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Image shows finished plating of a grilled eggplant dish with peanut butter teriyaki sauce.
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Grilled Eggplant with Peanut Ginger Sauce

Grilled eggplant with peanut ginger sauce is a delicious, pantry-friendly, and satisfying vegan main for your next cookout!
Course Main Course, Sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine BBQ, Dairy-free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Plant-Based, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword 10 ingredients, all seasons, bbq, chili flakes, coconut aminos, easy, eggplant, fall, garlic, ginger, green onions, grill, maple syrup, mint, peanut butter, peanuts, quick, spring, summer, tamari, Thai basil, winter
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
RESTING TIME 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Author Laura Wright

Ingredients

  • 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt, plus extra
  • ¼ cup natural peanut butter
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup coconut aminos or tamari soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated with a Microplane
  • 2- inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated with a Microplane
  • heat-tolerant oil spray, such as avocado
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • chili flakes, to taste (optional)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 sprig of fresh mint, leaves thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup roasted and salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Set a large colander in the sink. Place the rounds of eggplant into the colander. Sprinkle the tablespoon of salt over the eggplant and toss with your hands to evenly coat each slice in the salt. Let the eggplant rest for 20 minutes.
  • While the eggplant is resting, make the peanut ginger sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut aminos, garlic, and ginger. Once you have a smooth and unified sauce, set aside.
  • Preheat your grill to high. Place one clean kitchen towel and a large baking sheet on the counter.
  • The eggplant should have let off quite a bit of moisture. Rinse the eggplant thoroughly, tossing the slices with your hands to get all of the excess salt off. Then, transfer the rinsed eggplant slices to the clean kitchen towel. Pat the slices with the towel until they are completely dry.
  • Transfer the dry eggplant slices to the baking sheet. Evenly spray both sides of the eggplant with the oil. Season the slices with salt, pepper, and chili flakes (if using) on both sides.
  • Place the eggplant slices on the grill. Cook until char marks appear on the undersides, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the eggplant slices over. Continue to cook until char marks appear on the other side and eggplant has softened, about another 3 minutes.
  • Transfer the grilled eggplant to a serving platter. Drizzle the peanut ginger sauce evenly over the top of the eggplant. Garnish the dish with sliced green onions, sliced mint, and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • I used maple syrup as my liquid sweetener, but agave nectar or honey are also appropriate here.
  • This sounds like a lot of salt in the initial step, but you’ll be rinsing most of it off of the eggplant later.