Mediterranean Eggplant Salad

Mediterranean Eggplant Salad mixes grilled eggplant with fresh tomatoes, mint, parsley, green onion, bell pepper and tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, za’atar and crushed red pepper. This is the perfect side salad for a summer BBQ or party or to pair with grilled chicken or fish. 

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT SALAD

The end of summer often means lots of eggplant for those of us who grow it in our gardens. It also makes an appearance at farmers markets. Eggplants are a big staple in Mediterranean cooking and are used in baba ghanoush {which is one of my favorite dips}, salads like this Mediterranean Eggplant Salad, side dishes like Ratatouille and more.

My favorite way to cook eggplant is to grill it. It doesn’t take long at all and actually if you are grilling dinner and have a few eggplants sitting around you can easily throw them on the grill, chop them up and use them for baba ghanoush or this salad the next day. I love the smoky flavor that grilled eggplant has to it. If you don’t have a grill or would rather roast it, that is easy too {head to the notes section of the recipe to learn how to roast the eggplant}.

Today’s Mediterranean Eggplant Salad is the perfect mix of smoky soft eggplant, fresh sweet tomatoes, mint, parsley, green onion, bell peppers and then tossed in lemon juice, olive oil, za’atar and crushed red pepper.

I love this salad by itself for a healthy lunch but I also love it as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish or alongside kibbeh, humus and pita bread. If you want to bulk this salad up more try adding feta cheese, chickpeas and some grilled chicken to create a hearty meal.

When I grill my eggplant for this recipe I add za’atar but feel free to leave that out or add another spice–sumac or cayenne pepper would be great options.  I also added a small amount of za’atar to the salad but that is optional. This salad is the perfect canvas for so many Mediterranean flavors, so try different combinations out.

As summer comes to an end you have to use up those fresh summer veggies to whip up this salad. I promise you won’t be disappointed! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post which is the perfect chicken dish to pair with this salad and a fun twist on Shish Taouk. The spices used in the chicken pair perfectly with the flavors in this Mediterranean Eggplant Salad.

Mediterranean Eggplant Salad

• Author: A Cedar Spoon // Julia Jolliff
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6-8
• Category: Salad, Side Dish
• Cuisine: Mediterranean, Lebanese

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Description

Mediterranean Eggplant Salad mixes grilled eggplant with fresh tomatoes, mint, parsley, green onion, bell pepper and tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, za’atar and crushed red pepper. This is the perfect side salad for a summer BBQ or party or to pair with grilled chicken or fish. 

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Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant {or about 3 lbs.}
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon za’atar
• 3 beefsteak tomatoes, diced {about 3 cups of diced tomatoes}
• 1 bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped {I used half a red and half a green}
• 5 green onions, green parts chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Dash of salt & pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon za’atar

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Instructions

1. Heat the grill to medium heat. Slice the eggplant into rounds. Rub salt on each side of the eggplant and lay on a baking sheet for an hour. Use a paper towel to pat the eggplant dry and then brush each side of the eggplant generously with olive oil. Sprinkle each side of the eggplant with salt, pepper and za’atar {the za’atar is optional}.
2. Place the eggplant on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Flip eggplant and grill until browned on bottom and soft. Let the eggplant cool and then chop into small pieces.
3. In a large bowl mix the eggplant with the remaining ingredients and toss lightly to combine.

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Notes

For the eggplant if you want to roast it follow these instructions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cut eggplants into cubes and spread evenly on two baking sheets. Drizzle olive oil, salt, pepper and za’atar. Roast for 15 minutes, turn the eggplant over and roast for 10-15 more minutes, until the eggplant is soft. Cool and add to the Mediterranean Eggplant Salad.