Learn how to make roasted baby eggplant poppers. We call them poppers because they're bite-sized, easy to grab, and fun to eat! These little eggplants roast beautifully, becoming tender on the inside while developing a golden, caramelized exterior. They’re perfect as finger food, appetizers, or side dishes for any gathering.
The simple seasonings of this recipe enhance the natural sweetness of the eggplant, creating a delightful portable treat that is creamy, savory, and slightly sweet.
The tasty treat is gluten-free, low-carb, and low-calorie.
Jump to:
- What Are Baby Eggplants?
- Varieties of Baby Eggplants
- How to Purchase
- How Big Is A Baby Eggplant?
- Where To Buy
- Ingredients
- How to Cook Small Eggplants
- How to Prepare Garlic For Roasting
- Storage and Reheating
- What Goes with Baby Eggplant?
- Miniature Eggplant Recipes
- How To Garnish Baby Eggplants
- Key Takeaway
- FAQ
- Roasted Baby Eggplant Poppers
What Are Baby Eggplants?
Baby eggplants or Indian eggplants are smaller versions of American Globe eggplants, typically about the size of a chicken egg, two to three inches long. They have a tender texture, thin skin, and mild flavor, making them perfect for grilling, roasting, or stuffing.
Belonging to the nightshade family, baby eggplants are botanically classified as Solanum melongena. They share this classification with tomatoes and potatoes.
Eggplant has several health benefits, being rich in antioxidants and fiber (three grams per cup), promoting gut health, and aiding in blood sugar regulation. Additionally, they contain significant amounts of manganese, folate, potassium, and vitamins K and C.
The eggplant, known as "aubergine bébé" in French or "mini brinjal" in India, is generally smaller than standard eggplants, and has a tender texture and a slightly sweeter flavor.
They lend themselves well to various cooking methods such as roasting, grilling, sautéing, and as an ingredient in stews and curries.
Varieties of Baby Eggplants
Baby eggplants come in many different shapes and colors, making them a centerpiece on your table. Their small size makes so easy to cook!
Indian Eggplants: These small, round, deep purple eggplants have a firm texture, making them perfect for roasting, grilling, or stuffing.
Thai Eggplants: These tiny green eggplants are a staple in Southeast Asian dishes. They have a slightly bitter taste and work wonderfully in curries and stir-fries.
Fairy Tale Eggplants: Miniature in size with beautiful purple and white streaks, these sweet aeggplants are great for grilling or roasting.
Japanese Eggplants: Long, slender, and dark purple, these eggplants cook quickly and are perfect for stir-frying, grilling, or roasting.
How to Purchase
Small round eggplants, solanum melongena, also called Indian eggplants or mini eggplants, usually range from 2" to 4" long and are sweeter than larger Italian eggplants.
When selecting at the grocery store or farmer's market, look for eggplants that are unblemished and even in size so they all roast at the same rate.
For storage, keep at room temperature for one to two days. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to a week in a plastic bag.
Depending on their freshness, they may last even longer than a week.
How Big Is A Baby Eggplant?
- The little eggplants are about the size of a large egg.
- They measure about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) in length.
- On average, there are about 8 pieces per pound.
Where To Buy
If you have a large fruit store in your area, they might carry them in summer and fall.
Although I can easily find the typical big purple Italian eggplants at my grocery store, I've never seen the small variety there.
I found these at the Farmer's Market at Mile Marker 100 on Overseas Highway in Key Largo, if you happen to be in Key Largo. Sometimes, I also find them at the large Redland Market Village Farmers Market on US1 in Homestead.
Additionally, check your local specialty food or gourmet shop. Indian grocery and Asian market stores sometimes stock them.
Ingredients
- Small purple or white eggplants, Indian eggplant, or fairytale eggplant
- Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- Fresh garlic
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Chopped flat-leaf or curly parsley
How to Cook Small Eggplants
Thoroughly wash each eggplant, particularly around the stem, where dirt may be trapped in the crevices. If you want to, you can cut off the stem before use, but it can also be baked with the eggplant and looks nice when you plate them.
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 °F (200°C).
- Prepare a baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and place on the sheet pan with the cut side up.
- Scatter garlic around the eggplant.
- Brush the flesh of each eggplant and the garlic cloves with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn over each eggplant (face down) in the pan.
- Roast for 25–35 minutes or until tender.
- Sprinkle the surface with freshly chopped herbs. Serve hot or room temperature with lemon wedges.
Note: When roasting a batch of baby eggplants with different sizes, remove the smaller ones from the pan as they finish cooking to avoid burning and overcooking.
How to Prepare Garlic For Roasting
Adding cloves of fresh garlic to roasted vegetables enhances their flavor, as roasted garlic becomes sweet and brightens any dish.
