Ras El Hanout Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Sauce & Barberries
Posted on April 08 2024
This Ras el Hanout roasted eggplant is a richly spiced vegetarian dish topped with a creamy yogurt-tahini sauce and jewel-toned glazed barberries. The earthy warmth of Curio’s Ras el Hanout marinade infuses the eggplant while roasting, creating deep flavor and a tender texture. Topped with fresh mint, optional Maras chile flakes, and a swirl of garlicky sauce, this dish is both vibrant and satisfying—ideal for sharing or serving as a stunning side.
Ras El Hanout Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Sauce & Barberries
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Side Dish
Cuisine
Middle Eastern-Inspired
Servings
4-6
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35-40 minutes
Calories
250
For this vegetarian side, eggplant is simply roasted with a Ras el Hanout spiced marinade and served with a garlicky tahini-yogurt sauce and jewel-like, glazed barberries. This marinade also works great for grilling!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
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1 tablespoon Ras el Hanout
- 1 teaspoon grated or minced garlic (from one large clove)
-
½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon grated or minced garlic (from one large clove)
-
½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 medium (about ¾ pound each) eggplants
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 1 batch marinade (above)
- 2 tablespoons barberries
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 10-12 mint leaves
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Flaky sea salt, optional
-
Maras chile flakes, optional
For the marinade
For the sauce
For the eggplant
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Make the marinade  Put the marinade ingredients into a deep bowl or a jar and whisk to combine.
- Make the sauce Put the sauce ingredients into a small mixing bowl and add 3 tablespoons of water. Whisk until the sauce is smoothly combined and about the thickness of stirred sour cream. Taste and add more lemon or salt if needed; add water 1 tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick.
- Prep and bake the eggplant  Brush a rimmed sheet pan with the oil. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise (no need to remove the stem or calix). Use a sharp knife to score a crosshatch pattern about ½-inch deep into the cut side of each eggplant half.
- Generously brush the cut sides of the eggplant with the marinade, working it into the crosshatches — use most of the marinade, saving about a third of it for later. Set the eggplant on the sheet pan skin side down and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the eggplant with all of the remaining marinade. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the eggplant is tender but not collapsing, about 15 minutes more. The eggplant should be lightly browned, but you can broil it for an additional couple of minutes to brown it further.
- While the eggplant bakes, glaze and plump the barberries: Rinse the berries with cold water and drain briefly before transferring them to a small pan. Add the butter and ¼ cup of water and set the pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the water has evaporated, and the berries are plump and glossy.
- Garnish and serve Spread the sauce in a swirl on a serving dish. Set the eggplant on the sauce and sprinkle barberries over top. Tear the mint leaves and drop them over the eggplant. Sprinkle on a pinch each of flaky salt and chile flakes, if using. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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