Broiled Eggplant Sandwich

This broiled eggplant sandwich is packed full of flavorful vegetables and smothered with lemony avocado mash. Whip up two of these satisfying vegetarian sandwiches for lunch or dinner in less than 30 minutes!

Half a broiled eggplant sandwich on a piece of parchment.

Every so often, I find myself craving A TON of fresh veggies. Now, in all honesty, that craving usually follows a crazy sweets bender.

Like last month when my hip sister took Tim and me to a magical place called Donut Friend in Highland Park.

The next day, my body was begging for the best medicine to cure any self-induced sugar coma: a good ol’ fashioned vegetarian sandwich.

Not a boring cheese and tomato one though but an EPIC and EASY broiled eggplant sandwich!

Cooked eggplant slices, fresh red onions, roasted peppers, cucumbers and mashed avocado layered on two slices of toasted bread

Imagine buttery broiled eggplant slices sandwiched between toasted whole-grain bread and slathered with a tangy mash of avocado, lemon, and feta.

Mouthwatering already?

Don’t stop yet. Pile those sammies high with ALL the vegetables you have on hand:

half a broiled eggplant sandwich

Broiled Eggplant Sandwich

Yield: 2 Sandwiches
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes

A bright and fresh sandwich of toasted whole-grain bread slathered with lemony avocado mash and packed full of veggies. 

Ingredients

For the Broiled Eggplant:

  • 1 small Eggplant, 9 to 10 ounces
  • 5-6 teaspoons Oil, like grapeseed or avocado oil
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Avocado Mash:

  • 1 Avocado, small, seeded and peeled
  • zest of one small Lemon
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
  • 2 tablespoons Crumbled Feta Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, optional

For the Sandwiches:

  • 4 slices Whole Grain Bread, toasted
  • half a small Cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1/2 cup Roasted Red Peppers in Water, drained and chopped
  • 4 thin slices Red Onion
  • 1 handful Fresh Basil Leaves, torn into pieces
  • 3 leaves Crisp Lettuces, torn into pieces

Instructions

Broil the Eggplant

  1. Use a fork to prick the eggplant all over. Apply just enough pressure to pierce the skin not jab it deep into the flesh. Cut the eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices.
  2. Arrange the eggplant slices in an even layer on the broiler pan. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip slices over and repeat.
  3. Adjust the wire rack in your toaster oven to the top position. Turn the function dial to Broil and set the temperature on high.
  4. Broil eggplant until the skins have softened and the flesh is golden and browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Make the Avocado Mash

  1. Place avocado in a small bowl and mash with a fork until chunky.
  2. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Add feta cheese and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

Assemble Sandwiches

  1. Divide avocado mash evenly among the toasted bread slices.
  2. Top two slices with lettuce, cucumbers, eggplant, red peppers, basil, and red onion.
  3. Top sandwiches with remaining slices and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 Sandwich
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 424Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 3.9gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 365mgCarbohydrates: 46.3gFiber: 16.5gSugar: 12.8gProtein: 12.5g

Broiled Eggplant 101

Now I know what you’re thinking…Eggplant? Easy? Really?

With all those rules for salting, draining, and patting dry, eggplant does have a reputation for being difficult to cook.

But with a simple fork and the magic of your toaster oven’s broiler, you can make eggplant that’s tender, browned and creamy.  Without all that fuss.

Whole eggplant stabbed all over with a fork.

First about the fork, cause I know you’re curious.

Piercing the eggplant’s skin with a fork keeps it from turning tough and chewy when cooked. Work your way up and down the eggplant making rows of little dots with your fork (it’s faster than it sounds).

Then cut it into ½-inch slices for broiling.

If you’ve never used your toaster oven’s broiler, it’s a lot like grilling. Except the heat is coming from above instead of below.

The broiler is great for cooking vegetables and we hear it’s pretty popular with fish lovers too.

Cooked eggplant slices on a pizza pan.

Toaster Oven Broiling Tips

  • Our countertop oven suggests the top rack position and no preheating for the Broil function but yours may be different so make sure to check the manual.
  • Use a broiler-safe pan. I like to use the metal pizza pan that came with our toaster oven because it fits more slices.
  • Since the heat comes from only one direction, make sure to flip your eggplant once the first side has browned.
  • The broiler will be wicked hot. Be careful and watch the eggplant closely at the end so it doesn’t burn. A blackened (as in charcoal) eggplant sandwich won’t taste nearly as satisfying.

a sandwich stacked high with layers of vegetables on a yellow napkin

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5 Comments

  1. This recipe is fabulous! My whole family loved this sandwich. I also added a little pesto to one side of the ciabatta. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!

    1. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, Patty!

      Thanks for taking the time to comment. I love your pesto idea, it sounds over-the-top delicious. Definitely going to use it the next time we make this sandwich.

  2. I came looking for instructions on how to roast eggplant cubes. I have one medium eggplant and want to use half the cubes on a pizza and the other half to have on hand for my next curry.

    Thanks for the fork-piercing tip. I’ll give it a try.

    1. Thanks, Grace! I think our toaster oven’s broiler gets all the credit for the eggplant though, I’m developing quite a crush on it 🙂