About
You may not think of eggplant as a typical salad vegetable, but Summer Fresh Eggplant Salad is here to change your mind! The eggplant is grilled until tender and savory, and when paired with vibrant red peppers and sharp feta, there's nothing quite like it! A refreshing yet zesty dressing makes every bite of Summer Fresh Eggplant Salad just that bit more summery! Get into the new salad experience!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon za'atar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (1-pound) medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup pickled red onions, homemade or store-bought
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, divided
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, divided
Directions
Step 1 -In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon juice, the garlic, the za'atar, 1/2 teaspoon of the sea salt, and the black pepper and whisk to combine. Set the dressing aside.
Step 2 -Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat.
Step 3 -On a large plate, add the eggplant rounds and the bell peppers in a single layer.
Step 4 -Drizzle the eggplant and the bell peppers with the extra olive oil and sprinkle them with the extra salt and the black pepper, then toss to coat.
Step 5 -Place the eggplant mixture on the hot grill and cook, flipping the eggplant rounds and the bell peppers once, until well-charred and tender, about 2-5 minutes per side.
Step 6 -Transfer the eggplant mixture to a cutting board and chop the mixture into 1-inch pieces.
Step 7 -Add the chopped eggplant mixture to the bowl with the dressing and stir to coat.
Step 8 -Allow the eggplant mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 9 -Add the tomatoes, the feta, the pickled red onions, 1/2 of the basil, and 1/2 of the mint and fold to combine.
Step 10 -Taste the salad for seasoning and add the extra salt and the black pepper, as needed.
Step 11 -Serve garnished with the remaining basil and the remaining mint.
