Grilled Eggplant Salad with Za’atar Pita Crisps
A perfectly velvety–but not fully falling apart–eggplant is key here, so be patient and adjust to what you’re working with. Give it as much time on your grill as it needs, brushing with more oil as necessary.
Servings: 6 as a side
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 medium globe eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slabs or rings
- Kosher salt
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 to 3 Persian cucumbers
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
For the Dressing
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons za’atar
- 1/2 teaspoon Urfa Biber (optional, or substitute with other dried chili flakes)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil (1/4 to 1/3 cup)
For the Za’atar Pita Crisps
- 2 to 3 pita breads with pockets
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Generous sprinkle of Za'atar
Instructions
Grill the Veggies
- Salt the eggplant. Arrange the eggplant slabs on a tray in a single layer. Season generously with salt on both sides. Set aside for a few minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Prep the produce. Core and quarter the bell pepper (keep separate from the other produce, as you’ll grill them). Halve the tomatoes, cube the cucumbers, and tear or roughly chop the mint and basil.
- Heat the grill: Oil the grates of a gas grill or indoor griddle and heat to medium-high. (The grill must be fully heated before adding the vegetables.)
- Oil the eggplant and pepper. Use a paper towel to wipe down the eggplant on both sides to remove the excess salt and moisture. Add the bell pepper to the tray with the eggplant and coat both with olive oil.
- Grill the eggplant and pepper. When the grill is hot, add the eggplant and pepper slices in a single layer. Cover and grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until char marks form, then turn, cover, and cook until the eggplant is tender but still holding its shape, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the tray to cool.
Dress the Veggies
- Make the dressing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, za’atar, Urfa biber (if using), and a big dash of salt and pepper. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil until emulsified and well-balanced (1/4 to 1/3 cup).
- Cut the grilled vegetables. When the eggplant and bell pepper are cool enough to handle, slice them into bite-sized pieces.
- Dress the salad. To the bowl with the dressing, add the grilled vegetables, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs. Set aside while you fry the pita bread.
Make the Za’atar Pita Chips, Finish, and Serve
- Split the pita pockets in half to make single rounds of pita. Split the pita pocket in half (if your pitas are the thick, single-layer kind, you can skip this step as you can't split them). Tear the rounds into rustic 1 and 2 inch-pieces.
- Fry. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and set a paper towel-lined plate nearby. When the oil shimmers, add the pita in batches and fry until golden and crispy on both sides, transferring to the prepared plate as you go. Season with a big pinch of salt and za’atar.
- Finish and serve. Add half of the pita chips to the bottom of your serving platter and top with the veggies. Tuck the remaining chips in the veggies and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, za’atar, and Urfa biber used in this recipe.
- You want the oil to be very hot before you fry the pita, just before it smokes. That way the bread doesn’t have to sit for too long in the oil and get soggy. To test, add the first pita piece and make sure the oil bubbles and sizzles before continuing.
Nutrition
Calories: 172.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.4g | Protein: 3.4g | Fat: 9.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.6g | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 382.2mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1146.5IU | Vitamin C: 42.4mg | Calcium: 54.4mg | Iron: 1.5mg
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