If you think you hate aubergine, think again, because my Maple Tahini Aubergine recipe is one of my go-to midweek meals and it will convert any eggplant hater! You only need a handful of ingredients, and honestly it’s so flavourful.
I absolutely love aubergine. It's got to be one of the most versatile and delicious vegetables out there.
I've made several eggplant recipes that I make over and over again including my Sticky Ginger Aubergine and Sticky Miso Aubergine. All three of these recipes can be made in less than 20 minutes, so they're perfect for a quick and speedy mid-week meal.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ready in less than 20 minutes: This tahini eggplant dish is such a quick and easy weeknight recipe. It's become one of my favourite dishes to have in the week! So simple, so delicious!
Handful of ingredients: This maple tahini aubergine recipe requires minimal ingredients which makes it super easy and accessible to make.
Great for meal-prep: Not only is this dish great once you've just made it, but it actually gets better with time. The longer you store this dish (up to a 4 days), the more the tahini and maple syrup soak into the aubergine and make it extra flavourful! So, it's perfect to prep in advance and eat for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Aubergine/Eggplant: A large eggplant will feed two people, so if the aubergines are small, use two (one per person). I sliced them into thick discs, around 1cm in width so that they absorb all the flavour and have a meaty texture to them. If you want to swap out the aubergine, you could use tofu, sweet potato, or portobello mushrooms.
Tahini: You want to buy good quality tahini. It should be runny and not have a sour or astringent taste. Al Nakhil is a great brand.
Maple syrup: This adds a sweetness to our sauce to balance out the flavours. You could use honey or sugar if you don't have maple syrup.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemons, juiced, balance out the sauce too. Please use fresh lemon juice for this recipe!
Garlic: Finely chopped fresh garlic adds a bit of tang and roundness to the sauce. You can omit this if you don't want to have garlic breath! You could also use garlic powder.
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients.
Step By Step Instructions with Photos
Step 1: Begin by slicing your aubergine into 1cm thick discs.
Step 2: Coat your aubergine discs in cornstarch.
Step 3: Dip the base of the aubergine discs in oil and then dab half of them in white sesame seeds and half of them in black sesame seeds.
Step 4: Place a non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat and drizzle in 2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add in your aubergine sesame seeds down and fry for 5 minutes, then flip over and fry for another 5 minutes.
Step 5: Meanwhile, make your maple tahini dressing by combining tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, water, and garlic. Give it a good stir and add more water if the sauce is too thick.
Step 6: Once your aubergine is cooked and soft, lay them onto your jasmine rice or noodles, or whatever you fancy, and drizzle with your tahini maple sauce. Top with red chilli slices and parsley. Enjoy!
What To Do with Leftovers
Storage: If you have leftovers, place them in airtight containers and into the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: I must admit, I've not frozen this recipe. However, if it's otherwise going to waste, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, leave to defrost overnight in the fridge. Then, heat it up in the microwave until piping hot!
FAQs
Absolutely, feel free to use tofu, sweet potato, or portobello mushrooms as a substitute.
If your sauce is too thick, add in 1 teaspoon of water at a time and mix until you've reached the right consistency for your liking.
Yes, this dish is vegan!
Absolutely. Once the aubergine is cooked, just keep it warm in the oven covered in tinned foil until ready to eat!
Other recipes you might like!
If you tried this Maple Tahini Aubergine or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!
Maple Tahini Aubergine
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant sliced into 1cm discs
- 50g cornstarch
- Olive oil
- White sesame seeds
- Black sesame seeds
For the maple tahini dressing
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3-5 tablespoon water
For garnish
- 1 red chilli finely sliced
- Parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Begin by slicing your aubergine into 1cm thick discs.
- Coat your aubergine discs in cornstarch.
- Dip the base of the aubergine discs in oil and then dab half of them in white sesame seeds and half of them in black sesame seeds.
- Place a non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat and drizzle in 2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add in your aubergine sesame seeds down and fry for 5 minutes, then flip over and fry for another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your maple tahini dressing by combining tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, and water. Give it a good stir and add more water if the sauce is too thick - you want it to be the consistency of a runny milkshake. Taste and season accordingly - the sauce should be sweet, nutty, and slightly tangy. Optionally, heat up your sauce in the microwave so it's hot when pouring over your dish.
- Once your aubergine is cooked and soft, lay them onto your jasmine rice or noodles, or whatever you fancy, and drizzle with your tahini maple sauce. Top with red chilli slices and parsley. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply