Grilled Baby Eggplants with Whipped Feta

Grilled Baby Eggplants with Whipped Feta are your perfect summer appetizer: adorable baby grilled eggplant boats with a lightened up whipped feta spread, topped with fresh tomatoes and basil!

Okay, how adorable are these baby eggplants? I saw them at the farmer’s market and just had to have them! (Markets and grocery stores are dangerous for me. I end up seeing so many beautiful fruits and veggies and buy them all and then end up with more produce than we can eat. This is why I have to meal plan and stick to a list.) The baby eggplant were definitely not on the list, but they still made it home.

I just love grilling all of my summer veggies, so I knew I wanted to grill these little guys. But what to put on top? You can never go wrong with cheese, right? And tomatoes and basil are so fresh and delicious right now, so that’s what I went with. They turned out very beautiful, don’t you think?

I’m super excited about the whipped feta! It’s so delicious on anything from veggies to pita chips (and adorable tiny eggplants) and is so easy to make! You just throw some feta crumbles in the mixer with a little cream cheese and whip it with the whisk attachment for about a minute. Then, done! You’ve got an amazing spread that you can sprinkle some fresh herbs on and have a quick app that looks like a million bucks!

I used fat-free feta and light cream cheese to keep fat and calories in check for these little guys, but if full fat is your thing, go for it! And if you ever impulsively buy baby eggplants, you know exactly what to make. You’re welcome.

Grilled Baby Eggplants with Whipped Feta

Grilled Baby Eggplants with Whipped Feta are your perfect summer appetizer: adorable baby grilled eggplant boats with a lightened up whipped feta spread, topped with fresh tomatoes and basil! (vegetarian, gluten-free)

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings
• Category: appetizer

Ingredients

• 5 baby eggplants, halved
• Olive oil spray
• 1/2 cup Fat free feta cheese crumbles
• 1/4 cup Reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 3 basil leaves, sliced thinly
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium heat. Spray with olive oil spray, and place eggplant, cut side down, onto the grill and cook until the eggplant gets soft and grill lines appear, 10-15 minutes or so.
2. Meanwhile, whip feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
3. Spread feta onto grilled eggplant and top with tomatoes and basil.
4. Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.