Roasted Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt and Pomegranate

Name: Roasted Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt and Pomegranate
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 medium (600 g) medium globe eggplants (about 10 oz / 300 g each), stems left on, halved lengthwise, flesh scored in a 1-inch (2.5 cm) diamond pattern about ½ inch (1 cm) deep; 4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 1 cup (240 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, cool, not ice cold; 2 medium cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, finely grated to a paste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) kosher salt; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; ⅓ cup (50 g) pomegranate seeds (arils); ¼ cup (6 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons (18 g) pine nuts (optional); ½ teaspoon (1 g) sumac (optional); flaky sea salt, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Deeply caramelized eggplant halves are roasted until silky, then spooned over cool garlicky yogurt and finished with jewel-like pomegranate seeds, fresh mint, and toasted pine nuts. A simple, show-stopping mezze or side.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 servings (2 eggplant halves-worth per 2 people, about 8 wedges total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the eggplant
2 medium (600 g) medium globe eggplants (about 10 oz / 300 g each), stems left on, halved lengthwise, flesh scored in a 1-inch (2.5 cm) diamond pattern about ½ inch (1 cm) deep
4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
For the garlic yogurt
1 cup (240 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, cool, not ice cold
2 medium cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, finely grated to a paste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
To finish
⅓ cup (50 g) pomegranate seeds (arils)
¼ cup (6 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (18 g) pine nuts (optional)
½ teaspoon (1 g) sumac (optional)
flaky sea salt, to taste

Equipment (6)

Large rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm), lined with parchment paper
Small skillet for toasting nuts
Small mixing bowl
Microplane or fine grater
Sharp knife and cutting board
Pastry brush or spoon for oiling

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the center and preheat to 425°F (220°C) with a large rimmed baking sheet inside if you want extra browning.
Choose firm eggplants with glossy, tight skin that feel heavy for their size; they have fewer seeds and less bitterness.
Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt for a thick, creamy base; thin yogurt will run on the plate.
Remove the yogurt from the fridge 20 minutes before assembling so it is cool, not ice cold.

1
Preheat and prepOven 425°F / 220°C
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with the rack in the center.
- Line the 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) baking sheet with parchment.
- Halve the eggplants lengthwise through the stems.
- With a sharp knife, score the cut sides in a 1-inch (2.5 cm) diamond pattern, cutting about ½ inch (1 cm) deep without piercing the skin.
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Ready when: Cuts form a clear diamond grid and the skin is intact.
Tip: Cut only into the flesh; piercing the skin lets oil leak out and the eggplant can dry out.
2
Season the eggplant
- Set the halves cut-side up on the sheet.
- Spoon 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the olive oil over the cut faces, pushing it into the scores with the back of the spoon.
- Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt, the cumin, and a few grinds of pepper.
- Let sit 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating so the flesh absorbs the oil.
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Ready when: Surface looks glossy with no dry patches.
Tip: If spots look dry, drizzle on the remaining oil; eggplant soaks up oil quickly.
3
Roast cut-side upOven 425°F / 220°C
- Roast on the center rack at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes, until the flesh is starting to turn golden and has softened slightly.
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Ready when: Edges are golden and the flesh has begun to slump.
4
Finish roastingOven 425°F / 220°C
- Brush or spoon the last tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil over the halves.
- Return to the oven and roast 15–20 minutes more, until the flesh is deep golden brown, collapsed, and a knife slides in with no resistance.
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Ready when: Flesh is deeply browned, very soft, and the skin is wrinkled and shrunken.
Tip: If the tops brown before the centers soften, tent loosely with foil.
5
Toast the pine nuts
- While the eggplant finishes, toast the pine nuts in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, for 3–4 minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Tip them onto a plate immediately.
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Ready when: Nuts are light golden brown and smell nutty.
Tip: Pine nuts burn within seconds of turning golden; move them off the hot pan right away.
6
Mix garlic yogurt
- In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil until smooth and loose enough to spread.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or a few drops of lemon if needed.
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Ready when: Yogurt is smooth, creamy, and tastes garlicky and tangy.
Tip: Grate the garlic as finely as possible so no raw chunks bite through.
7
Cool the eggplant
- Remove the eggplant from the oven and let it rest on the sheet for 5 minutes.
- It should be warm, not piping hot, so it doesn't thin out the yogurt.
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Ready when: Steam has mostly stopped and halves are warm to the touch.
8
Assemble and serve
- Spread the garlic yogurt across a serving platter, making a shallow well with the back of a spoon.
- Set the eggplant halves on top, cut-side up.
- Scatter with pomegranate seeds, mint, pine nuts, and sumac.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt.
- Serve right away with warm flatbread.
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Ready when: Platter is topped with bright seeds and herbs over creamy yogurt.
Tip: Add pomegranate and mint at the last moment so they stay crisp and vivid.

Good to know

Tips

Score the flesh deeply but not through the skin so the heat and oil penetrate and the eggplant cooks evenly.
Don't skimp on the oil: eggplant needs it to turn creamy rather than leathery.
Grate the garlic to a paste with a Microplane so it blends smoothly into the yogurt instead of tasting harsh.
Serve warm or at room temperature; piping hot eggplant will melt the yogurt into a runny pool.

Make ahead

"Roast the eggplant up to 1 day ahead, cool, and refrigerate covered; bring to room temperature or rewarm 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Mix the garlic yogurt up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate covered. Add pomegranate, mint, and nuts only when serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: store eggplant and yogurt separately in airtight containers up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended for the yogurt; roasted eggplant alone freezes up to 2 months. Reheat eggplant at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes or serve at room temperature."

Substitutions

full-fat plain Greek yogurt → Labneh or dairy-free coconut or almond yogurt. Labneh is thicker, so thin with a teaspoon of water; unsweetened dairy-free yogurt works but is less tangy, so add extra lemon.
pine nuts → Sliced almonds or chopped pistachios. Toast the same way; watch closely as almonds take 1–2 minutes longer.
fresh mint leaves → Fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill. Use the same amount; the flavor will be greener and less cooling.
sumac → Finely grated lemon zest. Use about ½ teaspoon zest for a similar citrusy brightness.