Savory Eggplant and Cauliflower Vegetable Recipes
Delicious Vegetable Dishes
Broiled Eggplant with Creamy Tahini Dressing
Even if you aren’t a big eggplant fan, you might enjoy this despite yourself. Broiled eggplant has a crunchy and meaty texture, and the tahini dressing makes the salad rich and creamy.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced into circles
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini
- Sprinkle of chili flakes (optional)
- Fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Turn on your oven’s broiler. Arrange the slices of eggplant on a baking sheet, then place them under the broiler for about 3 minutes. Watch them carefully.
- Once they begin to blacken, remove them from the oven and flip the slices over. Repeat the process on the other side.
- Once your eggplant is nicely charred, chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, mix the tahini, lemon juice, and chili flakes (if using), plus plenty of salt and pepper.
- Add the eggplant and stir it around. Add more salt or lemon juice according to your taste, then top it with dill if available, and serve!
Total Cost: $4.50
Pasta with Savory Eggplant and Tomato Sauce
This is similar to a traditional Pasta alla Norma, but without anchovies and ricotta salata. I like to use a tubular pasta for this dish, but you can use anything, even spaghetti. The eggplant and tomatoes come together into a sauce that is thick, jammy, and savory.
Ingredients:
- 2 lb pasta (rigatoni or similar)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large eggplant, cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 2 cups canned tomatoes, finely diced
- 1/2 cup Romano or Parmesan, freshly grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions:
- Put a pot of water on high heat and add a good shake of salt. Bring it to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- While the water is coming to a boil, splash the olive oil into a wide pan on medium-high heat. Let it get hot. Add the eggplant cubes and sprinkle them with salt, then cook for about 5 minutes. If the eggplant starts to look too dry, add a bit of water.
- Once the cubes are a little brown on all sides, add the garlic and chili flakes and stir. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Again, if it looks too dry, add a bit of water. Everything will shrink up and become a sort of loose, thick sauce.
- Add half the cheese and half the basil, if you have it.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the saucepan. Toss everything together, then turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve it in bowls sprinkled with more Romano and basil.
Classic Baked Cauliflower Cheese
This is a classic side dish in Great Britain: creamy, cheesy sauce over cauliflower, baked in the oven until the edges get crunchy and bubbly. It’s like a healthier and more flavorful version of macaroni and cheese. Alternatively, try this with broccoli or cooked winter squash — everyone will love it.
Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 6 oz sharp cheddar, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Additions:
- Breadcrumbs (for topping)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp thyme
Instructions:
- Set the oven to 400 °F.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the salt and the cauliflower, then leave it for 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, butter a baking dish large enough to comfortably accommodate all the cauliflower. I usually use a pie dish. Drain the water from the cauliflower and pour it into the baking dish.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic, chili flakes, and bay leaf, then cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the flour and stir quickly. The flour-butter mixture is called a roux. You want the roux to get just a little brown; this will probably take another minute.
- Slowly add the milk to the pot, stirring all the while to incorporate the roux. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring every now and then to make sure the sauce doesn’t get scorched on the bottom.
- Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Drop in any additions at this point. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. You should have a creamy, smooth, savory sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the cauliflower. Place the dish in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the top is brown and bubbly. You can also add some breadcrumbs to the top of the dish before baking if you like extra crunch.
- Enjoy with a green salad. I also like mine with salsa.