Roasted Harissa Eggplant

This roasted harissa eggplant is the perfect vegetarian side dish. It’s a Middle Eastern-inspired recipe, with a slightly spicy harissa sauce, balanced with feta cheese and pistachios.

Roasted eggplant becomes wonderfully rich and silky in the oven, and this harissa version leans right into those deep, savory flavors. The eggplant gets caramelized around the edges and soft in the middle, then is brushed with a creamy harissa-and-goat-cheese sauce that’s smoky, spicy, tangy, and completely irresistible.

I love the contrast in this dish. The harissa brings warmth and gentle heat, while the goat cheese softens everything into a creamy, flavorful sauce that melts right into the eggplant. A splash of balsamic adds depth, garlic keeps things savory, and crunchy pistachios on top give the whole dish texture and a little nutty richness.

Finished with fresh cilantro, this is the kind of vegetarian side dish that easily steals attention from the main course. It’s bold, cozy, and packed with flavor, yet surprisingly simple to make.

How spicy is harissa paste?

Harissa paste is peppery, smoky, and garlicky. It can add heat to any dish. Depending on the brand that you purchase (or if you’ve made harissa from scratch), it can vary in spiciness.

I use a brand called Mina Harissa, which comes in mild and spicy versions. Their mild version is perfect if you don’t want to add too much heat to this harissa eggplant recipe.

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Harissa Eggplant Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

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This roasted harissa eggplant is the perfect vegetarian side dish. It's a Middle Eastern-inspired recipe, with a slightly spicy harissa sauce, balanced with feta cheese and pistachios.

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 large eggplants (cut in half lengthwise, then in half again)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt

Creamy Harissa Sauce

• ▢ 2 tablespoons goat cheese
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons harissa paste (to taste)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 clove garlic (very finely minced)
• ▢ ¼ cup shelled pistachios (finely chopped)
• ▢ Cilantro (for garnish)

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the eggplant slices, skin side down, on the baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast the eggplants in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until they are soft and brown.
  2 large eggplants, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt
  
• While the eggplants are roasting, prepare the creamy harissa sauce. In a small bowl, mix the harissa, goat cheese, olive oil, balsamic, and garlic.
  2 tablespoons goat cheese, 1-2 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 clove garlic
  
• When you pull the eggplants out of the oven, use a spoon to brush the tops with the creamy harissa sauce and sprinkle the pistachios over the top. Garnish with a little cilantro, if you'd like. Serve immediately.
  ¼ cup shelled pistachios, Cilantro
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 156kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 17g (6%), Protein: 5g (10%), Fat: 9g (14%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 3mg (1%), Sodium: 663mg (29%), Potassium: 621mg (18%), Fiber: 8g (33%), Sugar: 9g (10%), Vitamin A: 170IU (3%), Vitamin C: 6mg (7%), Calcium: 41mg (4%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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