Zaalouk (Eggplant and Tomato Salad)
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons olive oil
- 2large eggplants (about 1 ¼ pounds), chopped into 1½-inch chunks
- 4medium tomatoes (about 1 pound), grated
- 3garlic cloves, grated
- 2teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 1teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon honey (optional)
- ½lemon, juiced (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
151 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 592 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium and add the eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and fresh cilantro.
- Step 2
Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon and cover the pan. Cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally to make sure that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan, about 25 minutes
- Step 3
Remove the lid and crush the vegetables with the back of the spoon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt, honey and lemon juice, if desired.
- Step 4
Serve warm or cold, garnished with chopped cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil. Keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
Private Notes
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Comments
I lived in Morocco with a Moroccan family as a teenager. Zaalouk is one of my favorite Moroccan dishes. In my own recipe, provided by my Moroccan mother, the eggplant are halved, salted and then baked. Afterwards they are barber-striped, chopped and cooked with the tomatoes and other ingredients. The key to good Zaalouk is that it must be cooked down to a thick paste - it can't be wet. I use cumin, cayenne and cardamom in my Zaalouk, each added until it tastes just like home.
I grate tomatoes all the time for Indian dishes — as someone else said, cut in half and grate with box grater until you reach the skin. It’s easy and quick. Do it in a curved dish - like a pie plate - because it can be watery and you want the juice in your dish, not all over the kitchen counter.
I half-peeled the eggplant. I halved the recipe but like usual I start the recipe with halves, get distracted by the radio, and add all the later ingredients per the directions. In this case that meant double the seasonings. Still good! Also used smoked paprika instead of sweet because I love it.
So I was prepping too fast and added all the cheese like a Caesar dressing. We convection baked the salmon. Salmon looked odd bc it was so pale from the cheese. Could have broiled it to give it more color. Was overall tasty but I did add more garlic and used anchovy paste instead of fish sauce. Lemon squeezed over salmon and salad at the end bc that’s how I like my Caesar salads.
My whole family loved this recipe! Even my husband had seconds! I did a couple of things differently but kept the ingredients the same with the addition of diced onions and crushed red pepper. I cut my eggplant in half, coated in olive oil and roasted in the oven at 375 until tender. While that was cooking I diced onions, sautéed them and grated my tomatoes. My tomatoes weren’t as bright as I wanted so I did add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste with onions. Caramelized that then added the tomatoes. Pretty much followed the recipe after that. Scooped the eggplant into the tomato mix, added all the seasonings and cooked. In the end I added some crushed red pepper and it was fabulous. Had it over rice with some grilled chicken using the same spices.
I thought it was delicious as written. Didn’t think the eggplant needed peeling. Added a little harissa at the end to give it some heat. Used my homegrown tomatoes, which are coming out of my ears.