Grilled Eggplant Salad
I love this Grilled Eggplant Salad with fresh cherry tomatoes and Feta cheese and a dressing with basil, parsley, and capers! And if you might be thinking you don’t like eggplant, I promise you that this eggplant salad is loaded with amazing flavors!
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For anyone who saw the title of this recipe and said “I don’t like eggplant,” I need to remind you of my discovery that grilled eggplant is really one of the best things about summer. I was never an eggplant fan until I started growing the thin Japanese Eggplants in my garden, and cooking them on the grill. If you’ve never had grilled eggplant, you’ve never really had eggplant!
And I absolutely loved this Grilled Eggplant Salad from the first time I tried it, and the Basil, Parsley, and Caper sauce that we used as a dressing in this recipe really added so much amazing flavor to the eggplant salad.
But if I can’t possibly talk you into eggplant, then you still should try that delicious sauce to eat on grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables. The sauce recipe and the inspiration to combine it with grilled eggplant came from a recipe in Donna Hay’s New Food Fast (affiliate link), and this sauce is another one of those summer herb combinations that would be good on nearly anything.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Asian Eggplants
- olive oil
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- grape tomatoes, cut in half
- crumbled Feta (or more)
- fresh basil leaves
- fresh parsley leaves (flat or curly)
- garlic cloves, sliced
- Dijon mustard
- capers
- fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
Why did I use Asian Eggplants for the eggplant salad?
There are many types of eggplants. But Asian Eggplants are long and thin compared to other types. Chinese Eggplant is longer than Japanese Eggplant, but both those varieties have a soft skin that doesn’t need to be peeled and the shape and size make them perfect for cooking on the grill. See photos of the four most common types of eggplants to compare.
Can you make Grilled Eggplant Salad without an outdoor grill?
If you donโt have an outdoor grill the eggplant for this eggplant salad can definitely be cooked on a stove-top grill pan with ridges (affiliate link) or a George Foreman Grill (affiliate link) with good results. Remember that the George Foreman Grill cooks both sides at once so grilling time will be a lot shorter!
Want low-carb eggplant recipes?
Check out Low-Carb and Keto Eggplant Recipes for more tasty eggplant dishes from Kalyn’s Kitchen and other blogs around the web!
Preparing and grilling the eggplant for the eggplant salad:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- I used 8 thin Japanese eggplants, but any kind of Asian eggplant will work.
- Cut off both ends of eggplant, then cut in half lengthwise and brush both sides with olive oil. Season the cut side with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the grill to medium high and lay the eggplants flesh-side-down. Cook until you see nice grill marks, about 5-7 minutes.
- Cook about 5 minutes more on the other side, until the eggplant is fairly softened and nicely browned.
- Let the eggplant cool on a cutting board until they are cool enough to cut.
- While eggplants cool, cut the grape tomatoes in half. When eggplants are cool enough to handle, cut them into slices about 1 inch thick.
Making the sauce and assembling the eggplant salad:
- While eggplants cool, make the amazing dressing. Start with fresh basil leaves, fresh parsley, and some sliced garlic.
- Give those ingredients a good buzz in the food processor, then add Dijon Mustard, capers, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil, and process until the mixture is chunky.
- This keeps well in the refrigerator for more than a week, so make the full amount and eat it on everything in sight!
- Gently combine the eggplant and tomatoes in a bowl, and stir in enough of the amazing dressing to coat the vegetables.
- Stir in the crumbled Feta cheese and serve warm or at room temperature.
Make it a Meatless Meal:
Eggplant is used as a meat substitute in many parts of the world, and I can definitely imagine serving this eggplant salad as a main-dish salad for a plant-based meal that includes hummus with grilled low-carb pita bread and some kind of green salad on the side.
More Eggplant Recipes:
- Julia Childโs Eggplant Pizza
- Spicy Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini Salad
- Mediterranean Eggplant
- Spicy Grilled Eggplant
- Grilled Eggplant with Feta and Herbs
Grilled Eggplant Salad
This Grilled Eggplant Salad is amazing with tomatoes, Feta cheese, and a delicious basil, parsley, and caper dressing!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 8 Japanese Eggplants
- 1 T olive oil
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup crumbled Feta (or more)
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup parsley leaves (flat or curly)
- 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 3 T capers
- 2 T fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.)
- Wash the eggplants if needed and cut off both ends. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, brush both sides with olive oil, and season the cut side with salt and pepper
- Lay eggplants on the grill cut side down, and cook until you see nice grill marks (about 5-7 minutes.)
