Eggplant, zucchini and potato bake

Ingredients

• 5 small, or 2 mediumaubergines
• 2 large, or 4–5 smallcourgettes
• 4 mediumpotatoes, preferably yellow-fleshed
• To tastesalt
• For fryingvegetable oil
• 600 mlchunky tomato sauce, homemade or shop-bought
• 2fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves, thinly slicedgarlic
• 1 sprigrosemary
• 2bay leaves
• 15 mlolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the aubergine

   Halve the aubergines lengthways, then cut each half into long strips. Soak in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes, changing the water after 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Salt the aubergine

   Drain the aubergine and toss it with 1/2 tablespoon salt. Leave for about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Cut the potatoes

   While the aubergine rests, peel the potatoes and cut them lengthways into wedges.

4. 4

   Cut the courgettes

   Cut each courgette in half across its width, then cut each piece into spears. Set aside.

5. 5

   Fry the potatoes

   Pour enough oil into a medium frying pan to a depth of 2.5 cm. Over a medium heat, fry the potatoes for 10–15 minutes, until golden outside and soft inside. Lift them out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain, then sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon salt.

6. 6

   Fry the courgettes

   Toss the courgettes with 1/2 teaspoon salt and fry them for 5–7 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a kitchen-paper-lined plate to drain.

7. 7

   Fry the aubergine

   Before frying, squeeze out excess water from the aubergine with kitchen paper. Fry for about 10 minutes, turning the pieces so they brown on all sides, then drain on kitchen paper.

8. 8

   Warm the sauce

   Put the tomato sauce, basil leaves, sliced garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and olive oil in a saucepan. Heat over a medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then take off the heat.

9. 9

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F).

10. 10

    Layer the vegetables

    Lightly oil the base of a roasting dish with vegetable oil. Arrange the courgettes, potatoes and aubergine in the dish, keeping each vegetable separate, and spoon the tomato sauce over them.

11. 11

    Bake the vegetables

    Bake uncovered at 177°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes, or until just heated through.

12. 12

    Serve the bake

    Take the dish out of the oven and serve.

What is this Greek vegetable bake?

This is a home-style Greek-inspired bake built around aubergine, courgette and potatoes, finished with a tomato sauce flavoured with garlic and herbs. It shares the simple, vegetable-forward spirit of Greek ladera dishes, in which vegetables are cooked with olive oil and tomato.

Here, frying the vegetables before baking gives them browned edges and keeps their flavours distinct. A short final bake brings them together without cooking them down into a single soft layer.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 475 calories, 9g protein, 62g carbs, 23g fat.

Potatoes and tomato sauce provide most of the carbohydrates, while frying oil and olive oil contribute much of the fat. The vegetables provide some fibre, but the dish has little protein as written; serve it with beans, Greek yoghurt or fish to make the plate more balanced.

Why fry each vegetable first?

Potatoes: Frying makes the outsides golden while the centres soften, so they need only a brief time in the oven.

Courgettes: A quick fry browns their surfaces and helps them stay in spears rather than turning watery in the sauce.

Aubergines: Their porous flesh absorbs oil readily, so let them drain well after frying before adding them to the roasting dish.

Getting the aubergine ready

Soaking the cut aubergine in cold water, then salting it, is the preparation used in this recipe. After salting, drain and press out excess water with kitchen paper so the pieces are ready for the hot oil.

Work in batches if the pan is crowded. The pieces should have room to fry and brown rather than releasing moisture and steaming.

Build flavour into the sauce

A chunky tomato sauce gives the dish body and a little texture. Warm it gently with the basil, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and olive oil for about 15 minutes so the aromatics infuse the sauce.

Remove the rosemary sprig and bay leaves before serving if they are still in the sauce. Keep the heat moderate and stir now and then to prevent the sauce catching on the pan.

Keep the vegetables distinct

Arrange the three vegetables in separate groups in the roasting dish, as directed, and spoon the sauce over the top. This makes the finished bake easy to serve and lets each vegetable retain its own character.

The oven time is short: about 15 minutes, just enough to heat everything through. The dish is ready when the sauce is hot and the vegetables are warm in the centre.

What to serve alongside

Serve it with crusty bread to mop up the tomato sauce, or add a simple green salad for freshness. For a more substantial meal, pair it with grilled fish, beans or another protein of your choice.

The bake is also useful as a side dish alongside a wider Greek-style spread. Let it stand briefly after baking so the sauce settles around the vegetables.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the vegetables into pieces of similar thickness so they brown more evenly.
• Let each fried batch drain on kitchen paper before assembling the dish.
• Use a wide frying pan and cook in batches if needed to avoid crowding.
• Taste the tomato sauce before layering and adjust the salt to suit the sauce you are using.
• Keep the bay leaves and rosemary sprig whole so they are easy to remove before serving.

Variations

• Add oregano: Stir a little dried oregano into the tomato sauce for another Mediterranean herb note.
• Use passata: Swap in a thick passata if you prefer a smoother sauce.
• Add chilli: Include a pinch of chilli flakes in the sauce for gentle heat.
• Finish with feta: Crumble feta over the vegetables just before serving.
• Make it more substantial: Serve with butter beans or chickpeas alongside.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the frying pan: The vegetables can steam instead of brown; fry them in batches.
• Skipping the draining: Excess water and oil can make the bake heavy; drain each fried vegetable well.
• Cutting uneven pieces: Thin pieces may soften before thick ones; aim for similar-sized spears and wedges.
• Overbaking: The vegetables are already cooked before assembly; bake only until the dish is heated through.
• Leaving whole herbs in the serving: Bay leaves and the rosemary sprig are woody; remove them before eating.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, then store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a covered ovenproof dish at 180°C until piping hot, or microwave individual portions, stirring or turning partway through.

Frequently asked questions