Easy Escalivada Recipe (Catalan Slow-Roasted Vegetables)

This Easy Escalivada Recipe is a simple yet incredibly delicious classic Spanish Tapa that serves as a side and can be coupled with virtually any dish or served as a Sunday brunch snack. It consists of perfectly roasted simple vegetables, bringing the most out of their natural flavors.

A beautiful example of a vegetable dish that doesn't need much more than oven roasting, basic seasonings such as olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper to become phenomenal.

Since I started making this dish, I have made it at least every fifteen days. It is the definition of simplicity, deliciousness, and health... all together!

It is amongst our preferred sides/snacks head-to-head to our Italian pickled Eeggplant recipe and Spanish sautéed chickpeas with spinach. It is similar to what we call the "Italian" Escalivada recipe version, Potacchio di Melanzane, which is an Italian eggplant stew, but it is made on the stovetop.

Jump to:

• 💚 Why you will love it
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💡 Expert Tips
• 🥢 How to serve
• 🍷 Wine pairing
• ❓ FAQ
• 🥡 Storage
• 🍆 More eggplant recipes
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

• Eggplants: The eggplants add a creamy, almost meaty texture, making this dish incredibly satisfying. They're the base that soaks up all other flavors like sponges.
• Red Bell Peppers: These bring a natural sweetness and vibrant color to the party. Plus, they're chock-full of vitamin C, so you're basically eating health confetti.
• Tomatoes: These juicy gems add both moisture and a tangy flavor to balance out the richness of the other veggies. They're also a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant.
• Garlic Head: This is the flavor bomb that infuses the dish with its aromatic goodness. Roasting it mellows its pungency and adds a subtle, caramelized sweetness.
• Onions (optional): If you choose to invite onions to this Catalonian shindig, they'll provide an aromatic sweetness and a bit of bite. They're the wild card that can subtly shift the flavor profile.
• Sherry vinegar - complements the dish with some acidity.
• Extra virgin olive oil - adds extra flavor.

Season with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar (sherry vinegar), and kosher salt.

Substitutions

While these substitutions will not yield a traditional Escalivada, they offer creative alternatives for those looking to prepare a similar dish when certain ingredients are unavailable.

Original Ingredient	Suggested Substitution
Eggplants	Portobello Mushrooms, Zucchini
Red Bell Peppers	Poblano Peppers. Green, yellow, or orange Bell Peppers.
Tomatoes	Roma, Plum, Brandyone, Grape, or Cherry Tomatoes
Onions (optional)	Shallots, Red Onions
Garlic Head	Garlic Powder, Fennel

Tip: If using grape or cherry tomatoes as a substitute, add them to the baking dish only 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. These smaller tomatoes require less cooking time and can burn if added too early.

See quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card.

🔪 Instructions

It is a straightforward dish. It consists of three main steps. Preheat the oven.

Tip: For garlic and onions, I prefer to leave the peel on one onion and one head of garlic while peeling the others. This method allows the other vegetables to absorb flavors from the peeled ones while also cooking some garlic and onions with their skins on to achieve a distinct, buttery texture.

Step 3: Take the roasted vegetables out of the oven. Cooldown— carefully peel, remove the stems, and deseed the red peppers and eggplants; then cut the roasted onions in half and remove the skins (outer layer).

Step 4: Transfer the roasted vegetables to a serving dish and serve warm or at room temperature; You can optionally add some red wine vinegar (highly recommended).

Serve this side dish with crusty bread and extra olive oil if you like!

🥢 How to serve

We typically make some Italian artisan bread and mix and match it with the different veggies and snacks. It's delicious!

With Venezuelan Arepas or Mexican Tortillas: For a creative serving option, pair Escalivada with vegan arepas or tortillas, offering a delightful contrast of textures and flavors. The creamy and savory qualities of the roasted vegetables blend seamlessly with the crispiness of the arepas or the softness of the tortillas, creating a unique and satisfying meal that pays homage to Spanish and Latin American culinary traditions.

You can also serve it next to other Spanish tapa-style dishes like this vegan Spanish tortilla, spicy roasted chickpeas, pickled olives, and sautéed spinach with chickpeas.

🍷 Wine pairing

• Spain - Sparkling Off-Dry (Semi-Dry) - Cava
• Chile - Dry - Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley or Casablanca)
• Spain - Dry - Godello (Bierzo)

❓ FAQ

🥡 Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If they have dried out, I recommend adding a drizzle of olive oil before serving.

🍆 More eggplant recipes

If you love eggplants, don't forget to check out our Italian 3-Ingredient Pasta Sauce, our vegetarian Thai yellow, Indian Eggplant Curry, and our traditional 4-Ingredient Italian Eggplant Stew.

If you enjoyed the escalivada and love roasted veggies, you will also like our Mediterranean baked stuffed eggplant recipe and vegan honey-roasted vegetables.

⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

📋 Recipe