Learn how to make roasted baby eggplant poppers. They're bite-sized, easy to grab, and fun to eat! These mini eggplants roast up tender inside with a golden, caramelized exterior. Serve them as finger food, appetizers, or a tasty side dish at your next get-together.
The tasty side 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?
- Ingredients
- How to Bake Tiny Eggplants
- How to Prepare Garlic For Roasting
- Storage and Reheating
- What Goes with Baby Eggplant?
- Mini Eggplant Recipes
- How To Garnish Baby Eggplants
- Takeaway
- FAQ
- Roasted Baby Eggplant Poppers
What Are Baby Eggplants?
Baby eggplants, also called Indian eggplants or mini brinjals, are small, oval-shaped eggplants about the size of a chicken egg. They have thin skin, tender flesh, and a slightly sweet, mild flavor.
The eggplant, known as aubergine bébé in French or mini brinjal in India, is generally smaller than standard eggplants and has a tender texture with a slightly sweeter taste.
They belong to the nightshade family, along with tomatoes and potatoes, and are botanically known as Solanum melongena.
Baby eggplants are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and important nutrients like manganese, folate, potassium, and vitamins K and C. One cup has about three grams of fiber, which helps support gut health and stable blood sugar.
Small eggplants are great for roasting, grilling, sautéing, or stuffing, and work well in stews and curries. Their size and texture make them easy to cook and perfect for soaking up flavor.
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.
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 Bake Tiny 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 eggplants 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.
Mini Eggplant Recipes
Try our collection of baby eggplant recipes, including Baby Eggplant Parmigiana, Fried Baby Eggplant with Sour Cream Dip, and French Ratatouille, all 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.
For more oven-roasted vegetable recipes, you can find them 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, 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.
For more garnish ideas, check out Garnishing with Parsley
Takeaway
Roasted baby eggplant poppers are a delicious bite-sized appetizer or side dish.
This recipe calls for small eggplants roasted with whole garlic cloves and finished with fresh parsley.
When shopping, try to find eggplants of similar size so they cook evenly. If they vary, just remove the smaller ones as they finish roasting.
Add grated lemon or orange zest for a pop of color. Try toppings like Parmesan or Locatelli cheese, balsamic glaze, hummus, or tzatziki for extra flavor.
These poppers are great for vegans, vegetarians, and anyone following dairy-free, gluten-free, or soy-free diets.
Each serving has just 81 calories and 5g net carbs-healthy, easy, and full of flavor.
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.
