This is an eggplant salad that proves two things: 1) that lentils have an undeservedly bad reputation for being bland and boring (you’re just cooking them wrong!); and 2) that eggplant really is one of the best vegetables in the world to roast in the oven. Combine them together and you have a winner of a salad!
Lentil and Roasted Eggplant Salad
I feel like this eggplant salad is unleashing my Ottolenghi within. Except (dare I say it!) this calls for a heck of a lot less ingredients, they are all “normal” things and you won’t just make this once and be exhausted, you will make it over and over again.
(Also, you’re getting this recipe for free – his cookbooks are rather expensive!!)
So what makes this lentil salad so good?
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Lentils cooked in an aromatic broth to infuse with flavour
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Eggplant roasted so they’re plump and meltingly tender inside, caramelised on the outside
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It’s all tossed in a lemony garlicky dressing
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It’s meaty, it’s satisfying, it’s interesting
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It keeps well!
Oh – and it’s just downright tasty. Of course! That’s why I went to the effort of photographing / filming / writing it up!!😉
What you need to make the tasty lentils!
Here’s what you need to make bland boring lentils ultra tasty – and I exaggerate not when I say you’ll be eating it straight out of the pot! (Well, colander 😂).
Use green lentils, brown lentils or French/puy lentils for this recipe. Dried is best because they will absorb the flavoured broth as they cook, but I’ve popped directions in the recipe for using canned as well.
The roasted eggplant
Here’s all you need to make the roasted eggplant. I actually shared the recipe for roasted eggplant separately about 10 minutes ago (being that knowing how to roast eggplant so they’re plump and juicy inside and caramelised on the outside is a handy thing in life because nobody wants to serve up a tray of mushy eggplant or dry shrivelled up ones at that), thinking I’d link through to this recipe.
But no, that’s inconvenient for YOU. 😂 So I’ve written how to roast the eggplant in this recipe too!
And the salad stuff (plus dressing)
And here’s the other “stuff” that goes into the eggplant salad and the garlic lemon dressing.
As regular readers know, I always like my substantial salads to have some sort of little treat, whether it’s a sprinkling of nuts or pomegranate or parmesan. Today, it’s feta!
How to make this lentil eggplant salad
And here’s how to make this salad. It dawned on me as I was writing out the recipe that it looks like there’s a lot of steps and lots of ingredients. But it really isn’t a tricky or lengthy recipe. Actually, it flows quite nicely – while the eggplant and lentils are cooking, make the dressing and get the salad add ins ready, then it all comes together.
The eggplant really is the star here…not that I want to talk down the lentils (because they likely will be some of the tastiest quick ‘n easy braised lentils you’ve ever had), but just LOOK at the eggplant! Plump, juicy and caramelised rather than a pile of mush or shrivelled up disaster!
How to serve this Eggplant Salad
This is a mighty salad that deserves to be served as a main. It should serve 4 normal adults, or 3 with very hearty appetites. A side of crusty bread would certainly fill it out (hot, with lashings of butter!). Or try it with flatbreads – tear bits off and stuff with this salad!
But it’s also a sensational side, a good one to take somewhere when you’re relegated to bringing “just” a side salad (I’ve sulked about this before and it’s been the catalyst for previous Show Off Salads like this Apple Salad, Asian-style Quinoa Salad or Honey-Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad). Not only because it’s something different and it looks impressive when you pile it up high on a plate, but also because unlike most salads, it keeps very well even once dressed and it’s terrific either warm OR at room temp (I honestly can’t say which is better).
Which also makes it really good for a work lunch. I’m not sure that your work colleagues will be overly jealous when you tell them you’re having eggplant salad. But that’s ok. That your lunch trumps theirs can be our little secret. 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Roasted Eggplant Lentil Salad (Aubergine Salad)
Ingredients
TASTY LENTILS!
- 1 cup dried green or brown lentils (or French/puy) (Note 1 for canned)
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (or water + 1 bouillon cube, crumbled)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 large garlic clove , smashed, skin removed (Note 2)
- Lemon peel (about 1.5 x 5 cm / 3/4 x 2")
- 1 bay leaf , dry or fresh
- 2 sprigs thyme , or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 rib celery , broken into 3 or 4 pieces (or just a handful of celery leaves, can skip)
Roasted Eggplant:
- 700g / 1.4 lb eggplant / aubergine (2 medium)
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp EACH salt and pepper
Garlic Lemon Dressing:
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (or cider vinegar, white or red wine vinegar)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove , minced using garlic press
- 1 tsp thyme leaves , fresh (or 1/2 ts dried - can omit, or other herbs, Note 3)
- 1 tsp sugar , optional
- 1/2 tsp EACH salt + black pepper
Salad:
- 250g/ 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (large quartered)
- 2 handfuls rocket / arugula lettuce , torn into 5cm/2" pieces
- 60g/ 2 oz feta , crumbled (or more!)
