Grilled Eggplant Caprese Stacks
This grilled eggplant caprese combines tender, charred eggplant with juicy summer tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, basil, and aged balsamic vinegar. It's like eggplant Parmesan meets a classic caprese salad, stacked into an easy Italian summer appetizer, side dish, or light meal that looks as good as it tastes!
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What Are Eggplant Caprese Stacks?
This is basically a layered version of the classic Italian caprese salad with the eggplant serving as an extra layer between ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. They're fun to make and really beautiful on the plate!
Since they're a bit more substantial than your typical caprese salad, these stacks are hearty enough for lunch or a light dinner but still taste fresh and summery. I love them as a side with grilled meats, seafood, and pastas, or on their own with a simple salad or greens.
This stunning eggplant caprese is extremely easy to prepare!
Avoid slicing the eggplant too thin, since they shrink a bit after grilling. About ½ inch is perfect. The slices get brushed with a garlic-infused olive oil and then are grilled until nicely charred and tender.
I don't salt the eggplant prior to grilling for this recipe because I don't think it's necessary, but if your eggplants are bitter or extra seedy, you may want to.
The tomatoes also get cut about ½ inch thick for nice meaty slices, but the mozzarella should get sliced about ¼ inch so you can get 8 full slices out of one ball. Feel free to use larger slices if you want, but you will need another ball of mozz and may have some leftovers.
Make sure to season the tomatoes really well before layering so they have lots of flavor. I also like to drizzle the eggplant and tomatoes with a little bit of aged balsamic so that the flavor is distributed throughout, not just on top.
I typically don't use balsamic on my traditional caprese salad since I prefer letting the tomatoes speak for themselves, but I really like what it does to this version. It brings out the sweetness, adds acidity, and ties everything together.
How to Grill Eggplant Perfectly
The key here is to start with a well-preheated grill and use clean and well-oiled grill grates to avoid sticking. Brushing each side of the eggplant with a seasoned oil mixture adds flavor, but also keeps it from sticking.
Once you place your eggplant on the grill, leave it undisturbed for a few minutes until it naturally releases from the grates, which creates nice grill marks.
Want more delicious eggplant recipes? Try this light unbreaded eggplant parm, this juicy grilled marinated eggplant, or this sweet and sour Sicilian eggplant caponata.
Why You'll Love This Grilled Eggplant Caprese
- A fun and fresh mashup of caprese salad and eggplant Parmesan.
- Quick and easy to make, with no need to salt the eggplant first.
- Versatile enough to serve as an appetizer, side dish, lunch, or light dinner.
- A hot, well-oiled grill and leaving the eggplant undisturbed creates tender slices with defined grill marks.
- Pairs well with everything from grilled meats and seafood to pasta, roasted potatoes, and risotto.
Ingredients You'll Need
Eggplant - Use large globe eggplants, Sicilian Rosa, or other summer varieties. Choose firm, glossy eggplants with no soft spots. Try to find eggplants that aren't too wide so the rounds don't overwhelm the stacks.
Tomatoes - You can make this with any large tomatoes that are ripe but still firm. Go for heirloom varieties and beefsteak, or try large plum tomatoes. Try to find tomatoes that are similar in size to the mozzarella and eggplant for evenly sized stacks.
Mozzarella - Use the best fresh mozzarella cheese you can find. Buffalo mozzarella, cow's milk mozzarella balls, or fior di latte are excellent choices. Avoid low-moisture mozzarella. Learn more about selecting the best cheeses in my guide to Italian cheeses.
Balsamic - Use the best-quality aged balsamic you can get for this; it will make all the difference. You can also reduce balsamic vinegar to make a balsamic reduction instead. Just avoid balsamic glaze, which is too sweet.
Olive oil - Choosing high-quality extra virgin olive oil makes everything better. Use the best olive oil you have in your kitchen and drizzle generously.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Gas grill or charcoal grill
- Pastry brush
- Tongs
How to Make Grilled Eggplant Caprese
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grates.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
- Brush both sides of each eggplant slice with the olive oil mixture. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until tender with distinct grill marks. Transfer to a plate and let cool for a few minutes.
Pro Tip: Use evenly sliced eggplant that isn't too thin, for consistent cooking and so it holds up nicely on the grill. A mandoline is the easiest way to do this.
