Eggplant Salad

Posted by Aldo Pusey on Thursday, September 26, 2024

This eggplant salad recipe is a celebration of summer produce! It's bursting with fresh flavor from grilled eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs.

Jump to recipe

Eggplant salad

This eggplant salad recipe is what you should make after a trip to the farmers market in late summer. It features some of the best produce of the season: eggplant, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and lots of herbs.

I love this recipe because it has a delicious blend of raw and cooked ingredients. I grill the eggplant and peppers so that they offer a tender, smoky contrast to the super-fresh tomatoes and herbs. A zingy lemon dressing ties the salad together, while tangy feta cheese and pickled onions take it over the top.

Flavorful, refreshing, and bursting with seasonal veggies, this eggplant salad recipe is a celebration of summer cooking. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Eggplant Salad Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

  • Eggplant, of course! You’ll need 1 medium or 2 small eggplants, about 1 pound. Look for ones that are firm, shiny, and heavy for their size.
  • Red bell pepper – It adds sweetness to the salad.
  • Cherry tomatoes – Use a mix of colors if you can.
  • Feta cheese – Shopping tip: Skip the pre-crumbled stuff and buy it in a block. It’ll have a much better texture and flavor!
  • Pickled red onions – I love the tangy pop they add to this recipe.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – You’ll use some for grilling the veggies and more for making the dressing.
  • Fresh lemon juice – It adds bright flavor to the dressing.
  • Garlic – For sharp, savory bite.
  • Za’atar – Read more about it below!
  • Fresh basil and mint – Fragrant and aromatic, they perfect this summer salad. Parsley would be nice here too.
  • And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT

Never heard of za’atar? This Middle Eastern spice blend is one you should know.

The exact ingredients vary, but it generally consists of dried herbs like oregano and thyme, spices like cumin and sumac, sesame seeds, and salt. It has an earthy, tangy flavor that’s hard not to love.

It’s becoming more common to see za’atar in regular grocery stores, but if you can’t find it at yours, look for it in a Middle Eastern market, in a spice shop, or online. You can also make homemade za’atar.

How to Make Eggplant Salad

This eggplant salad is simple to make! You can find the full recipe below, but here’s a quick overview of how it goes:

  • First, make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, za’atar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Next, grill the veggies. Cut the eggplant into rounds and the pepper into quarters. Toss them with olive oil and salt, and grill them over medium-high until they’re tender and well charred. Remove them from the grill, and chop them into 1-inch pieces.
  • Add the grilled vegetables to the bowl with the dressing. Set them aside for 5 minutes to marinate.
  • Finally, assemble the salad. Toss in the tomatoes, feta, pickled onions, and herbs.

Season to taste and serve!

Storage and Serving Suggestions

This eggplant salad recipe is a versatile side dish. It pairs well with everything from cookout classics like veggie burgers to Mediterranean fare like falafel. You could add it to a mezze platter or pack it up for a picnic with Caprese sandwiches. When it comes to this eggplant salad, you really can’t go wrong!

You can make this salad up to 3 days ahead without adding the herbs. Once you fold them in, though, it’s best that day, because they wilt after they’re added to the dressing. Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge.

More Easy Eggplant Recipes

If you love this eggplant salad, try one of these easy eggplant recipes next:

Eggplant Salad

rate this recipe:5 from 10 votesPrep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Serves 4Save Recipe Print RecipeThis eggplant salad recipe is a fresh, vibrant summer side dish! Serve it as a side salad with a simply cooked protein, or try one of the serving suggestions in the blog post above.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, za’atar, salt, and pepper.
  • Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
  • Place the eggplant and red pepper pieces on a large plate or in a large baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
  • Place the eggplant and pepper on the hot grill and cook for 2 to 5 minutes per side, or until well charred and tender. Remove from the grill and chop into 1-inch pieces.
  • Add the grilled veggies to the bowl with the dressing and stir to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fold in the tomatoes, feta, pickled red onions, and half the basil and mint. Season to taste, garnish with the remaining basil and mint, and serve.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rbvVnpinnJyaurC60meaqKVfmrSovMuapa1lo5a5orCO

CATALOG
    FEATURED TAGS