Instructions
- Dressing - shake in a jar.
LENTILS:
- Place Lentil ingredients in a saucepan, bring to simmer over medium heat. Place lid on then lower heat to medium low so it's simmering gently.
- Cook for 20 minutes (for al dente, my preference), or 25 minutes (for soft), stirring occasionally.
- Drain, then pick out all the flavouring bits (garlic etc). BRIEFLY rinse to get grit off - don't wash off all the flavour! Shake off excess water well.
ROASTED EGGPLANT:
- Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with parchment/baking paper.
- Cut eggplant into large cubes - 3 cm / 1.2". Place in large bowl, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
- Toss well, then immediately spread on tray and roast 20 minutes. Flip, then roast for a further 10 minutes - edges should be caramelised, soft inside, but they're not shrivelled up and dismal.
ASSEMBLE:
- Add tomato and rocket into lentils, drizzle over most of the Dressing then toss.
- Pour onto serving platter. Pile over eggplant.
- Drizzle eggplant with remaining Dressing, sprinkle with feta . Serve warm or at room temp! Great with a side of flatbread or this easy crusty bread.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More big, satisfying main course salads
Life of Dozer
When he spent the day with the boarder and I met her at the dog park for handover – the pretty young one on top is Priscilla – Dozer’s the old face squeezing under her! He’s so pushy.
Turned this into an eggplant and zucchini salad since I didn’t have enough eggplants growing in the garden to make up the full amount. Rocket and tomatoes from the garden as well made for a fresh and delicious salad. I thought at first there would be too much dressing but the juiciness of it really adds to the overall flavour of the salad. Would make this again!
Made this for a new years day lunch and it was superb. The lentils soaked up the dressing and were juicy and tasty. I added parsley, skipped the tomatoes and forgot the cheese but it didn’t need it as I served it with chicken shawarma, garlic rice, naans and cumin lamb skewers. Definitely planning to make again for work lunches. Thank you! I used 1x can of puy lentils and two large eggplants, which only needed 20 mins to caramelise.
Delicious! And so easy to make. Great for lunches
Great recipe, I have taken this to so many dinners. And everyone always loves it and asks for the recipe. Also great for work lunches.
This is so good that it can convert even those who dislike eggplant!
I have recently become quite addicted to eggplant so always on the lookout for a recipe with it and this is a winner! Love it and the dressing is gorgeous. Thanks Nagi
This recipe was so good that my husband, who up to this point said that he didn’t like egg plant, loved it! The dressing is so good I am using it on everything!
This salad checks all the boxes for me: healthy ingredients, fairly easy and quick, satisfying, and absolutely delicious! I used Nagi’s method for roasting the eggplant. Wow! So good! I will definitely be making this one again.
This exceeded high expectations. I used the air fryer setting on my oven for rhe roasted eggplant and added more garlic but otherwise followed the great directions and video. Very delicious and great the next day for lunch. Healthy, tasty, and faster than I thought. A winner. Thanks Nagi, everything I’ve tried of yours has been excellent, with really good directions. Love the side notes too.
This was AMAZING! My first time making eggplant for dinner. So delicious. I’ll definitely make it again!
Def got my Ottolenghi on here. Had fresh thyme in garden—yay! Overcooked lentils a bit, will make Al dente next time. Very good!
SO good!!🤗👍
just made these to put in a poke bowl for tonights dinner. They are absolutely delicious and will be making more tomorrow as I can’t stop eating them.
One of my fave salads now! This is so full of flavour and makes you feel so good eating it. It is filling and makes alot so I didn’t add the rocket, only when I serve the amount I want for that night. That way I can save it for a few meals and I just slightly heat it again and toss the rocket through. Perfect and the flavours get better each day. About to make it again right now. Thanks Nagi.
This is one of my all time favorite recipes. Beyond delicious.
You nailed it Nagi! This is a standout salad! It’s full of flavour and it’s filling! It doesn’t take as long as you think it will to prepare. Will make this again for sure! Perfect salad to make ahead! Yummy, healthy, different from the norm – just awesome!
10/10 recipe. I make this at least once a month. Add 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts to the mix, you’ll thank me layer! I was singing eating this the first time. It’s THAT good. Shared this recipe with all my family and friends. Thank you Navi for an incredible and healthy recipe!
the best tasting receipe ever , i made it two nights in a row, love it
Absolutely delicious. Our eggplant had gone bad, so we used 3 small Korean sweet potatoes and 1/2 lb string beans instead. The dressing was particularly tasty. Loved this dish.
I eat a lot of salads and this is one of the best. Not difficult to make and it has a delicious almost smoky flavour that got better as the day went on.