This roasted eggplant salad is a colorful, mouth-pleasing recipe you'll want on repeat. Whether you harvest the vegetables straight from your garden or pick them up from your local market, you are sure to enjoy them topped with the za'atar lemon-garlic dressing and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup. If you're ready to serve all the beauty of the Mediterranean diet in one bowl, then keep reading.
Roasted vegetable salads like this one make their way to our tables, particularly in the late summer and early fall. This is the time of year when home gardeners are looking for new ways to serve up their crop of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. The salad would pair well with simple classic hummus and pita bread if you're looking to dress up a mezze spread. Or serve it alongside Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo for a complete meal.
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Ingredients
The fresher the better for this rainbow of a salad! If you need to take any shortcuts (like I did by using jarred minced garlic), try to use as many other fresh ingredients you have on hand. You'll notice the difference!
- Eggplant: Has a wonderful spongy texture that soaks up all the flavor you pour into this salad. Also provides lots of vitamins and fiber.
- Bell pepper: Tangy, colorful, and sweet! I chose yellow, but you can choose any color. Red, orange and yellow will provide a more similar taste than green.
- Tomatoes: Preferably straight from the garden or vine-ripened, these are a wonderful source of the antioxidant lycopene and add a little juiciness.
- Green onion: Mild and aromatic, and adds a beautiful pop of green.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is one of the Mediterranean mainstays that dresses the salad with flavor and richness. However, you may want to use extra-light tasting olive oil, which has a higher smoke point, for roasting the eggplant and peppers.
- Lemon juice: Always a great pairing with olive oil to infuse the salad with citrusy notes.
- Garlic: Crushed garlic cloves impart a savory taste to the dressing.
- Za'atar seasoning: A perfect blend of earthy seasonings, sesame, and sumac
- Pomegranate molasses (optional): This concentrated syrup is either simmered down from plain pomegranate juice or may contain a little added sugar. Either works great for drizzling a bit of sweet-tartness.
- Fresh mint and basil: The combination of these two herbs adds a refreshing flavor and texture. You'll use them chopped and whole.
- Fresh Mozzarella: Tender and creamy cheese that mellows some of the recipe's sharp notes. You may enjoy the ease of using mozzarella pearls if you can find them in the store.
- Pine nuts: For a bit of crunch and an impactful flavor in each tiny nut.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dice the eggplant (unpeeled) and the bell pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and ½ a teaspoon of za'atar. Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet. Then, roast in the oven until tender, approximately 20 minutes, stirring once.
- Step 2: While the eggplant and pepper are roasting, chop the tomatoes, green onion, mozzarella, mint, and basil. Add these to a medium-sized bowl.
- Step 3: Prepare the dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and the remaining za'atar. When the roasted vegetables are done, let them cool slightly and then add them to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Step 4: Add the dressing. Toss everything together, garnish with whole mint and basil leaves, and then drizzle with pomegranate molasses (optional).
Hint: A pair of herb scissors can make quick work of mincing the fresh mint and basil for this salad. Stack the leaves and then simply snip.
Substitutions
- If you don't have Za'atar seasoning, try a combination of thyme, sesame seeds, and oregano.
- Instead of pomegranate molasses, you could use balsamic glaze.
- For a vegan version, you can eliminate the mozzarella cheese or use a non-dairy version.
Variations
- Spicy: add Aleppo pepper or regular chili pepper flakes
- Grilled: If you're having a BBQ, you may find it more convenient to grill your eggplant and pepper instead. For the eggplant, slice it into ½" pieces crosswise. For the pepper, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush both sides of the eggplant and pepper with olive oil and then roast for 3-4 minutes on each side or until light grill marks appear.
Equipment
No special equipment is needed for this recipe. However, I find it handy to have a manual juicer for squeezing the juice out of lemons. Parchment paper is also a great tool for easy clean up when you line your baking sheet with it before roasting the vegetables.
Storage
You can store this salad in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended as the vegetables would get mushy.
Top Tip
When roasting the vegetables, be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Adequate spacing will allow the vegetables to brown instead of steam.
FAQ
Yes, you can prepare everything ahead of time, but you'll want to toss in the fresh herbs right before serving so they don't wilt.
The salad is delicious served both ways. I prefer eating it at room temperature (which is about the temperature it will be when just prepared). If pulling it from the fridge, you can let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.
You could use any kind of eggplant. The key is to slice it into ½" cubes if using a thick globe-like eggplant. Some people might prefer the Japanese eggplant, which is thinner.
What can I add to make this a complete vegetarian meal?
For extra protein, you could add canned chickpeas or Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with roasted eggplant salad:
📖 Recipe
Roasted Eggplant Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dice the eggplant (unpeeled) and the bell pepper. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and ½ a teaspoon of za'atar. Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet. Then, roast in the oven until tender, approximately 20 minutes, stirring once.
- Step 2: While the eggplant and pepper are roasting, chop the tomatoes, green onion, mozzarella, mint, and basil. Add these to a medium-sized bowl.
- Step 3: Prepare the dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and the remaining za'atar. When the roasted vegetables are done, let them cool slightly and then add them to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Step 4: Add the dressing. Toss everything together, garnish with whole mint and basil leaves, and then drizzle with pomegranate molasses (optional).
Jackie Jenkins says
Delicious!
Janet colvin says
this salad was so good! I love the textures and flavors.