- Turn eggplants and cook about 5 minutes more on the other side, or until eggplant is softened and nicely browned.
- Remove eggplant to a cutting board and let them cool.
- Cut grape tomatoes in half and make the amazing dressing while the eggplants cool.
- If needed, wash and spin dry the basil and parsley leaves.
- Slice the garlic cloves, then use a food processor fitted with a steel blade to chop the basil, parsley, and garlic together.
- Add the Dijon, capers, and lemon juice and process until ingredients are well blended; then add the olive oil and process about 30 seconds more.
- When eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it into slices about 1 inch thick.
- Gently combine the eggplant and tomato halves in a bowl and stir in enough dressing to coat the ingredients (about 1/4 cup). Save the rest of the dressing for another time; it's good on so many things!
- Stir in the crumbled Feta and serve salad warm or at room temperature.
- Even though tomatoes are best when they haven’t been refrigerated, this was not bad after it had been the fridge overnight. It didn’t last much longer than that though.
Notes
This makes more dressing than you need for the salad, but itโs good on any type of grilled meat, grilled vegetables, or sliced tomatoes, and it will keep more than a week in the fridge.ย
This recipe inspired by a grilled eggplant dish from Donna Hayย New Food Fast. (affiliate link)
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 183Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 2.9gUnsaturated Fat 6.7gCholesterol 11mgSodium 301mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 6.4gSugar 8.6gProtein 4.3g
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This eggplant salad recipe is relatively low in carbs but probably too high in carbs for strict Keto diets. Everything in the recipe would be approved for all-phases of the original South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Eggplant Recipes or Salads to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโs Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโm sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This Grilled Eggplant Salad recipe was first posted in 2012. It was updated with more information in 2023.
29 Comments on “Grilled Eggplant Salad”
Fantastic! Didn’t have the capers so added more lemon for extra tang. Also added blanched green beans and topped it with toasted nuts and feta!
So glad you enjoyed and were able to adapt to what you had!
I’m not the biggest eggplant fan but we had it on hand so I found and made this recipe from your site. We both gobbled it up, it was even better the next day!
So glad you liked it!
Yes, you can use regular globe eggplant for this recipe. Cut in slices to grill. (If it's a big eggplant, you might want to salt it to draw out the liquid, I'd recommend googling to read about that and decide.)
Hi Kalyn! Just found your website. I was given just typical "looking" eggplant just today. I'm unfamiliar with it and have never really cared for it. Can I use regular eggplant for this recipe? It's the typical variety that you'd purchase at a mainline store.
Thanks Angie; glad you like it!
For sure my type of SALAD! Looks out of this world delicious!
Kalyn – that sauce does sound amazing, I love the flavor combination in this recipe!
Looks yummy, Kalyn. Just in time for my Japanese eggplant ripening in my garden.
Hi Kalyn,
Yum! We have such similar taste in food. The whole dish sounds great, but I really can't wait to try that sauce. I just know I'm going to love it. Thanks for another winning recipe! ๐
Thanks Elizabeth; I always hope they are helpful.
Love the step by step pictures ๐
MomR, love that idea! I get some of my best recipes from improvising like that!
Hi, Kalyn! Last night, I used your mixture from the Chicken with Sundried Tomato Pesto, Goat Cheese & Basil on grilled mahi mahi. I put it on the fillets as soon as I turned them and let it get hot and slightly melted. Totally DELICIOUS!! JD ๐
Thanks everyone. Fun to hear from more eggplant fans.
I love grilled eggplant, but I've never tried the Ichiban variety. I must try to find some at my farmers market ASAP!
Gorgeous eggplant from your garden! I love the Japanese eggplant, with their higher ratio of flesh to seed.
Eggplant is so wonderful. I sautรฉed some last night and it was sweet as candy.
Mimi
Alright Kalyn, I name you, Queen of Summer Veggies. You are seriously the best at using your garden.
How could this get any better?
Love
Love!
Love eggplant so thnks for the recipe folks. Richard
Well, I do already love eggplant, but on the grill? It's love x2. ๐ Thanks for the great idea!
Deborah, you must try grilled eggplant; it's amazing!
I really like eggplant, but I've never had it grilled. I think I need to change that because this looks amazing!!
Dara and I were cross-commenting! Thanks Dara; I consider that high praise coming from you!
Thanks Joanne. I always think people who haven't had grilled eggplant are missing out.
It's definitely true that the smoky flavor of grilled eggplant is nothing like its flavor when cooked any other way. I like eggplant however I can get it but this looks especially delicious!
Kalyn, you have a way of elevating summertime veggies to a whole new level. This sounds fantastic!