Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks

Name: Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 - 3 large tomatoes (; use heirloom varieties if possible); 1 large eggplant (or two small); 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ cup crumbled feta cheese; 1 handful fresh basil (; chiffonade); ¼ cup olive oil (divided); ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; 2 teaspoons honey (or agave); 1 teaspoon dry mustard; 1 clove garlic (minced); ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

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Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks are a summer luxury; fresh, seasonal, and delicious to the last bite. Serve as a quick, easy appetizer, light meal, or side for grilled steak, chicken, or fish.

Layered heirloom tomatoes and grilled eggplant, garnished with crumbled feta and basil ribbons.

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Why You Will Love this Recipe
What Goes into this Recipe
How to Make this Recipe
FAQs & Expert Tips
More Garden Fresh Recipes
Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks

Why You Will Love this Recipe

Aaah, Summertime! Gardens are bursting, Farmers' Markets are in full swing, and –Glory Be! – tomatoes taste like... tomatoes again. Don't you just love it!?!

This time of year, we aim to create dishes that highlight the bright, fleeting flavors of summer, and these Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks are just the ticket! Uncomplicated in every way, they are deeply satisfying, and delicious to the last bite.

Tomato stacks are also an excellent way to feature the intense flavors and stunning beauty of late summer heirloom tomatoes. While you don't have to use heirloom tomatoes to make these tomato stacks, using them will definitely elevate the recipe to another level.

This recipe can be served as a quick, easy appetizer or light meal, and the bright, fresh flavors are perfect for anytime you need a light side to balance a heavier main dish (e.g., grilled steak, chicken, fish, etc.).

What Goes into this Recipe

Eggplant & tomato stack ingredients, labeled: basil, eggplant, tomatoes, feta, vinaigrette.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

★ Tomatoes: We love to make these tomato stacks featuring late summer heirloom tomatoes; however, you can use any ripe, meaty tomato.

★ Eggplant: There are many varieties of eggplant. For this recipe, we recommend using American or Italian globe eggplants, also known as aubergines (i.e., the big, meaty, purple kind).

★ Basil: Use regular sweet (Italian or Genovese) basil for this recipe. Basil should be bright green and freshly picked.

Balsamic vinaigrette ingredients, labeled: vinegar, oil, dry mustard, honey, garlic, salt & pepper.

★ Dry Mustard: If you don't have dry mustard, substitute in one tablespoon of Dijon mustard.

How to Make this Recipe

Make Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together Vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare Eggplant

Slice eggplant horizontally into ⅜-inch to ½-inch rounds.

Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and lightly season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Eggplant slices seasoned and ready to grill.

Preheat an outdoor grill (or a grill pan on the stove). Grill the eggplant rounds over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through.

Set grilled eggplant slices on a parchment-covered baking sheet and allow to cool completely.

Grilled eggplant slices on parchment, on a baking tray.

Assemble Stacks

Slice tomatoes horizontally into ⅜-inch to ½-inch rounds.

Set one tomato layer on a plate. Top with grilled eggplant, and then drizzle with a tablespoon of vinaigrette and and a sprinkle of fresh basil.

If the eggplant slices are smaller across than the tomato slices, use two or three slices for one layer. Likewise, if the tomatoes are smaller, use more slices for the tomato layers.

Repeat to make a second layer.

Top with a final tomato layer, and generously garnish each stack with crumbled feta and fresh basil.

Collage illustrating how to layer eggplant and tomato.

FAQs & Expert Tips

What makes heirloom tomatoes so special?

Most tomatoes produced for stores are hybrids, grown for appearance and graded into specific sizes. Heirlooms (heritage tomatoes in the UK) are non-hybrid tomatoes; often the "ugly" tomatoes at the Farmers Market. They have deep cracks and irregular shapes, and come in a stunning array of colors. The most important distinction, however, is found in the flavor: heirloom tomatoes are grown for flavor.

What can you serve with Eggplant & Tomato Stacks?

Tomato stacks are delicious served all by themselves, as a light lunch or dinner. They also make a tasty appetizer or side, balancing out heavier dishes like steak, chicken, or even pasta with their light, fresh flavors.

Can Eggplant & Tomato Stacks be made ahead of time?

There are two ways to go about making tomato stacks ahead of time.
You can prep the eggplant slices and vinaigrette a day ahead; or you can go as far as assembling the stacks a day ahead of time, waiting to add the final feta and basil garnish until just before serving.

Side view of tomato and eggplant stack in salad bowl.

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5 from 5 votes

Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks are a summer luxury; fresh, seasonal, and delicious to the last bite. Serve as a quick, easy appetizer, light meal, or side for grilled steak, chicken, or fish.

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Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Seasonal

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:10 minutes

Total Time:25 minutes

Servings: stacks

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Renee

Equipment

1 Barbecue Grill or stovetop grill pan
1 pastry brush

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

2 - 3 large tomatoes ; use heirloom varieties if possible
1 large eggplant or two small
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 handful fresh basil ; chiffonade

Vinaigrette

¼ cup olive oil divided
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey or agave
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 clove garlic minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Make Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk together Vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare Eggplant

Slice eggplant horizontally into ⅜-inch to ½-inch rounds.
Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Grill the eggplant rounds over medium on outdoor barbecue (or in a grill pan on the stove) until tender; about 10 minutes. Turn halfway through.
Allow to cool completely.

Assemble Stacks

Slice tomatoes horizontally into ⅜-inch to ½-inch rounds.
Set one tomato layer on a plate. Top with grilled eggplant, and then drizzle with a tablespoon of vinaigrette and and a sprinkle of fresh basil.
Repeat to make a second layer.
Top with a final tomato layer, and generously garnish each stack with crumbled feta and fresh basil.
If the eggplant slices are smaller across than the tomato slices, use two for one layer. (Likewise, if the tomatoes are smaller, use more for that layer.)

Notes

Stacks can be assembled up to a day ahead of time. Wait to add the final feta and basil garnish until just before serving.

Nutrition

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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Originally published August 5, 2016. Post has been updated with new images, content, and recipe directions to improve reader experience.