Print

Cranberries & Toasted Walnuts Recipe

Cranberries & Toasted Walnuts Recipe
Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 22 reviews

These Eggplant Rounds with Bleu Cheese, Cranberries, and Toasted Walnuts offer a delicious combination of savory, sweet, and nutty flavors, making them an elegant appetizer or side dish. Roasted eggplant slices are topped with creamy bleu cheese, tangy dried cranberries, crunchy toasted walnuts, and optionally drizzled with honey, garnished with fresh herbs for a perfect bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Eggplant Rounds

  • 1 large eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt & black pepper, to taste
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika

Toppings

  • ½ cup bleu cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 1 tbsp honey (optional for drizzling)

Garnish

  • Fresh thyme or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) to prepare for roasting the eggplant rounds.
  2. Prepare Eggplant: Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush both sides of each slice generously with olive oil to ensure even roasting and flavor.
  3. Season: Season the eggplant slices with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika, distributing the spices evenly for balanced taste.
  4. Roast Eggplant: Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast the eggplant for 15–18 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through to achieve golden-brown and tender rounds.
  5. Add Toppings: Remove the eggplant from the oven and evenly top each round with crumbled bleu cheese, dried cranberries, and chopped toasted walnuts.
  6. Final Bake: Return the topped eggplant rounds to the oven for an additional 3–4 minutes until the bleu cheese softens slightly without melting completely.
  7. Drizzle Honey (Optional): Optionally, drizzle each eggplant round lightly with honey to create a sweet and salty flavor contrast.
  8. Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley leaves for freshness and color, then serve warm as a sophisticated appetizer or side dish.

Notes

  • For a nuttier flavor, try substituting walnuts with pecans or almonds.
  • To make this dish vegan, substitute bleu cheese with a plant-based cheese alternative and omit honey or use agave syrup.
  • Ensure eggplant slices are evenly cut to promote uniform cooking.
  • This dish pairs well with a crisp white wine or light red wine.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated gently.

Nutrition

Keywords: eggplant appetizer, roasted eggplant, bleu cheese appetizers, walnut recipes, cranberry recipes, vegetarian tapas, easy vegetarian recipes

Find it online: https://maicook.com/cranberries-and-toasted-walnuts-recipe/