Baked eggplant steaks served with diced beets, sautéed green beans, and fresh tomato. Ideal for a plant-based dinner in!
This past weekend I explored farmer’s markets in my new city and discovered the cutest little spot maybe 10-ish minutes from my new house.
Yippee!
The market was packed with late summer veggies, so I grabbed some of my favorites to build one last ode to summer.
Confession: I *love* farmer’s markets, but I don’t go as often as I could (should!).
I’m the kind of shopper that prefers to get everything in one massive haul that bursts the seams of my reusable bags but saves me multiple trips to different stores for the right ingredients.
There’s something so exhilarating, though, about going somewhere with a limited seasonal selection.
The produce perusing process can inspire some of the best dishes when forced to work with what’s available.
What’s available this week, friends, is Baked Eggplant Steaks with Spiced Chickpeas, Beets, & Green Beans!
How To Use Late Summer Produce
Remember a few weeks ago when I asked you on Instagram what your least favorite veggie was?
Some of you said you like them all (LOVE THAT!), but most of you had some plant to poo-poo on.
The most commonly answered veggies were the following three:
- Beets
- Eggplant
- Celery
Surprised? I’ve definitely had qualms with each of them at some point, so I get it.
Today I thought I’d share a recipe incorporating TWO of them.
Originally I wanted to use all three, but I decided to wait on the celery.
Today we’re making Baked Eggplant Steaks with Spiced Chickpeas, Beets, & Green Beans!
You just need a few farmer’s market finds and simple herbs and spices to bring this plant-based bowl to your table.
How to Prepare Baked Eggplant Steaks
If you’re someone that is less than a fan of eggplant, I would argue that you haven’t tried the right eggplant recipe yet.
*cough* THIS ONE. *cough*
These eggplant steaks are a velvety, soft, and luscious plant-based main-dish.
For this recipe you want the biggest most bulbous eggplant you can find.
Eggplant shrink slightly when baked, so starting with a bigger veggie will ensure you have a prettier final product.
Most of my recipes are oil-free or very light in oil, so this is one of the exceptions where a more liberal drizzle of oil is desirable.
The spongy texture of eggplant absorbs your high quality oil during the baking process, making it wonderfully soft and juicy.
I seasoned my eggplant with a simple oregano, Himalayan sea salt, and black pepper mixture rubbed on before baking.
Love Beets
For sides I went with sautéed green bean, diced beets and diced tomato.
The green beans and tomato shown are from the farmer’s market haul.
The Love Beets was not from the farmer’s market, but would be cool, huh?
I used their Organic Cooked Cooked Beets in this recipe that are pre-cooked and ready to eat straight from the packaging!
These certified organic freshly cooked beets are vacuum-packed and cooked sous-vide to maintain their freshness.
If beets are on your naughty list I highly recommend checking out these convenient beets that save you time and taste amazing.
The earthy sweet taste of the beets compliment the seasoned eggplant, tender-crisp green beans, and spiced chickpeas.
Additions to Eggplant Steaks
I added chickpeas to this meal for extra protein; seasoned simply with a mix of my favorite spices: turmeric, cumin, and smoked paprika.
Mix the chickpea with spices and serve at room temperature or pan-fry the chickpeas on the stovetop for 8-10 minutes for a warm and crispy version.
If you’re not into legumes, try adding quinoa or rice instead to make a fuller meal.
You can also serve this veggie bounty over salad greens!
Top it all off with a few shreds of torn pea shoots, micro greens, or fresh herbs.
How to Serve Baked Eggplant Steaks
This Baked Eggplant Steaks with Beets & Green Beans is great for a plant-based dinner in.
It feels elevated and sophisticated with simple ingredients and minimal prep time!
The recipe is perfect for using up late summer veg, or make a special trip to pick out the ingredients like I did.
Can’t find something? Make it your own!
Every farmer’s market is different, so feel free to adapt the sides to match your local selection.
I think broccolini or bell peppers would be a great addition, here too.
Try throwing everything in a bowl like pictured or spread it out on a platter for many mouths and forks to grab.
Enjoy!
More Veggie “Steaks”
-
Jamaican Jerk Cauliflower Steaks
-
Cracker Crusted Cauliflower Crust
-
Tofu Steaks with Apricot Cucumber Mint Compote
I Want to Hear From You
If you make this Baked Eggplant Steaks with Beets & Green Beans recipe, let me know!
Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.
Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.
Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.
Love this post and want more? Go to my homepage and subscribe to get updates delivered right to your inbox!
XO Lauren
Baked Eggplant Steaks with Spiced Chickpeas, Beets, & Green Beans
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2-3 plates
Description
Baked eggplant steaks served with diced beets, sautéed green beans, and fresh tomato. Ideal for a plant-based dinner in!
Ingredients
Eggplant Steaks
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 TBSP avocado oil
- 2 TBSP fresh oregano
- pinch of Himalayan sea salt and black pepper
Sauteed Green Beans
- 1 lb fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
- 1 TBSP avocado oil
- Himalayan sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Spiced Chickpeas
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- pinch of cinnamon
For serving
- diced tomato
- 1 package of Love Beets, diced
- fresh pea shoots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Rinse the eggplant, then remove the top and bottom with a knife. Slice the remaining body of the bulb into even 3/4″ – 1″ rounds.
- Add the rounds to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with avocado oil. Working quickly, rub the rounds down with oil so all side are covered. Season with fresh oregano and Himalayan sea salt and toss to evenly coat.
- Add the rounds to the parchment lined baking sheet and bake for ~30 minutes, flipping once halfway to ensure even baking. Eggplant rounds are done when soft and fork-tender.
- While the eggplant is baking, prepare your sides, starting with the green beans. Add 1 TBSP avocado oil to a large saucepan and heat over medium. Wash and trim the green beans and add to the warm pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until vibrant green and tender-crisp. Set aside.
- Prepare the chickpeas by adding all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and tossing to combine. For warm chickpeas, heat on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes until crispy brown, or, alternatively, serve at room temperature.
- Dice the tomato and package of Love Beets and rinse the pea shoots.
- To assemble the meal, add green beans and eggplant rounds to a plate or bowl and top with diced beets, tomatoes, and fresh pea shoots. Enjoy immediately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days, though best when fresh.
Notes
Recipe adapted from This Rawsome Vegan Cookbook: Oregano Eggplant Steaks
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner, Entree
- Method: Oven-Bake, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
This post is brought to you by Love Beets, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!
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