Vegan Fajitas with Roasted Eggplant
These Vegan Fajitas are made with three different colours of bell peppers, onion, garlic, and lots of spice. Topped with cilantro and parsley, and an oven-roasted eggplant for a great plant-based touch to a classic Mexican dish.
Fajitas - the Mexican classic. Perfect for a fancy night out at a restaurant, or sitting at the patio table on a summer’s night. Fry up some bell peppers and onions, and toss some eggplant into the oven for a perfect, plant-based, vegan fajita.
Skip to any part of the recipe by clicking on the links below:
Introduction
Fajitas - the dish on the restaurant menu that for some reason always costs a ton. Maybe it’s the head-turning theatrics - the roaring steam of a fajita plate that comes out to the table. Conversation stops as everybody stares at the waiter walking the plate over to the table. Maybe fajitas at restaurants really are that good. Maybe it’s Maybelline. Whatever it is - you can make it right at home, you can make it for a tenth of the price, and you can make it plant-based.
Bell peppers, onions, garlic, eggplant, tortillas. That’s it. It truly doesn’t get any simpler, and I’m going to walk you through it every step of the way.
There are a few things that are really important to a great fajita - the spice, the roar of the pan, and vegetables that are cooked, but still have bite to them. Nail those three things, and you’ve got yourself a great dinner. Everything you need to know is in the directions below. It’s dead easy, really straightforward, and so good, you’re gonna wonder why you haven’t been making fajitas like this for years.
Check out the Spruce it Up section for ideas on how to take this recipe to the next level.
Before We Get Started
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 35 Minutes
Yield: 6-8 Fajitas
Ingredients
7-inch Tortillas
2 Medium Eggplants
1 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Medium Yellow Onion
3 Garlic Cloves
3 Bell Peppers
1/2 tbsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tbsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
Regular Paprika works great, too.
1/2 tsp. Oregano
Parsley or Cilantro
For Garnish
Method
Set your oven to 450°F.
While your oven is coming to temperature, slice your eggplant into quarters, then into long chunks, like thick potato wedges. Place them on a tray, and sprinkle them quite heavily with salt. Leave them for 15 minutes and they will let out a lot of their moisture. Use a paper towel to dry them off and remove all of that excess salt.
Place all of your eggplant into a bowl, drizzle with a good amount of oil, salt, and pepper, and tbsp. of balsamic vinegar, and place them onto a tinfoil-lined baking tray. When the oven comes to temperature, throw them in, and set a timer for 15 minutes.
While your eggplant is cooking, thinly slice your onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Place a pan over medium-high heat with oil, and allow it to come to temperature. Throw all of your veg in, and stir routinely to keep them from burning. Season well.
After the 15-minute timer for your eggplant has expired, take them out of the oven, and use a spatula to flip them over. Put them in for another 10 minutes.
Some might get stuck - be quick and forceful with the spatula and you should be able to get under them to flip them without ruining their shape. Oil the tray before placing them back into the oven if need be.
Once your vegetables are cooked throughout but still have bite to them, add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano in. Give the pan a good toss, and turn off the heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Pull your eggplant out of the oven once the timer goes off. Finely chop up some parsley or cilantro.
Place some of your veg mix, as well as your roasted eggplant into a tortilla, and roll it up.
Enjoy.
Spruce it Up
If you want the flair of bringing the steaming pan out to the table, turn your pan up to high, let it come to temperature (stir your ingredients to keep them from sticking and burning), then add a few spoons of water to the pan. If your pan is hot enough, it’ll erupt into steam.
Slice up some avocado for a great touch.
If you want some heat, add some chili flakes to your veg mix.
Vegan cheese or sour cream are great additions to this dish.