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

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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.

This easy Tomato & Eggplant Stacks recipe highlights the fleeting flavors of a summer garden! Grilled eggplant and garden fresh tomatoes are bathed in a sweet, tangy balsamic vinaigrette and finished with a sprinkling of feta. Uncomplicated in every way, they are deeply satisfying, and delicious to the last bite.

Jump to:

What Goes into this Garden Fresh Recipe
How to Make Grilled Eggplant Stacks
Top Tip
FAQ
More Garden Fresh Recipes
Pairing
Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks

What Goes into this Garden Fresh Recipe

This is one of the best summer recipes for using fresh garden tomatoes! July through September, gardens are bursting, Farmers' Markets are in full swing, and tomatoes taste like tomatoes are supposed to taste.

Photo of individual ingredients that go into this Tomato & Eggplant Stacks recipe, measured, prepped, and labeled.

Tomatoes: Use any ripe, meaty summer tomato.
- Tomato and Eggplant Stacks are 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.
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).
Olive oil: Use a light flavored olive oil, or avocado oil.
Feta: Use plain or basil & tomato feta. Ricotta is also a delicious choice.
Basil: Use regular sweet (Italian or Genovese) basil for this recipe. Basil should be bright green and freshly picked.
Balsamic vinegar
Honey (or agave)
Dry mustard: If you don't have dry mustard, substitute in one tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
Fresh garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

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

How to Make Grilled Eggplant Stacks

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.

Top Tip

This eggplant stacks recipe is easy to prep ahead of time. There are two ways go about this:

Prep the grilled eggplant slices and vinaigrette up to a day ahead. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Assemble the complete stacks (i.e., tomatoes, grilled eggplant, and vinaigrette) up to a day ahead of time. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Add the final feta and basil garnish just before serving.

FAQ

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.

Side view of tomato and eggplant stack in salad bowl.

More Garden Fresh Recipes

Pairing

Tomato stacks are delicious served all by themselves, as a light lunch or dinner. They also make perfect side for barbecue dishes like chicken or steak, and balance out heavier dishes like pasta or casseroles with their light, fresh flavors.

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.

Print Pin Add to Shopping List

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Seasonal

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:10

Total Time:25

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

This eggplant stacks recipe is easy to prep ahead of time. There are two ways go about this:

Prep the grilled eggplant slices and vinaigrette up to a day ahead. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Assemble the complete stacks (i.e., tomatoes, grilled eggplant, and vinaigrette) up to a day ahead of time. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Add the final feta and basil garnish just before serving.