to be left with an empty plate — it can be tough to know what to add in its place. Enter hearty vegetables you can sink your teeth into! Eggplant “steaks” are simple to make, taste delicious, and come without unwanted ingredients. When you top it with fresh Mediterranean vegetables like tomato, onion, olives, cucumber and tofu feta, you have yourself a meal that is filling and satisfying.
Yields4 ServingsPrep Time15 minsCook Time8 minsTotal Time23 mins
Ingredients
Topping
4organic roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
1cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced)
1cupred onion (diced)
½cupkalamata olives (or green olives, sliced)
½cupflat-leaf parsley (chopped)
2tspdried oregano
½tspsalt (optional)
¼tspground black pepper (optional)
Eggplant
2eggplants (stem removed, sliced lengthwise into ½” wide “steaks” (you should get 8–10 “steaks”))
¼cupbalsamic vinegar
½tspchili powder
½tspgarlic powder
¼tspsalt (optional)
¼tspground black pepper (optional)
1batch of vegan feta (link in Chef's Notes, optional)
1medium lemon (sliced in half)
Directions
1
Make your topping: Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper, if using, to a large mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2
Make the eggplant: With a pastry brush, brush each side of each steak with balsamic vinegar.
3
Sprinkle the steaks with chili powder, salt and pepper, if using.
4
Heat a large stovetop pan over medium heat. Grill the eggplant steaks until tender, about 3–4 minutes per side.
5
Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and top with the vegan feta (if using), tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, parsley and salt and pepper, if using.
6
Squeeze lemon juice over the top.
Chef's Notes
Substitutions For the tomatoes, use any tomato you have on hand.
Instead of red onion, use yellow or white onion, or shallots.
In place of parsley, use basil or chives.
Prep Ahead Make the topping ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make the vegan feta ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days.
Storage Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the oven at 375 degrees for 15–20 minutes. (The topping can be reheated with the eggplant.)
Ingredients
Topping
4organic roma tomatoes (seeded and diced)
1cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced)
1cupred onion (diced)
½cupkalamata olives (or green olives, sliced)
½cupflat-leaf parsley (chopped)
2tspdried oregano
½tspsalt (optional)
¼tspground black pepper (optional)
Eggplant
2eggplants (stem removed, sliced lengthwise into ½” wide “steaks” (you should get 8–10 “steaks”))
¼cupbalsamic vinegar
½tspchili powder
½tspgarlic powder
¼tspsalt (optional)
¼tspground black pepper (optional)
1batch of vegan feta (link in Chef's Notes, optional)
1medium lemon (sliced in half)
Directions
1
Make your topping: Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper, if using, to a large mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
2
Make the eggplant: With a pastry brush, brush each side of each steak with balsamic vinegar.
3
Sprinkle the steaks with chili powder, salt and pepper, if using.
4
Heat a large stovetop pan over medium heat. Grill the eggplant steaks until tender, about 3–4 minutes per side.
5
Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and top with the vegan feta (if using), tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, parsley and salt and pepper, if using.
