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Home » Summer Salads

Sauteed Eggplant Salad with Za'atar

Made by Anastasia Papapetros - Serves 4 Filed Under: Gourmet Salads, Salad Index, Salad Recipes By Ingredient, Salads by Diet, Salads by Season, Salads Recipes By Type, Summer Salads, Vegan Salads, Vegetable Salad, Vegetarian Salads

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Look no further than this Sautéed Eggplant Salad and boost your brainpower with exotic za'atar, a harmony of dried herbs, spices, sesame seeds and sumac.

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Sautéed Eggplant Salad in a ceramic bowl with pomegranate, za'atar and mint leaves in top left corner.

We just love the wonderful combination of flavours in this salad - sauteed eggplant, juicy cherry tomatoes, aromatic mint, and the za'atar seasoning are incredible.

It can be served as a standalone appetizer, a side dish, or even a light main course.

In This Post:
 [hide]
  1. Ingredients and Substitutions
  2. Step-by-Step Instructions
  3. What to Serve It With 🍽
  4. Common Questions
  5. More Eggplant Salad Recipes to Try...
  6. Recipe Card

Ingredients and Substitutions


  • Japanese Eggplant- the hero in this salad and chosen because it holds up better to frying and sauteeing, you can replace with any eggplant really, just cut it them into a large dice.
  • Mini Roma Tomatoes - here to add some juicy sweetness, swap with any small tomato variety you fancy or opt for a diced up firm skinned tomato variety such as truss tomatoes 
  • Fresh Herbs - we have stuck to classic Middle Eastern flavour and opted for fresh mint and parsley. But fresh coriander/cilantro would also work well here.
  • Pomegranate - adds a pop of bright colour and sweet, tart flavour. Swap with some dried cranberries or cherries if you can't find them or if the pomegranates are pricey.
  • Za’atar Spice Blend- a wonderful earthy spice blend but if you like you can swap it with some Dukkah. For more ideas go back to our Za'tar subsititutions paragraph.
  • Pomegranate Dressing - wonderfully tart and aromatic and really adds another exotic element in this salad. If you are looking for an alternative try some balsamic glaze instead.
Labelled ingredients needed to make sauteed eggplant salad.

Step-by-Step Instructions


Step 1 -Prepare the Eggplant

Wash and trim your eggplant and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) rounds.

Heat a large heavy-based pan on medium-high heat and add approximately three tablespoons of olive oil.

Once the oil is hot, add your eggplant to the pan, making sure that you do not overcrowd it (fry your eggplant in batches if you have to).

Scatter some of the za'atar blend on top, then sauté until golden brown (approximately 4-5 minutes).

02-TRIM-&-CUT-BABY-EGGPLANTS
Sauteeing eggplant rounds with za\'atar in a pan.

Once your eggplant is golden brown, add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the pan and place the lid back on the frypan for 2-3 minutes to steam the eggplant until soft and creamy. It will also allow the eggplant to absorb the flavour of the za'atar (mini spiced flavour bombs!).

Golden brown eggplants rounds in a pan.
A lid on a plant containing eggplant rounds so that they can steam and cook through.

Step 2 - Prepare the Pomegranate

To be honest, I am really not a fan of cutting my pomegranate in half and then using a wooden spoon to remove the pomegranate arils; I think it makes too much mess.

My preferred method of removing pomegranate arils is by cutting out the crown and base of the pomegranate with a sharp knife, cutting it in half and then breaking it apart and separating the seeds from the membrane.

You can do this with rubber gloves for stain-free hands!

Pomegranates with the core being cut out on a wooden board with a knife.
Hands breaking apart pomegranate on a wooden board.
11-REMOVE-ARILS FROM MEMBRANE
Hands removing arils from the membrane of a pomegranate.

Step 3 - Cut Your Herbs and Mini Romas

Rinse your mini Roma tomatoes under cold water, pat dry with a towel then cut them in half lengthwise.

You can do this one at a time or grab a handful of your tomatoes place a plastic lid, a plate or your hand on top of them, hold them steady and then slice through the tomatoes with a serrated edged knife.

A close-up of mini Roma tomatoes being sliced in half with a knife on a wooden board.
A hand on top of a pile of cherry tomatoes being held together and sliced with a serrated knife.

Rinse your herbs under cold water, shake and then pat dry. Remove the stalks from the parsley and roughly chop. Pick the mint leaves from the stems.

Chopping parsley on a wooden board with a knife.
Stripping mint leaves from stems on a wooden board.

Step 4 - Shake Up the Vinaigrette

Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar, season and shake until emulsified.

