Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Bulgur Bowl (Printable)

Smoky roasted eggplant with bulgur wheat, feta, and fresh Mediterranean herbs in a nourishing grain bowl.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Grains

06 - 1 cup bulgur wheat
07 - 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)

→ Dairy

08 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

→ Herbs & Seasonings

09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)
11 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Dressing

16 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
17 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
18 - 1 garlic clove, minced
19 - 1/2 tsp honey (optional)
20 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss eggplant, red bell pepper, and red onion with 2 tbsp olive oil, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Roast vegetables for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and tender. Add cherry tomatoes during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
04 - Rinse bulgur under cold water. In a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in bulgur, cover, and remove from heat. Let sit 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
06 - Divide bulgur among four bowls. Top each with roasted vegetables, spinach, crumbled feta, parsley, and mint. Drizzle with dressing.
07 - Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted eggplant gets this incredible creamy interior while staying firm enough to hold its shape in the bowl
  • Everything comes together on one sheet pan while the bulgur cooks itself, making cleanup almost nonexistent
  • The warm vegetables against cool crisp spinach and tangy feta creates this perfect texture contrast
02 -
  • The secret is cutting all your vegetables roughly the same size so they roast evenly and finish at the same time
  • Letting the bulgur sit covered off the heat is crucial, that residual steam is what makes it perfectly tender
03 -
  • Salt your eggplant cubes 30 minutes before roasting and pat them dry to draw out excess moisture for better browning
  • Let the roasted vegetables sit on the hot pan for 5 minutes after removing from the oven, they develop even more flavor

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