Eggplant Salad

Love smoky flavors and creamy textures? This Middle Eastern Grilled Eggplant Salad is a must-try! Roasted eggplant gets tossed with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and a touch of lemon for a delicious and versatile appetizer. It's both smoky and refreshing and it's super easy to make! Truly a superb addition to any Lebanese mezze platter.

Arabic Roasted Eggplant Salad Recipe

This Middle Eastern-inspired eggplant salad is a great alternative to my classic Lebanese Babab Ganoush. It is a fresher and more colourful dish that perfectly complements any mezze platter.

Ingredients

Time

Total:
35m
Prep:
5m
Cook:
30m
  • Eggplant, 1 large
  • Extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp
  • Shallot, 1
  • Vine tomatoes, a handful
  • Cucumber, 1/2 small
  • Mint, 4 leaves
  • Fresh parsley, 2 sprigs
  • Thyme, 1 pinch
  • Roasted walnuts, 10 halves
  • Lemon juice, 1/2 lemon
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Salt, to taste

Notes

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 2
Calories per serving: 312
% Daily Value
Total Fat 27.5g42%
Saturated 3g15%
Omega-3 1.5g136%
Cholesterol 0g0%
Total Carbohydrates 20.5g7%
Dietary Fibers 10g36%
Sugars 10g11%
Protein 5.5g12%
Vitamin A 275mg39%
Potassium 861.5mg25%
Vitamin C 16mg21%
Sodium 150mg7%

Instructions

Step 1

Set the oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan).

Dice the eggplant into medium chunks and toss with a generous pinch of salt. The salt will help remove the bitterness and release excess water from the eggplant.

Place them on a lined baking tray and wait until the oven reaches the desired temperature.

Step 2

Drizzle the eggplant chunks with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive and sprinkle them with a pinch of thyme and black pepper.

Bake them for 20 minutes on the middle shelf.

Step 3

Meanwhile, dice the cucumber, chop the shallot and slice the tomatoes in halves.

Then, mix them in a bowl with finely chopped fresh parsley and mint, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice.

Step 4

Once the first 20 minutes of baking have passed, turn the eggplants and set a little space on the tray for the walnuts.

Bake the eggplants for 10 more minutes, and at the last 5 minutes, pop the walnuts in the oven for a quick roasting.

Step 5

Once the eggplants are perfectly roasted and caramelised, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature.

Finally, toss the eggplants with the other ingredients and garnish with the roasted walnuts and a bit of chopped fresh parsley.

Your Arabic-style eggplant salad is ready!

Goes well with

I like to pair my eggplant salad with meat dishes, like these juicy Lebanese chicken skewers or my beef and chickpeas fatteh. Or if you're looking for that extra energy boost, try out my Riz a Djej specialty.