Zaatar dressing ingredients in a glass jar with ingredients scattered around.
Shaken zaatar dressing in a glass jar.

Step 5 - Assemble the Salad

Place all your prepared ingredients in a large mixing bowl, pour over your dressing and season.

Mix all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined.

Arrange your sautéed eggplant salad in a salad bowl and serve.

You can easily make this salad several hours ahead; this will also allow the flavours to infuse and develop - just leave the mint leaves to one side to add at the last minute as they will brown.

Prepared sauteed eggplant salad ingredients in a white bowl.
Mixing sauteed eggplant salad with dressing in a white bowl with a spoon.

What to Serve It With 🍽

This Sauteed Eggplant Salad salad would be a great addition served with grilled or BBQ meats alongside a roast dinner: or with a store-bought BBQ chicken or a simple rice pilaf.

If you are looking for something a bit more exotic:

  • Try it with middle eastern rice and lentils as a vegan option
  • For meat lovers try it with harissa lamb cutlets or beef shish kabobs
  • It is also great with chicken shawarma
  • Also, superb with Yotam Ottolenghi’s pan-seared salmon

Common Questions


Za'atar Substitutions

The za'atar in this sautéed eggplant salad is what makes it so unique; you should be able to find it in Middle Eastern speciality stores or the International food section in your supermarket.

Failing that, make your own za'atar blend using our spice blend recipe! I always have a big batch on hand to add to salads, as a spice rub for meat and chicken or on pita bread grilled with olive oil.

Should I Salt the Eggplant?

It is not necessary for this salad; we are looking for a firmer and meatier texture, and salting eggplant makes it soft and creamy. More on this in our How to salt eggplant post.

Can I Make This Salad Ahead?

  • You can prepare the eggplant, the pomegranate and the dressing the day before.
  • Cut up the herbs and the tomatoes and toss in the dressing an hour or two before serving.

How Can I Store this Sauteed Eggplant Recipe?

  • Even though your mint may discolour, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. You will need to bring it to room temperature before eating, it is honestly great the next day.

What Else Can I Do With the Leftovers?

  • Leftovers can be stirred through some cooked couscous or bulghur wheat for a yummy lunch.
  • I have also added it to some boiled pasta with some crumbled feta, and it was delicious.

More Eggplant Salad Recipes to Try...


  • Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Recipe
  • Japanese Eggplant Salad - heavenly flavours!
  • Green Olive Walnut and Pomegranate Salad
  • Eggplant Salad with Harissa

Recipe Card


Sautéed Eggplant Salad in a ceramic bowl with pomegranate and mint leaves in top left corner and za’atar spice in a small bowl on bottom right.

Sautéed Eggplant Salad with Za'atar

Look no further than this sautéed eggplant salad and boost your brainpower with exotic za’atar a harmony of dried herbs, spices, sesame seeds and sumac.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time: 2 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
* Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: Advanced
Difficulty: Capable Cooks
Diet: dairy free, nut free, Vegan, Vegetarian,
Servings: 4 as a main
Calories: 476kcal
Author: Anastasia Papapetros
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Ingredients
For the salad...
  • 500 grams baby / Japanese / Chines eggplants (approximately 6 medium, 17.6 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon Za’atar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 400 grams mini Roma tomatoes (approximately 2 small punnets, 14.1 ounces)
  • 1 medium pomegranate
  • ½ cup parsley leaves
  • 4-5 stems mint leaves
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
For the dressing…
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 teaspoon za’atar spice blend
Metric - Imperial
Instructions
To sauté your eggplants
  • Wash and trim your eggplants and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) rounds.
  • Heat a large heavy-based pan on medium-high heat and add approximately 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add your eggplant (do not overcrowd) then add the za'atar.
  • Sauté until golden brown (approximately 4-5 minutes), add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the pan and place the lid back on the frypan for 2-3 minutes to steam the eggplant until soft.
To assemble the salad
  • Remove pomegranate arils. Then rinse and dry your mini Roma tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise.
  • Rinse your herbs under cold water, shake and then pat dry. Remove the stalks from the parsley and chop roughly. Pick the leaves from the mint stems.
  • Place all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar, season and shake until emulsified.
  • Add everything to a large mixing bowl, pour the dressing over the salad, season with salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
  • Arrange in a salad bowl, sprinkle with some extra za’atar on top to garnish then serve.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 728mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1230IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3mg
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About Anastasia Papapetros

Anastasia has been passionate about cooking since she was eight years old, and hasn't left the kitchen since! With over a decade of experience running her own coffee shop and catering business, Anastasia has developed a true love for salads - especially for family get-togethers and friends' functions. She's the go-to for bringing the perfect salad to any occasion!

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