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This Aubergine Salad is a delicious salad full of flavour and colour. It is easy to make and full of fresh and healthy ingredients. This eggplant salad works great as a side dish or a main course.
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
The great thing about salads is they can lighten up any dish or serve as a meal in and of itself! This Mediterranean eggplant salad is no different.
I always enjoy a nice summer salad, but they are truly great year-round. I love to get my veg from a farmers market and have a nice fresh meal in the summer and fall. But this eggplant salad recipe is also great in the cooler days as it is a warm eggplant salad.
The magic of this roasted aubergine salad comes in the combination of flavours and textures! From the tasty grilled aubergine to the variety of greens to the sweet and sour dressing. It is a simple salad that is a great addition to any table!
Ingredients to make Aubergine Salad
For the aubergines:
- Aubergines – AKA eggplants! Are the stars of this salad!
- Salt – can help to drain the bitter taste and any moisture from the eggplant.
- Olive Oil – adds a bit of flavour and helps the seasonings to stick.
- Paprika – gives a sweet and smoky flavour.
- Italian Herbs – is a great combination of flavours.
- Onion Powder – brings a classic umami flavour.
- Garlic Powder – pairs perfectly with onion powder.
For the salad:
- Rocket – is also known as arugula and forms a great base for this aubergine and tomato salad.
- Medium Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatoes – add a bright flavour to his dish.
- Feta Cheese – is a perfect flavour match to the veg in this salad. I opted for vegan to keep it dairy-free.
- Mint – adds a great sweetness and freshness to this salad.
- Parsley – brings a bit of peppery flavour.
For the dressing:
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – forms the base of the dressing.
- Lemon Juice – gives a nice, bright, citrusy flavour.
- Honey – sweetens the dressing perfectly.
- Salt and Black Pepper – help to bring out all of the flavours in this dish.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Olive Oil – per usual, if you’d rather use another oil, simply pick one that is a neutral flavour.
- Seasonings – are easily altered to match your own flavour preferences.
- Garlic Powder – If you’d rather use fresh garlic cloves, mince them as small as possible.
- Rocket – If you’d like to use lettuce or spinach as a base, they will also be delicious.
- Vegetables – You can add or swap out the veg in this grilled aubergine salad. Try bell peppers, red onion, or green onions, for instance.
- Herbs – Use fresh herbs according to your liking in this salad. You could keep with mint and parsley or try something different like fresh basil.
- Dressing – I like a simple lemon honey dressing, but you could also drizzle on balsamic vinegar or try out my Maple Dijon Dressing if you’d like.
Variations
- Spicy – Cook the aubergine with some chilli flakes or red pepper flakes to increase the heat.
- Deluxe – Level up this grilled eggplant salad by adding Pickled Beetroot, pine nuts, sesame seeds, lemon zest, or basil leaves.
- Kid friendly – Adjust the veg in the salad to meet your child’s preferences. You may want to try introducing one new vegetable at a time.
How to make Aubergine Salad
Step 1: Trim the aubergines and cut into ½-inch thick slices.
Step 2: Season the aubergines with salt and place in a colander for 10 minutes. This will remove any bitterness, but this step is optional. Some people enjoy this flavour of the aubergines. Once the aubergines have released their juices, rinse them shortly and give them a gentle squeeze between paper towels.
Step 3: Add olive oil, paprika, Italian herbs, onion, and garlic powder in a bowl.
Step 4: Add aubergine slices and toss and massage them with the olive oil mixture.
Step 5: Preheat your cast iron grill skillet or grill. Grill the aubergine slices for 3-4 minutes per side, until starting to be golden brown.
Step 6: Make the dressing by whisking the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 7: To assemble, add rocket into a large bowl, pour over the dressing and toss. Place aubergines, tomatoes and feta over the greens. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
Hint: If you want to remove the bitterness of the aubergines, salt them and place in a colander for 10 minutes. Once the aubergines have released their juices, rinse them shortly and give them a gentle squeeze between paper towels.
Leftovers
Leftover eggplant salad should not be left at room temperature. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It’s best if you can keep the dressing off any salad that you’re planning to store as the dressing will cause the salad to get soggy.
Recipe FAQs
Nothing! They are exactly the same. Eggplant is the common name in North America, while they are often known as aubergine elsewhere.
Yes! Aubergines can be consumed raw and would be great raw in a salad. I prefer grilled aubergine, but raw would be fine as well.
No, it is not necessary. It can sometimes be more bitter on larger or older aubergines, so you may want to consider peeling it at that point.
They are harvested between July and October.
More Aubergine Recipes
- Aubergine Curry
- Awesome Aubergine Bake
- The Best Aubergine Miso
- Mediterranean Vegetables
- Vegan Moussaka
- Vegetable Curry
- Aubergine Parmigiana
- Air Fryer Aubergine
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Maple Dijon Dressing
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Aubergine Salad
Ingredients
For the aubergines:
- 2 aubergines
- 1 good pinch of salt
- ¼ cup olive oil, 60 ml
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian herbs
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For the salad:
- 255 g rocket, 8 oz
- 4 medium tomatoes, or 280 g cherry tomatoes halved (10 oz)
- ¼ cup feta, crumbled (I used dairy-free)
- 2 tbsp chopped mint
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Trim the aubergines and cut into ½-inch thick slices.
- Season the aubergines with salt and place in a colander for 10 minutes. This will remove any bitterness, but this step is optional. Some people enjoy this flavour of the aubergines. Once the aubergines have released their juices, rinse them shortly and give them a gentle squeeze between paper towels.
- Add olive oil, paprika, Italian herbs, onion, and garlic powder in a bowl.
- Add aubergines and toss and massage them with the olive oil mixture.
- Preheat your cast iron grill skillet or grill. Grill the aubergines slices for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Make the dressing; whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- To assemble; add rocket into a bowl, pour over the dressing and toss. Place aubergines, tomatoes and feta over the greens. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
A simple yet delicious salad!