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This roasted aubergine salad was one that was frequently requested during my time as a private chef. My career in cheffing coincided with the rise of Ottolenghi so all the lunch jobs I catered would ask for “Ottolenghi style salads” and this was a firm favourite. It’s so simple and so good.
The combination of the creamy yoghurt base, roasted aubergine and then drizzled with tahini and lemon sauce makes for a really interesting mix of flavours that all complement one another really well. If you want something to serve alongside, my Harissa Baked Cod with Cherry Tomatoes would complement it really well.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Couldn’t be simpler to make. Simply roast aubergines, making the dressing and arrange on a plate.
- It’s a summery way to serve aubergine, which is when they are in season and at their best. I love a comforting saucy aubergine dish, but those tend to be the ones I reach for in winter.
- It’s quick to make. It takes as long as the aubergine takes to roast.
- It’s a vegetarian recipe and can easily be made vegan by swapping in vegan yoghurt as the base.
Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the page for a full list of ingredients and measurements
Aubergines – I love aubergines so much. They are at their best in summer, which works well for a salad. They should be sliced into 1cm rounds so they cook evenly in the oven.
Lemon – this adds a sharpness to the dish and really lifts it.
Tahini – use good quality tahini for best flavour, we like Belazu.
Water – ice water is good here to ensure it whisks really smoothly into the tahini sauce. When whisking the sauce together, it will split at first but keep whisking and it will come back together.
Garlic – this goes into the tahini sauce, so crushed or grated works best. You could also use garlic granules if you don’t love raw garlic.
Greek yoghurt – I like to use thick, full-fat yoghurt here as it has best flavour.
Pine nuts – I love pine nuts for some texture and a nutty flavour. I always like to toast them first.
Basil leaves – I love basil here as I find it works so well with aubergine. This would also be great with mint or parsley.
Pomegranate seeds – this adds sweetness to the salad, I find it’s such a nice freshness. It also adds great colour.
Substitutions and Variations
Other vegetables: Strictly speaking, this recipe is for an aubergine salad and it does work very well as it’s hard to make aubergine totally lose texture unless you cook it for hours. However, you could instead roast wedges of courgette, red peppers, plum tomatoes, red onions (all cooking times will vary slightly but start with 15 mins at 200c and see where you get) and use them in place or alongside the aubergine.
Yoghurt: If you want this recipe to be vegan, just swap in the Greek yoghurt for your favourite vegan yoghurt.
Pine nuts: You could also use other chopped nuts – you just want a crunch on top. Try with roasted pistachios, almonds or walnuts.
Basil: I love basil here but any soft herb will work to add a brightness and some greenery to the dish. Try parsley, coriander or chives.
Here’s how to make Roasted Aubergine Salad
Here is a short step-by-step guide to help you make an aubergine salad. The full recipe is at the bottom of the page with more detailed instructions.
ONE: Preheat the oven to 200c fan. Drizzle a little oil onto a roasting tray and give it a good rub. This will stop the aubergines from sticking. Add the aubergines and the oil. Season with plenty of Maldon salt and toss together. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway, until tender. They should be lovely and golden.
TWO: Meanwhile, whisk the tahini, water, garlic, remaining lemon juice and a pinch of salt until smooth. It will split and then come back together.
THREE: Swirl the yoghurt onto a serving plate. Top with the aubergines and drizzle over the tahini sauce.
FOUR: Scatter over the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds, then add the basil on the top
Cooking Tips
How to roast the aubergine: You need to make sure the aubergine is really well coated in olive oil and salt. If you try to dry roast the aubergine, it ends up tough and a weird texture that doesn’t match the salad vibe at all. Once well coated in oil and salt, it roasts until tender and golden. If it needs more time in the oven, don’t be afraid to use your gut instinct and give it longer.
How to toast nuts
Since pine nuts are small, I’d recommend using a pan to toast them so you have more control over them and how toasted they turn. I find the oven is a little too ‘out of sight, out of mind’ and you risk burning them.
How to toast pine nuts in a pan: Tip your nuts into a cold pan (big enough so they are in one layer). Set over low-medium heat and dry-fry until golden-light brown and fragrant, tossing occasionally. For small nuts like pistachios, flaked almonds and pine nuts, it will be 3-5 minutes. Large nuts like pecans and walnuts are likely to take around 8 minutes. The exact timings will depend on the heat of your pan. Just remember to watch closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aubergines are in season July to September but they are available year round. That’s why I love making this a salad so you can enjoy aubergine in a summery way when they’re at their best.
Some recipes will call for salting the aubergine to draw out the moisture and bitterness before patting it dry then roasting. This was typical in the past as aubergines were somewhat bitter but nowadays, aubergines are rarely too bitter and I find this step to be an unnecessary faff.
I wouldn’t assemble it until about 30 minutes before as it may turn soggy. The dressing can be made up to 5 days before and kept in the fridge. It may harden in the fridge but once it comes down to room temperature, it will smooth out.
This isn’t a salad you should make ahead to keep in the fridge for the week, it’s best fresh. But leftovers are still good – keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Other vegetarian recipes you might like…
Try my Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce and Chimichurri, my Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Chimichurri Sauce,or Peri Peri Chicken to go alongside this salad. This Sticky Roasted Chicken Tray Bake would also be great. For more aubergines, try my aubergine curry with harissa.
Easy Healthy Recipes
Harissa Aubergine Curry with Chickpeas and Coconut
Chicken Recipes
Almond Butter Chicken Curry
Easy Dinner Recipes
Aubergine Pasta Bake with Giant Shells and Ricotta
Weeknight Supper
Gnocchi alla Norma (Tomato Aubergine Gnocchi)
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Roasted Aubergine Salad
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 large aubergines, cut into 1cm rounds
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 100 g tahini
- 100 ml water, ideally cold, ice water
- 1 garlic clove, crushed/grated
- 120 g Greek yoghurt, or vegan yoghurt if needed
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- 1 handful of basil leaves
- 1 handful of pomegranate seeds
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200c fan. Drizzle a little oil onto a roasting tray and give it a good rub. This will stop the aubergines from sticking. Add the aubergines and the oil. Season with plenty of Maldon salt and toss together. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway, until tender. They should be lovely and golden.
- Meanwhile, whisk the tahini, water, garlic, remaining lemon juice and a pinch of salt until smooth. It will split and then come back together.
- Swirl the yoghurt onto a serving plate. Top with the aubergines and drizzle over the tahini sauce. Scatter over the pine nuts and pomegranate seeds, then add the basil on the top
