Eggplant Salad (My Mom’s Middle Eastern Recipe)
A simple roasted eggplant salad with Middle Eastern flavors, lemon, garlic, preserved lemon, herbs, and olive oil. Juicy, fresh, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- Olive oil (for brushing)
- Sea salt
Dressing:
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small sweet pepper (or bell pepper), very finely diced
- 3-4 small pickles (cucumber pickles), very finely diced
- Handful of cilantro (or parsley), chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Line a baking tray with foil and parchment paper (optional, but it can get messy).
- Partially peel the eggplants and slice into 1–1.5 cm discs (about 0.4–0.6 inches thick).
- Arrange the slices on the tray, in one layer, brush both sides generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Roast for 25–30 minutes, until deeply golden, soft, and buttery inside. No need to flip unless your oven runs unevenly.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: place the grated garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds (this softens the sharp garlic flavor).
- Add the water, paprika, cumin, preserved lemon, and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Stir in the finely diced sweet pepper, pickles, and chopped cilantro (or parsley).
- Once the eggplant is out of the oven, arrange it in a single layer on a large plate.
- Spoon the dressing over each slice so it soaks into the warm eggplant.
- Serve warm right away, or chill for a bit if you prefer it extra juicy and flavorful.
