Speedy aubergine, courgette & chickpea traybake with tahini yoghurt
Easy midweek traybake: roasted aubergine, courgette and chickpeas with crumbled feta and tangy tahini yoghurt — ready in 45 minutes.
This traybake is my go-to midweek winner: quick to throw together, hands-off in the oven and full of punchy Mediterranean flavours. It’s forgiving, feeds a small crowd and leaves you with no mountain of washing up.
Roasting the aubergine and courgette concentrates their sweetness while the chickpeas add heft. A hit of lemon and a creamy tahini yoghurt bring it all together — serve with crusty bread or plain couscous if you like.
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine — about 400 g
- 2 courgette — about 300 g
- 1 red onion — large
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tinned chickpeas — 400 g tin, drained (approx 240 g drained weight)
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 45 ml olive oil
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 1 lemon — zest and about 1 tbsp juice
- 5 ml salt — adjust to taste
- black pepper — to taste
- 150 g feta cheese — crumbled
- 150 g natural yoghurt — for tahini yoghurt
- 30 g tahini
- 15 g fresh parsley — finely chopped
- 5 ml chilli flakes — optional
Equipment
- baking tray
- large mixing bowl
- small bowl for dressing
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional and line a large baking tray with a little oil or non-stick paper.
Prepare the vegetables: cut the aubergine into roughly 2 cm cubes, slice the courgettes into thick half-moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, peel and thinly slice the red onion and crush the garlic cloves.
In a large mixing bowl toss the aubergine, courgette, cherry tomatoes, red onion and tinned chickpeas with the olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, the lemon zest, salt and black pepper until everything is evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer on the prepared baking tray (do not overcrowd).
Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the tray, give everything a good stir so the aubergine browns evenly, then scatter the crumbled feta cheese over the top and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until the aubergine is very tender and the feta is warmed.
While the traybake finishes, whisk the natural yoghurt with the tahini, the remaining lemon juice, a pinch of salt and black pepper, most of the chopped fresh parsley and the chilli flakes (if using) until smooth.
Take the traybake out of the oven, drizzle over the tahini yoghurt, scatter the remaining parsley and serve immediately while hot.
Tips
- If your aubergine is very large, cut into slightly larger pieces so it roasts evenly rather than collapsing.
- To speed things up, use pre-crumbled feta and a ready-made tahini dressing — but whisking takes only a minute and tastes fresher.
- If the tray looks crowded, divide between two baking trays; overcrowding will steam the veg and give a soggy result.
- Make ahead: roast everything (without yoghurt) and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; reheat at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 10–15 minutes and add the yoghurt just before serving.
- Leftovers are great cold or warmed through: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Substitutions
feta cheese → halloumi, sliced and fried briefly before adding to the tray
Stays closetahini → plain natural peanut butter (smooth), use slightly less and thin with lemon juice or water
Noticeably differenttinned chickpeas → shelled roasted broad beans or cooked lentils (200 g)
Stays closenatural yoghurt → plant-based yoghurt (soya or coconut) for a dairy-free option
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 445
- Calories
- 15 g
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegan?
Yes — replace the feta with a vegan feta or omit it, and use a plant-based natural yoghurt. Flavour will be slightly different but still delicious.
Can I roast everything at a higher temperature to save time?
You can increase to 220°C fan for a quicker roast, but watch closely and check aubergine after 15 minutes — higher heat risks charring the outside before the aubergine softens.
How should I reheat leftovers?
Warm in a 180°C fan/200°C conventional oven for 8–12 minutes until piping hot, or microwave for 2–3 minutes. Add fresh parsley and a spoon of yoghurt after reheating.
Can I add other vegetables?
Yes — peppers, butternut squash (pre-roasted) or mushrooms work well. Adjust roasting time for denser veg like squash.
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