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Grilled Eggplant Bruschetta with melted mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds. Made with toasted crusty Italian bread this appetizer or antipasto is simple, light and packed full of flavour.
We’ve been making this eggplant bruschetta for years now and it’s always delicious. It’s made with just five simple ingredients and it’s really easy to make.
Sometimes we’ll use slices of toasted crusty bread and other times we’ll use crusty rolls sliced in half (usually Rosetta rolls that are pictured in our Insalata Russa recipe).
The eggplant (aubergine) is grilled on a hot griddle pan until it’s cooked through. It’s then topped with fresh mozzarella, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds (one of my favourite flavour combos).
Fennel seeds and red pepper flakes are something I cook with a lot. Try adding some fennel seeds into a ragú and see how it transforms. The same goes for the red pepper flakes just a little pinch of heat can add so much flavour to simple pasta dishes, stews and sauces.
Some tips before you begin
- Using fresh mozzarella – make sure to pat it from any excess moisture with kitchen paper. Slice it and let it sit on the paper while you grill the eggplant.
- Grilling eggplant – I like to brush the slices of eggplant with olive oil using a pastry brush to get it evenly coated.
- Prepping the eggplant – there’s no need to salt the eggplant first just cut it into even slices.
- Herbs and spices – you only need a small sprinkle of both fennel seeds and red pepper flakes (chilli flakes). You could also use dried oregano.
- Serving suggestion – We love to serve this for lunch or with a cocktail such as an Aperol or Campari Spritz for an aperitivo.
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- Finely slice the eggplant with a knife then using a pastry brush lightly brush each side with a little olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on a hot griddle pan until coloured and charred on each side. They should only take around 30-60 seconds on each side.
- Place the griddled eggplant slices on some kitchen paper and cut the crusty bread slices. Toast the bread on one side only by placing them under a grill.
- Next add two slices of cooked eggplant on the untoasted side of bread, add more slices for larger slices of bread. Top with mozzarella and sprinkle over red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place the slices under a hot grill until the mozzarella is bubbling, melted and slightly golden, serve hot.
More easy bruschetta toppings to try
- Bruschetta al pomodoro (authentic tomato bruschetta)
- Sausage and stracchino
- Crostini three ways – spinach, creamy white bean and prosciutto, pecorino and truffle honey
- Pea pesto and goats cheese
- Whipped ricotta with balsamic cherries
- Sun dried tomato pesto and ricotta
- Roasted fennel, salami and ricotta
Love eggplant? Check out our other recipes, Italian marinated eggplant, Eggpalnt roll-ups with spinach and ricotta and Parmigiana di Melanzane (aubergine parmigiana (our Parmigiana recipe is a firm reader favourite!).
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
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Eggplant bruschetta with mozzarella
Ingredients
- 8 slices crusty bread
- 1 medium sized eggplant (aubergine)
- 8.8 oz (250g) mozzarella, , sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- fennel seeds
- salt and pepper, ,to season
Instructions
- Put a griddle pan over medium heat. Finely slice the eggplant lengthways and brush each side with a little olive oil using a pastry brush. Place the slices on the griddle pan in batches and grill each side until slightly charred and cooked through.
- Place the cooked eggplant on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Put the slices of bread under a hot grill (broiler) and toast on one side only.
- Place two slices of eggplant of the untoasted side of each slice of bread. Add extra eggplant to larger slices if needed. Top each bruschetta with mozzarella then sprinkle over a few red pepper flakes, fennel seeds then a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place the bruschetta under a hot grill (broiler) until the mozzarella has melted, bubbling and slightly golden. Cut large slices in half and serve hot.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These sound just amazing. I’m obsessed with the flavor of fennel seeds and crusty breads and I feel like I’m always stuck trying to figure out how to use up eggplant! Thanks for this great idea!
No problem Amy, thanks so much. I love cooking with fennel seeds too they have so much flavour!
Perfect for all my garden eggplant.
thanks
No problem!
This is fabulous!!! I love the chile pepper flakes addition. I just wish my husband ate eggplant!
Love the addition of fennel seeds! So much flavour in this bruschetta!
Thanks so much Elaine, I love using fennel seeds.
I have never tried bruschetta with eggplant! How creative and delicious!
Thanks so much Sam
I make bruschetta secretly at home so that nobody else can eat it away. I am so going to try this with chili flakes and fennel! YUM!
I hope you enjoy Helene!
I am just starting to appreciate eggplant (used to hate it) but I love the idea of grilling it for these bruschetta. Great meatless Monday dish!
It’s funny how our tastes change over time, isn’t it? Hope you like this one Lisa!
These are stunning, and what a creative way to use eggplant! Love the moody shots 🙂
Thanks so much Sue!
I’m always looking for vegetarian recipes that my husband will love. I think he will enjoy the chilli addition
Thanks Bintu, I hope he does!
Wow, this looks completely perfect, such a great alternative to regular bruschetta, yum!
Thanks so much Amy!
I loove your photos! I could eat bruschetta all day long. Thanks for those tips on how to cook with aubergine!
Thanks so much Julia, I could eat it all day too there are so many options!