Use this master formula as your guide—but feel free to get creative with the add-ins. A dried chile? Sure! A few sprigs of herbs from your windowsill? Why not?
Recipe information
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
1
½
½
¾
¾
1
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Toss eggplant, garlic, lemon zest, oil, fennel seeds, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.
Step 2
Turn garlic cut side down, then roast eggplant, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown, very tender, and crisp around edges and on cut sides, 70–80 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add lemon juice and toss to coat.
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Reviews (13)
Back to TopAmazing! Absolutely amazing! I make a batch of this and save the leftovers for stuffing bell peppers or adding seasoned ground turkey and marinara sauce for a slimmer version of eggplant Parmesan. The fennel and lemon makes for a great pairing. It is filling, warm, and no guilty feelings about it. Fills you up for hours without feeling weighed down.
Gracie
New Hampshire
11/1/2022
The fairy tale eggplants I got at the local farmers market were shorter and fatter than the ones in the picture, so I ended up cooking them for the full 80 minutes, stirring twice. I scored the cut sides of the eggplant before mixing in the other ingredients, as suggested in BAs basically guide to eggplants - Highly recommended. The flavors of the fennel, garlic and lemon infused into the eggplant flesh. Served with microgreens.
a.goekler7491
Denton, TX
10/1/2020
Writing this review in the time of quarantine...all of the vegetables wouldn't have lasted another day neglected. Used Japanese eggplant (that's what we had) cut in half and then lengthwise into planks, threw in halved on-the-vine tomatoes and a jalepeno. Accidentally added the lemon juice at the beginning but the dish is forgiving. Spread the garlic on some homemade naan with the veg on top. The end result was meltingly satisfying. As another reviewer wrote, resist the temptation to take the eggplant out early. It wants every minute.
Anonymous
OR
4/25/2020
This was: Awesome! I made exactly as directed BUT I added a very large carrot cut in similar size to eggplant (used regular eggplant) and a couple of large jalapeños! OMG! Can’t Wait to make this again (and again...).
NY
4/14/2020
So good!!!! I used white eggplant (cut lengthwise into quarters). Took a little longer, ended up bumping up the heat to 375 towards the end, but either way, it was delicious!
akampa1530033
PA
9/28/2019
heck yes this was ASTONISHING. i was tempted to take the eggplant out two or three times since it looked done but i stayed the course & it was so worth it. caramelized & creamy. i loooove fairytale eggplant. also i used fresh marjoram instead of fennel - would've loved to use a lemon but didn't have one. next time!!
smashcat
CT
8/8/2019
This recipe has changed my life. I'm now going to slow roast all my vegetables in copious amounts of olive oil! The fennel and lemon combination was a flavor bomb. The fennel seeds get crunchy and slightly bitter and smell incredible! I also threw in green peppers with the eggplant, and they took to the flavors even better than the eggplant. I suggest slicing the eggplants thinner so they absorb more flavor and there's more of that light crisp exterior.
ashima.chopra080882
10/13/2018