Grilled Eggplant Salad

(1)

This easy grilled eggplant salad is the healthy side dish you'll want to serve all summer long. It comes together in just 25 minutes and can be served warm or at room temperature, so it's equally suited to casual parties and weeknight dinners. The combination of eggplant, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, red onions and fresh herbs makes for a salad that's full of bright flavors and colors. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish or as part of a vegetarian mezze platter with dips like hummus and pita bread.

6675627.jpg
Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 cups

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 2 teaspoons za’atar (see Tips)

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon), divided

  • 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and quartered lengthwise

  • ½ medium red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges through the root

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

  • ¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions

  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

  • ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Preheat a grill to medium-high.

  2. Combine oil, za'atar and lemon zest in a small bowl. Brush 1 side of eggplant slices with half of the oil mixture; reserve the remaining mixture. Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the eggplant, uncovered, turning often, until tender and grill marks appear on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Cut the eggplant into 1/4-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl.

  3. Coat bell pepper quarters and onion wedges with cooking spray. Grill, uncovered, until tender and charred, about 5 minutes. Chop the peppers into 3/4-inch pieces. Remove and discard onion stem. Add the peppers, onions, tomatoes, parsley, scallions and mint to the bowl with the eggplant.

  4. Add lemon juice and salt to the reserved oil mixture; whisk to combine. Drizzle over the vegetables and toss to coat.

Tips

Tips: The Middle Eastern spice blend za'atar gives you big flavor from just one ingredient: it's a mix of thyme, sumac, salt, sesame seeds and sometimes other herbs. Look for it in the bulk-spice section of natural-foods stores, in specialty-foods stores, in the spice section of some grocery stores or online. To make your own mix: Combine 1 tsp. each ground sumac, sesame seeds and dried thyme with 1/4 tsp. salt.

To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

191 Calories
15g Fat
14g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1 cup
Calories 191
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 3g 5%
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Vitamin A 2516IU 50%
Vitamin C 69mg 76%
Folate 77mcg 19%
Sodium 306mg 13%
Calcium 60mg 5%
Iron 2mg 12%
Magnesium 38mg 9%
Potassium 552mg 12%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Related Articles