When transitioning to a plant-centric diet, people sometimes remove the meat only to be left with an empty plate — it can be tough to know what to add in its place. Enter hearty vegetables you can sink your teeth into! Eggplant “steaks” are simple to make, taste delicious, and come without unwanted ingredients. When you top it with fresh Mediterranean vegetables like tomato, onion, olives, cucumber and tofu feta, you have yourself a meal that is filling and satisfying.
Make your topping: Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper, if using, to a large mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Make the eggplant: With a pastry brush, brush each side of each steak with balsamic vinegar.
Sprinkle the steaks with chili powder, salt and pepper, if using.
Heat a large stovetop pan over medium heat. Grill the eggplant steaks until tender, about 3–4 minutes per side.
Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and top with the vegan feta (if using), tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, parsley and salt and pepper, if using.
Squeeze lemon juice over the top.