- Season the tomato slices with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Place one eggplant slice on a serving platter, then drizzle lightly with a drop or two of aged balsamic and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- Top with a slice of tomato and another light drizzle of balsamic. Top with a basil leaf, then a slice of mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of each ingredient.
- Create three more using up the remaining ingredients for a total of four stacks.
- Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and more aged balsamic, then garnish each with a small basil leaf on top.
- Finish with more basil scattered around the plate and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper on top. Serve immediately.
Tips for Perfect Grilled Eggplant Caprese
- Pat the mozzarella dry before assembling so the stacks don't become watery.
- Allow the eggplant slices to grill undisturbed on each side to create clean charred marks.
- Aged balsamic has a richer flavor and doesn't need to be reduced. If using regular balsamic vinegar, reduce it over low heat until syrupy before drizzling.
- If your tomatoes are extra juicy, lay the slices on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb excess moisture before plating. This prevents a watery salad and preserves both flavor and texture.
Variations
- Try a few dollops of Genovese pesto between the layers.
- Make them with breaded and fried eggplant or roasted eggplant instead of grilled.
- Add a drizzle of homemade basil oil on top.
- Use burrata or homemade stracciatella in place of the mozzarella for something creamier.
What to Serve with Grilled Eggplant Caprese
These lovely eggplant caprese stacks are my favorite served as a light lunch with a simple arugula salad!
For dinner, they're great served as either an appetizer or a side next to your favorite grilled meats, fish, or pasta.
Try this charred honey balsamic grilled chicken, classic spaghetti al pomodoro, vibrant grilled swordfish with olive pistachio salsa, or perfectly grilled tuna with lemon caper sauce.
How to Store Leftovers
These are best made right before serving for the best texture and freshest flavor. You can grill the eggplant, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella several hours in advance, but assemble at the last minute. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. They might become a little soggy after sitting for a few hours.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. A grill pan will work well too. For a grill pan, follow the same method, cooking over medium-high heat.
Not for this recipe. If you're working with fresh, seasonal eggplant that's been cut thick enough (½ inch approximately), it will be sweet enough and sturdy enough to grill as is. If your eggplant is very seedy or tastes bitter, salting it and letting it sit for 20-30 minutes before patting dry can help.
Make sure the grill grates are clean, well-oiled, and properly preheated, and don't move the slices around while they cook. Keep them in one spot and they will naturally release when they are ready to flip.
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Easy Grilled Eggplant Caprese Stacks
Ingredients
- 1 globe eggplant medium size, about 1 pound, cut into 8 ½-inch slices
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove grated or very finely minced
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction
- flaky sea salt for finishing
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella 1 ball, cut into 8 ¼-inch thick
- 2 ripe tomatoes medium size, cut into 8 ½-inch thick slices
- 8 fresh basil leaves large size, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grates.
- In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and minced garlic, and season with salt and pepper.⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 garlic clove, salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Brush both sides of each eggplant slice with the olive oil mixture. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until tender with distinct grill marks. Transfer to a plate and let cool for a few minutes.1 globe eggplant
- Season the tomato slices with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.2 ripe tomatoes, flaky sea salt
- Place one eggplant slice on a serving platter, then drizzle lightly with a drop or two of aged balsamic and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.2-3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- Top with a slice of tomato and another light drizzle of balsamic. Top with a basil leaf, then a slice of mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of each ingredient.8 ounces fresh mozzarella, 8 fresh basil leaves
- Create three more using up the remaining ingredients for a total of four stacks.
- Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and more aged balsamic, then garnish each with a small basil leaf on top.
- Finish with more basil scattered around the plate and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use evenly sliced eggplant that isn't too thin, for consistent cooking and so it holds up nicely on the grill. A mandoline is the easiest way to do this.
- Pat the mozzarella dry before assembling so the stacks don't become watery.
- Allow the eggplant slices to grill undisturbed on each side to create clean charred marks.
- Aged balsamic has a richer flavor and doesn't need to be reduced. If using regular balsamic vinegar, reduce it over low heat until syrupy before drizzling.
- If your tomatoes are extra juicy, lay the slices on paper towels for a few minutes to absorb excess moisture before plating. This prevents a watery salad and preserves both flavor and texture.
So yummy! The combination of flavors is so delicious. Very easy to make, I enjoyed this recipe very much. Thank you Coley!
Amazing! So glad you loved the recipe. Thanks so much for leaving a review!! 😀