This Turkish Eggplant Salad is a healthy eggplant salad and a true flavor explosion, combining the smoky goodness of grilled or roasted eggplants with a vibrant mix of Mediterranean-inspired ingredients. Get your forks ready for a delicious adventure!
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This is one of my favorite ways to prepare eggplant, along with Eggplant Parm Without Breadcrumbs, especially in the summer when they are abundant at the market.
This eggplant salad can also be used as a dip. It is similar to Baba Ganoush but slightly chunkier in texture, hence the salad. I serve this salad with my Za'atar Pita Chips, Mediterranean Citrus Olives, Whipped Ricotta Dip or Baked Cheese when I have company.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How To Make Turkish Eggplant Salad: Step-By-Step
- Top tip
- To Roast the Eggplant in the Oven
- To Grill the Eggplant (preferred method)
- To Cook the Eggplant If you have a Gas Cooktop (Preferred method when I cannot grill)
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other Appetizers
- Turkish Eggplant Salad
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Sumac - While you do not need to add the sumac, I highly recommend it as it adds a citrusy flavor to the dip. You can easily find sumac here. What is sumac? Made from the dried and ground berries of the wild sumac flower, sumac has a sour, acidic flavor similar to that of lemon juice.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Variations
While this recipe calls for a more "dip" like texture, you can change up this recipe as follows:
- Chunky Style - Instead of mashing, you can cut the eggplant into small pieces and roast them in the oven. Top the roasted eggplant with tomatoes, parsley, and pinenuts.
- Spicy - Add ¾ teaspoon of Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
- Garnish - Garnish with roasted pine nuts, chopped tomatoes, chopped red peppers, parsley, onions, or olives.
- Yogurt - Many Mediterranean cultures add yogurt to this dish. It will add some creaminess to the texture but also creates a different flavor. If you use yogurt, add some full-fat Greek yogurt for the best taste and texture.
- Hummus - You can also add a bit of hummus to this salad. Again, it adds creaminess but takes away from the taste of the eggplant.
How To Make Turkish Eggplant Salad: Step-By-Step
Step 1: First, roast or grill the eggplants until well charred or completely tender. Let sit in a foil packet for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Remove the eggplant from the heat and transfer it to a colander allowing it to sit and drain for a few minutes. Peel the skin and discard the stem. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl.
Step 3: Use a fork to break up the eggplant. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, sumac, and other ingredients.
Step 4: Combine and chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Top tip
Make sure you prick the eggplants before cooking! If you don't, the eggplants will have a tendency to explode all over your grill or oven.
To Roast the Eggplant in the Oven
If you are using your oven, this is a simple way to cook the eggplants:
- Adjust the rack to 6 inches below the broiler element.
- Preheat the broiler to high.
- Place the eggplants on a foil-rimmed sheet pan and prick with a fork.
- Broil, turning occasionally until charred on all sides and tender. About 25 minutes.
- Eggplants should be very tender when cooked. If they are not fully cooked, place them in a 475 ℉ oven and roast until fully tender.
- Remove from the oven and cover with foil to create a sealed package. Let rest for 15 minutes.
To Grill the Eggplant (preferred method)
- Preheat your grill.
- Prick the eggplants and place them directly on the grates.
- Cook, turning occasionally until well charred on all sides. 30-40 minutes.
- Wrap with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
To Cook the Eggplant If you have a Gas Cooktop (Preferred method when I cannot grill)
- Turn one gas burner on to medium-high.
- Using a pair of tongs, place the eggplant directly over the flame.
- Turn the eggplant every 5 minutes until the skin is charred and the eggplant becomes tender. (about 20 minutes)
- The eggplant should deflate.
- Place in a foil packet for 15 minutes.
Storage
Store the leftovers in a tightly-closed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
If you love a good baba ghanoush, then you will also love a delicious hummus recipe that is perfect for a Mediterranean meze!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this eggplant salad recipe is Keto compliant. It is simply eggplant, olive oil, and tahini paste along with spices.
Both are popular dips throughout the Middle East but, they are completely different. Hummus is made of cooked chickpeas and Baba Ganoush is made with eggplants.
While you can eat this salad as a side dish for any meat or fish, I love to mash the pulp completely and serve it with my Cauliflower Tabbouleh as another salad on the side.
Yes, this recipe is low in carbs. It is simply eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.
There are many different ways to make this eggplant salad and yes, you can make it without the tahini. Tahini is a sesame seed paste that comes from the Meditteranean or Middle East. If you decide to omit the tahini in this recipe, you may want to add some full fat Greek yogurt for creaminess.
Other Appetizers
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section and leave a ⭐️ rating and review. Share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
xoxoxo
Gwen
Turkish Eggplant Salad
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Ingredients
- 3 Italian Eggplants prick the eggplant
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 1 ½ lemons juice of
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil or more if needed
Instructions
Prepare the Eggplant
If using a grill:
- Preheat the grill
- Place the pricked eggplants directly over the heat source.
- Cook, turning occassionally with tongs so all sides are comletely tender and well charred. About 30-40 minutes.
- Wrap with foil and let rest 15 minutes before proceeding.
If using your broiler:
- Adjust the rack to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat.
- Place the eggplant on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and prick.
- Broil, turning occassionally, until charred on all sides and completely tender. About 30 minutes. Remove and wrap in foil for 15 minutes.
If roasting:
- Preheat your oven to 475 ℉.
- Place the eggplant on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and prick.
- Roast for 30 minutes or more untiil charred and tender. Remove and wrap in foil for 15 minutes.
Make the Salad:
- Once the eggplant has rested for 15 minutes, place into a colander and let drain. Lightly mash with the back of a spoon to get the water out.
- Peel the charred skin off of the eggplant (a little bit left on tastes good) and discard along with the stems.
- Transfer the fully cooked and drained eggplant to a bowl.
- Use a fork to completely break down the eggplant into smaller pieces. How small depends on whether you wish to use this as a salad or a dip (which is smaller).
- Add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sumac. Add Aleppo pepper or yogurt if using.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes untiil cool.
- To serve, drizzle with olive oil and top with your favorite toppings. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or veggies.
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