There are two methods to prepare the garlic:
- Separate the cloves and scatter them around the eggplant unpeeled. After roasting, the cloves will easily slip out of their skins.
- The second option is to peel each clove by placing it on a flat surface and pressing down on it with the side of a large chef's knife. The skins will come off easily.
Be sure to slice the woody stem off of each clove with a paring knife.
TOP TIP: Make sure you roast the eggplants with the cut side down so the flesh gets golden brown.
Storage and Reheating
Once the eggplant poppers have cooled completely at room temperature, store them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap before refrigerating for up to 3 days.
For reheating, arrange the leftover eggplant on a microwave-safe plate and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 1–2 minutes or until heated through.
To reheat on the stove, heat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of olive oil. Place them in the skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side until heated through.
What Goes with Baby Eggplant?
For a great meal, these babies go with all of our fresh fish, steak, burgers, and chicken.
- Pan Fried Yellowtail Snapper
- Lemon Basil Roasted Chicken
- Blackened Swordfish
- Crispy Pan Fried Mahi Recipe
- Air Fryer Snapper
- Pan-Fried Turkey Cutlets
- Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi
- Pan Seared Chicken Breasts
- Pan-Seared Baby Lamb Chops
Miniature Eggplant Recipes
Try our collection of baby eggplant recipes, including Baby Eggplant Parmigiana and Traditional French Ratatouille, both made with little eggplants.
Also, we have a recipe for Roasted Fairytale Eggplants with Lemon, that features tiny striped eggplants. The dish is beautiful and has a tangy lemon sour cream dipping sauce to go with it.
To explore more oven-roasted vegetable recipes, you can find a variety of options in our roasted vegetable recipe collection.
How To Garnish Baby Eggplants
For serving, compose small plates with one of the following toppings.
- Citrus: For the most contrast, serve the purple poppers with lemon wedges and grated lemon zest.
- Greens: Instead of parsley, try a sprinkle of fresh whole basil leaves for a burst of color. You can also add a small handful of microgreens to each small plate.
- Oranges: Top with orange zest.
- Red peppers: Roasted peppers would make a great topping or addition to a small plate side dish.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate or sprinkle Parmesan cheese for a savory, nutty flavor.
- Balsamic Glaze: Drizzle a balsamic glaze over the poppers for a sweet and tangy finish.
- Dips and Sauces: Serve the poppers with a side of dipping sauce such as marinara, tzatziki, hummus, or aioli for added flavor and creaminess.
- Edible Flowers: For an extra decorative touch, garnish the poppers with edible flowers such as nasturtiums and pansies.
Key Takeaway
Versatile and delicious, roasted baby eggplant poppers make the perfect bite-sized appetizer or side dish for any meal.
Whether seasoned simply with salt and pepper or jazzed up with your favorite herbs and spices, these bite-sized treats will please even the pickiest of eaters.
This recipe uses delicately seasoned tiny eggplants roasted alongside whole cloves of garlic, finished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
While shopping at a farmer's market or specialty store, try to get similarly sized fruits, so they roast at the same rate. If some are two ounces and others are larger, remove each from the pan as they finish cooking to avoid burning.
Plus, packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, they're as healthy as they are tasty.
Store the eggplant bites in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days. They can be reheated in the microwave or a small skillet with a little olive oil.
Garnish the poppers with grated lemon or orange zest for color. Parmesan cheese, balsamic glaze, tzatziki, and hummus all make wonderful saucy toppings.
This dish is suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and those following dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free diets.
Roasted small eggplants have 81 calories per serving.
FAQ
Tiny eggplants typically measure about 2 to 4 inches or 5 to 10 cm in length. Each one weighs approximately 2 oz. (56g), making them significantly smaller than a medium eggplant, which weighs about 500 grams and is similar in size to a chicken egg.
Tiny eggplants have fewer seeds and less bitterness than larger varieties, so salting is unnecessary for small eggplants.
Yes, you can eat the skin of tiny eggplants. The eggplant is small and when boiled or roasted, the entire plant is tender and golden brown.
Eggplants are considered fruits because of their growth process. Fruits originate from a plant's flower and have seeds, while vegetables are other parts of the plant such as roots, stems, or leaves.
Roasted Baby Eggplant Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds baby eggplant about 12 pieces, rinsed and dried
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head of garlic* separated into cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lemons quartered
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley or basil roughly chopped
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and place on the sheet pan with the cut side up. Scatter garlic around the eggplant.
- Brush the flesh of each eggplant and the garlic with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn over each eggplant (face down) in the pan.
- Roast for 25-35 minutes or until tender.
- Scatter fresh chopped parsley over the top. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges and fresh herbs.
