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A bowl of cooked quinoa, eggplant, beans, and peppers is accompanied by a small plate of greens. They rest on a white tablecloth.
5 from 1 vote

Eggplant Quinoa

Author - Gena Hamshaw
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 globe eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 lb)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup quinoa (dry)
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans or chickpeas (1 14.5-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 cup roasted red bell pepper strips (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves (substitute 1 teaspoon dried oregano)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400F. Place the eggplant pieces in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Stir the eggplant with your hands and allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes, or until you see beads of moisture forming on the eggplant cubes. Pat the cubes dry with a paper towel or tea towel.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spread the eggplant pieces on one sheet and drizzle evenly with the olive oil. Use your hands to gently toss the cubes in the oil to coat them evenly, then give them another light sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
  • Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Allow the eggplant to roast for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven and stir to prevent pieces from sticking. Return it to the oven and let it roast for another 20 minutes, or until it's very tender and browning.
  • While the eggplant roasts, rinse the quinoa under running water in a fine sieve for about a minute. combine the quinoa with 1 3/4 cups water in a medium sized saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the quinoa, and allow it to simmer, covered, for 13 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat, fluff with a fork, re-cover, and allow it to steam for 5 minutes.
  • When the eggplant and quinoa are ready, combine them in a large mixing bowl with the beans and red bell pepper. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, salt and a dash of pepper. Add these ingredients to the eggplant and quinoa mixture. Toss everything to combine well, then adjust seasonings to taste. Serve.