Enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean with this easy Escalivada, chock full of eggplant, zucchini, onion, tomato, and red bell peppers, drizzled with olive oil and splashed with sherry vinegar. This dish of Catalan roasted vegetables is delicious, nutritious, and so make-ahead. It’s such an elegant way to eat the rainbow!
You’re going to want to put this easy Escalivada recipe on repeat in the summer since it’s delicious made in advance and served at room temperature alongside a rotisserie chicken and crusty bread or baguette for an easy summer meal.
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I first had Escalivada when my French mom (I was an exchange student in college) made it for me and my family when we visited again a few years ago. While the vegan dish is considered Spanish, Michele happens to be French Catalan, which shares many of the same dishes and traditions.
She told me that Escalivada was the lazy woman’s solution to using up summer vegetables, and was she right! I researched other recipes, and her way is the best. No roasting and peeling the eggplant in this dish!
Why Make This
It’s an easy side dish. This vegetable dish is often served as tapas or as a relish for grilled meats and fish. Michèle served Escalivada with charcuterie, cheese, baguette, and red wine. It would also be great on pizza or folded into an omelet.
It makes good use of summer produce. Cooking in season will not only give you the best flavor, but you’ll also save money. Enjoy summer veggies, like red peppers, eggplant, and zucchini in this easy Escalivada.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Escalivada at home:
eggplant – Italian or globe eggplant are typically what you’ll see at the grocery store, but you can use whatever varieties of eggplant you find.
zucchini – Try to use medium size zucchini, if you can. If you end up with a jumbo size from the garden or a neighbor, you may want to remove some of the seedy center.
bell pepper – You can use any color; red peppers are sweeter than green.
tomatoes – Any tomatoes will work, but keep in mind that Roma tomatoes are meatier and will result in more roasted tomato than a juicier variety.
onion – You can use any time of round onion: yellow, white, or red
olive oil – I use virgin olive oil in most Mediterranean recipes, but you can use another cooking oil if that’s what you have.
spices – I like to use thyme, salt, and pepper, per Michele’s instructions. Some recipes for Escalivada recommend parsley instead.
sherry vinegar – Sherry vinegar is traditional in Escalivada, but it’s a lot more expensive than white wine vinegar. The latter is a fine substitute.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make Escalivada:
You don’t really need to preheat oven because the cooking process isn’t as scientific as a baked good, but you will need a rimmed baking sheet so that the juices from the Escalivada veggies don’t splash all over the oven.
- Just slice the vegetables into rounds, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and thyme. It’s super simple and I love it that I just chop the veg and literally throw it together.
- Roast in the oven until the veggies are your desired texture. My family prefers their vegetables a little more al dente than is traditional. Cook Escalivada until the veggies are just the way you like them.
FAQs
Escalivada, or escalibada, is a vegetable dish of Spanish origin. Traditionally, the vegetables are roasted in the ashes or coals from a wood fire and peeled after cooking.
Escalivada is delicious served as an appetizer, or tapas, as well as a side dish to grilled or roasted meats. It’s tasty with eggs as well.
Yes! You can freeze escalivada. Simply cool it, package into freezer-safe containers, chill completely in the fridge, and store for up to 6 weeks. There will likely be more liquid upon thawing. Reheat it well prior to serving for best texture.
You can use leftover escalivada in marinara sauce, either chopped or blended to add.
More Mediterranean Recipes
Escalivada
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 1 zucchini sliced into rounds
- 2 bell pepper (any color) sliced
- 3 tomato cut into wedges
- 1 onion sliced into rings
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lay out the vegetable rounds on the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste with thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bake in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, but still slightly al dente. They will be browned in spots. Use caution when checking as there may be a lot of steam.
- Drizzle with vinegar and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 22, 2015. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Chyrll
It’s summertime in the South. Can’t wait to make this!
Heidi
It sounds delicious! How do you prepare it for freezing?
Jessica Fisher
I undercook it just a tad, cool completely, and then package for freezing. It reheats easily, though it is a bit on the soft side.
Roberta
How did I miss this back in ’15??? It looks delicious. I think leftovers would also work well in a frittata.
Jessica Fisher
Yes! Leftovers go well in any number of egg dishes, pizza, etc. Let me know what you think if you’ve made it recently!
LeslieT
I just made this and it is delicious! I only used onion, tomato, and zucchini, because that’s what I had. And on Convection Roast, it only takes 20-25 mins. Yum!
Jessica Fisher
Good to know. Glad you enjoyed it!
MARISA
This is absolutely beautiful in its simplicity. We were last in France in September and had the best…I mean the BEST yogurt I have ever eaten. The small hotel they made it from scratch.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe.
Sally
The cuisines of the Mediterranean are favorites of mine. Some version of this dish exists throughout the Mediterranean: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/dining/06eggplant.html
I found that in Italy there are versions called gimbot, ciambotta and gurgugliare. Some say that caponata is a version of it, but I see caponata as something completely different, though it uses similar ingredients.
Whatever it’s called — it’s good.
Jessica Fisher
It is good! Can’t wait for deep summer when local stuff will be ready for these kinds of dishes.
Dennise
This would be awesome on pizza! white sauce base and Havarti cheese?? yes, I think so!
I just recently discovered egg plant(I thought it was too scary looking LOL) No one ever told me it was kinda like zucchini 😉
I think this will be the side for the crock pot chicken tomorrow!!
Jessica Fisher
I know. Awesome on pizza. Let me know how it turns out.
Stephanie M.
My goodness, Jessica, this looks absolutely delicious! I have never been to France but I have been to Germany 14 times so I understand how the food can bring back so many wonderful memories. Because my mother is from Germany, I grew up eating a nice variety of German foods and I cook them myself. Just yesterday, Sunday, I made sauerbraten, spaetzle (German dumplings), red cabbage, and German potato salad. During all of my travels there, I found that the food is really quite simple rather than fancy or gourmet which is right up my alley. Some of my favorite foods are what I call peasant food or rather just simple, plain food. This is why I always enjoy going to this small pub like restaurant called The Oxen in the village where our friends live. Everyone knows everyone; there is always a good crowd, and the food is delicious and plentiful. This dish you made looks wonderful and I’m going to try it out and serve it the same way as you did in the picture.
Jessica Fisher
What a wonderful habit to be in. I would love to go to Europe that often!
Stephanie M.
I’m pretty fortunate to have been there so many times but only because my mother is from there. I went there first when I was 3 years old and went several more times as a young girl; sometimes with my mother and once alone but I stayed with my grandparents. Where my grandparents lived in the Black Forest, one of their neighbors had a daughter my age and when she was in school learning English, her mother thought it would be nice for her to write to someone in United States so she could better her English. Back then, there were no computers, so we wrote for many years before we actually met. Now my grandparents are both gone but my friend and I have known each other for about 40 years. That makes me sound so old! But basically – all our lives. Then we both grew up and had families and now we travel back and forth to see each other. Because of them, I have also seen parts of Austria and Switzerland. We just went on a cruise together in the Caribbean this past November. We’re hoping to go on another vacation together, possibly the Mediterranean next year. But it’s so nice when we go there because having gone so many times, we know all of their friends and it always feels like such a nice reunion. I can’t even begin to tell you how beautiful it is where they live; mountains and small villages everywhere. But I have to say, France is on my bucket list too. And from watching the Tour de France, it looks just as beautiful. But, of course, I would also love to go to Paris while I’m there.
Jessica Fisher
The pieces are coming together. I remember the travel friends. What a wonderful friendship!