What is warm aubergine salad?
Warm aubergine salad, or warm eggplant salad for you Americans, is a delightful dish with roots in Middle Eastern cuisine, offers a perfect combination of flavours and textures. Originating from the heart of the Mediterranean, this dish is a testament to the region’s rich culinary history. It’s a healthy, low-calorie recipe that combines the earthy warmth of roasted aubergines with the burst of freshness from cherry tomatoes and the creaminess of feta cheese. This warm salad is not only a delicious treat for your taste buds but also a breeze to make, thanks to the convenience of tray bake recipes. Let’s dive into how you can create this mouth watering dish in your own kitchen.
The warm aubergine salad is a masterpiece of balance. The aubergines, with their mildly smoky and slightly sweet taste, serve as the hearty base of the dish. Roasting them enhances their flavour and creates a rich, tender texture. Cherry tomatoes bring a burst of bright acidity and juiciness, contrasting beautifully with the aubergines. Feta cheese adds creaminess and a hint of saltiness, creating a harmonious contrast. Pomegranate seeds provide a pop of sweetness and a delightful crunch, while pine nuts contribute a toasty, nutty note. The combination of fresh parsley and lemon juice adds a zesty, herbaceous element that ties all these flavours together into a symphony of taste.
Do you have a diet restriction?
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Low GI
- Low FODMAP
- Low Fat
Step 1: Roast the aubergine
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit). Begin by slicing the aubergine into crescents. Crescents are slices that have been chopped in half. You can experiment with Place the aubergine crescents and around 20 of the cherry tomatoes into a deep roasting tray. Sprinkle them with 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Optionally you can add a splash of oil but if, like me, you are intolerant to oil or choose not to include it in your diet then you can omit this. Mix everything together. Roast this mixture for 20 minutes until the aubergines and tomatoes begin to soften and caramelize.
Step 2:
After 20 minutes your aubergines and tomatoes should be well on their way to being roasted. Remove from the oven, add in the feta cheese, either chopped into small cubes or crumbled, along with 2-3 tbsp of pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. Optionally, you can also toss in a few extra cherry tomatoes at this point. These add a variation in texture. they will cook just enough to be sweet, warm and juicy but the skins will remain intact. When you bite into these tomatoes, the sweet juice bursts out and in my opinion, its the most satisfying part of this dish! Return the tray to the oven and bake for approximately 15 more minutes, or until the aubergines are well roasted, and the pine nuts start to brown.
Step 3:
Once your warm aubergine salad is out of the oven, sprinkle it with 1/2 cup of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and squeeze the juice from a wedge of lemon over the top. Gently mix everything together to incorporate the flavours and garnish the salad.
Serving suggestion:
This warm aubergine salad is fantastic as a standalone dish or as a side. It pairs perfectly with other healthy Middle Eastern recipes, like my Healthy Mujadara Recipe, creating a complete and satisfying meal.
Variations:
- For an extra kick, sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes over the salad.
- Experiment with different types of cheese, like goat cheese or halloumi, for unique flavors.
- Add roasted red bell peppers or olives for additional Mediterranean flair.
Can I prepare this salad in advance?
Yes, you can roast the aubergines and tomatoes in advance and reheat in the microwave. Add the remaining ingredients just before serving to keep the salad fresh and vibrant.
Can I make this warm aubergine salad vegan?
Absolutely! Simply replace the feta cheese with your favourite vegan cheese or a tofu-based alternative.
How should I store leftovers of this dish?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to 2-3 days.
Can I use other herbs to garnish?
Certainly, you can experiment with herbs like cilantro or mint for different flavor profiles.
Enjoy your delicious and healthy warm aubergine salad, a perfect addition to your repertoire of low-calorie Middle Eastern recipes.
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Warm Aubergine Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 auberginw
- 20-30 cherry tomatoes
- 100 g feta cheese
- 2-3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 2-3 tbsp pine nuts
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ lemon (squeezed for juice)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. cut aubergine into slices and half the slices to make crescents. place these into a deep roasting tray with around 20 of your cherry tomatoes. add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and paprika and mix well. Optionally you can add a splash of oil but if, like me, you are intolerant to oil or choose not to include it in your diet then you can omit this. Roast for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, add in the feta cheese, chopped into small cubes or crumbled along with the pomegranate and pine nuts. I also like to add in a few extra tomatoes at this point, they will be warm but much firmer than the other tomatoes. Return to the oven for approximately 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, or when your aubergine is well roasted and the pine nuts are starting to brown remove from the oven and mix in the chopped parsley and lemon juice.
- Serve alongside Mujadara
