afoona
Roasted Eggplant in Red Wine Sauce on Labneh
vegetables

Roasted Eggplant in Red Wine Sauce on Labneh

Eggplant quarters roasted over high heat until they collapse and caramelize at the edges, topped with a reduced red wine sauce with date syrup. The cold labneh underneath balances the sweetness, and the sprouts add freshness.

⏱ 55 min🍽 4 servings 🌍 Mediterranean👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 3 parts
🧀 Dairy🥬 Vegetarian🌾 Gluten-free

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Roasted Vegetables

  1. 1
    Preheat the oven to 230°C (445°F).
    ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
    💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
  2. 2
    Halve the vegetables lengthwise, and again lengthwise, into quarters, and score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern.
    KnifeCutting board
    💡The crosshatch scoring lets the oil and salt get inside, and the flesh softens right down to the skin.
  3. 3
    Brush the vegetables generously with the olive oil and sprinkle the salt on top.
    Pastry brush
  4. 4
    Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer, without crowding, flesh side up.
    Baking pan
  5. 5
    Roast the vegetables in a hot oven (230°C / 445°F) 30–35 minutes, on the top rack of the oven, until the eggplant collapses and the edges are dark, almost burnt.
    ⚙ Oven roastingOvenBaking pan
    💡Give it room in the pan: crowded vegetables steam instead of browning.

For the Wine Sauce

  1. 6
    Sweat the shallot in a teaspoon of oil in a small skillet for 3 minutes.
    StoveFrying pan
  2. 7
    Add the wine, syrup, vinegar and thyme and reduce over medium heat for about 12 minutes, until about a third is left.
    Stove
    💡Reduce over medium heat, not high: the alcohol evaporates, and the sugar doesn't burn at the edges of the pan.
  3. 8
    Dissolve the cornstarch in water, add to the sauce and cook a minute, until the sauce is thick and glossy and leaves a line when you run a finger across the back of the spoon.
    Stove
  4. 9
    Remove the thyme.

To assemble

  1. 10
    Mix the labneh, garlic and lemon juice and spread a round in the center of each plate.
  2. 11
    Lay the roasted vegetable on the labneh and pour the sauce over and around it.
    💡Cold labneh and hot vegetables: assemble the plate just before serving so the labneh doesn't melt under the vegetables.
  3. 12
    Pile the sprouts on top and finish with black pepper.
319calories
7 gprotein
18 gcarbs
18 gfat
● protein 11%● carbs 27%● fat 62%

Per serving (369 g), of 4 servings

For the Roasted Vegetables · For the Wine Sauce · To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (7) · 🍳 2 cooking vessels

  • Oven · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Frying pan · Also works: Wok (None) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Pot (High sides, slow evaporation and weak browning)
  • Baking pan · Also works: Glass / ovenproof baking dish (None) · Disposable pan (None)
  • Pastry brush · Also works: Spoon / teaspoon (regular) (Spread with the back of a spoon, less even) · Paper towels (Paper towel dipped in oil)
  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

🧩 Built from…

Oven-roasted vegetables → Red Wine Reduction → Roasted Vegetables on Labneh

🧩 Another 2 recipes based on Roasted Vegetables on Labneh

Labneh with Cherry Tomato ConfitLabneh with Sautéed Mushrooms and Za'atar

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