Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Deliciously Organic
When eggplant is in season, the first thing I always want to make is this open-face eggplant sandwich.
Buy in season. It may seem like a obvious thing to say, but how many of us have succumbed to the bright pink raspberries at the grocery store in December (for $7.99 a pound)?. Buying in season not only ensures you getting the biggest bang for your buck, it also means your produce will taste “as it should”. Full of flavor. Ripe.
Eggplant is currently in season and a friend turned me on to this recipe. You cube soft eggplant and saute it with onion and garlic. Then toss it with briny olives and capers and season with lemon and cayenne. The savory mixture is piled on top of a thick, crusty piece of bread, sprinkled with cheese and broiled until bubbly.
I liked it so much I immediately made another batch of the eggplant mixture to keep in the fridge throughout the week. If you want to use it as a side dish, you could make double the recipe, pour it in a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake. Oh, how amazing that would taste next to a piece of steak or chicken! You may find yourself celebrating eggplant season this year.
Open-Face Eggplant Sandwich
Adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups cubed eggplant
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup capers
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 4 thick slices of whole wheat or gluten-free bread
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven broiler. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant, onion and garlic, and saute for 8-10 minutes, until eggplant is soft. Remove from heat and stir in olives, capers, cayenne, salt and lemon juice. Taste, and add more salt if needed.
- Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Spoon eggplant mixture on top of each piece of bread, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Broil until bubbly and just turning golden brown. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Makes 4 sandwiches
Love, love, love eggplant. This looks sublime. I have two white eggplants that are almost ready in the garden, can’t wait!
What gorgeous pictures of the produce! Love the new way to use all of my eggplant 🙂
I am sending this to my sister r.i.g.h.t. n.o.w. She loves eggplant and I do too! Looks like I’ll be making this next time she visits. 🙂 Yum!
GOOD. GRIEF.
Total fan. Doing this, pronto!
I AM going to try this this week! I have been eyeing the gorgeous eggplant in the grocery but have lacked a fresh idea for how to use them other than eggplant parmesan. Thanks!!
Now that is the way to do a sandwich with all that cheese! Lovely farmer’s market photos 🙂
I usually don’t care for eggplant but that looks delicious!
I’m not a huge fan of eggplant either, but this recipe changed my mind!
Isn’t The Moosewood Cookbook a great resource? It was the first cookbook I bought myself. Nice to see your take on the recipe. Gorgeous photos.
This looks so yummy!
What an elegant way of taking vegetables photos!!!!!!Looks delicious!!!!
Now that’s the way to serve eggplant! Piled up high on a crusty piece of bread with melted cheese! Delicious.
WOw, eggplant is so versatile! Delicious sandwiches indeed!
As I’ve gotten older (and somewhat wiser, lol), I’m open to trying new things. In past I won’t try eggplant because I don’t “THINK” I like it, but recall ever trying it? (I’m hoping/guessing I’m not the only adult in this boat…) 😉
Anyway, I’m going to give this one a venture. Just unsure as I don’t know anything about eggplant, but am opening my eyes (thank you Lord) to new tastes, healthier options, more veggies, etc. So, anybody willing to help “push” me to get there?
Give eggplant a try, I think you’ll be surprised!
The wonderful thing about eggplant is how it can take on so many flavors and rolls well. I would have to serve this with something else, too, since I live with a “meatatarian”. Maybe as a veggie topping for a baked potato instead of bread to go with a steak or pork chop…. That I can probably get him to eat.
Yummo! We’ll have to have that with this week’s eggplants. Can’t wait! I’m also a *little* envious of your farmer’s market pics. Good thing we’re getting a farmer’s market soon!
Hi There, This is looking absolutely delightful. Loved the new combo of ingredients and the recipe is so nicely made and presented. Saving this recipe of urs and wud love to give ur version a try on the coming weekend. Have a great day….Sonia !!!
This sounds like a great way to use up zucchini, too … depending on what the garden has going! 🙂
Looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing!
So fun to see this! The photos are wonderful!
this looks so good i have to forward it to my girlfriend shes on a gluten free diet atm !
I bought eggplant at the farm today and wasn’t sure what to do with it. Now I know. Thanks for this fabulous recipe. Looks great!
Hans just made a roasted eggplant dish that just blew my mind. As soon as I get more eggplant I’ll be sure to write about it. Eggplant is just so delicious, good, and easy to make, I’m surprise we all aren’t talking about it every day. 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!
This sounds SO GOOD! I don’t actually like olives or capers, but I might try to adapt this to a different sort of taste. I can’t wait to try it!
This recipe looks amazing. I will certainly make this!
We have put cubed eggplant on homemade pizzas before, too. I haven’t had eggplant in sooo long though! I am looking forward to giving this a try.
Yummy! I’ve got a few Ichiban eggplants in the garden and needed a tasty way to get the hubs to eat them. THanks!
I added a can of crushed tomatoes to this and it made a wonderful pasta sauce. Maybe a new recipe for your site?
That sounds great! Thanks for letting me know. I’ll have to give it a try!