A few simple ingredients are all you need to make zaalouk, a simple Moroccan-style dish made from roasted eggplant, fresh tomato, and warm spices. We love eggplant in our home, and like mirza ghasemi and Yuxiang eggplant, this recipe comes together quickly and has an irresistible flavor! This salad is often served with bread and can be eaten hot or cold.
What is Zaalouk?
Moroccan zaalouk is a cooked salad that prominently features fresh eggplant and tomato. There are many ways to prepare it, but I love the flavor from roasting the eggplant beforehand. Some traditional recipes suggest cooking everything together in one pot, while others prefer to grill, steam, or boil the eggplant separately.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Eggplant: Roast and simmer eggplant to create the perfect texture for zaalouk. Choose firm, medium-sized eggplants free from blemishes.
- Tomato: Fresh tomatoes are the base for eggplant salad. I like using vine-ripe tomatoes because they are sweeter.
- Garlic: I suggest six cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use – measure with your heart!
- Parsley: Brighten the dish with fresh or dried parsley, whichever you prefer.
- Spices: Salt, smoked paprika (not traditional, but it’s oh-so-good), cayenne pepper, and ground cumin lend Zaalouk its signature flavor.
- Olive Oil: The vegetables cook in olive oil, and use it to top the dish.
- Lemon: Garnish with fresh lemon.
Additions and Substitutions
- Seasoning: Replace the spices in the recipe with store-bought ras el hanout.
- Peppers: Include roasted peppers or red pepper flakes for more spice.
How to Make Zaalouk
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Then, prepare the eggplants and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place the eggplant onto it; bake for 20 minutes.
Step 2: While the eggplant is baking, warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a saute pan. Add tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and spices; simmer over low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Next, add the cooked eggplant and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break up the mixture.
Step 4: Garnish with olive oil and lemon wedges, and serve with vegetables or pita.
Expert Tips
- For best results, use fresh eggplant and tomato.
- Roasting the eggplant is optional, but roasting them adds a delicious smoky flavor. Other recipes prefer to grill the eggplant for the same reason. I peel and cut the eggplants, but you can also cut them in half and roast them that way before adding them to the mixture.
- If you’re feeding a crowd or need to reduce the serving size, I recommend using a ratio of 1-2 tomatoes to one medium eggplant.
- Serve zaalouk chunky or smooth! An immersion blender helps to create a smooth puree, and if you enjoy a more rustic consistency, similar to caponata or ratatouille, use a potato masher.
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Serving Suggestions
- Crusty Bread, Crostini, Toast, Pita
- Grilled Fish, Halloumi
- Roasted Chicken with Moroccan Spices
- Moroccan Carrot Salad
- Falafel
What To Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Freeze – Let the salad cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Zaalouk freezes for 2 months, though the texture will change once frozen.
- Thaw – Defrost the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers on the stovetop and enjoy!
- Replace – Use it as a spread for toast or serve it on a sandwich, pita, or wrap.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to peel eggplant?
1. Wash and dry the eggplant.
2. Gently run a vegetable peeler along the eggplant skin, careful not to remove too much of the skin.
More Vegetable Sides:
Zaalouk
- 2 large eggplants, skins peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 large tomatoes, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons parsley, fresh
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to garnish
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, optional
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Then, prepare the eggplants and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place the eggplant onto it; bake for 20 minutes.
- While the eggplant is baking, warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a saute pan. Add tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and spices; simmer over low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Next, add the cooked eggplant and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break up the mixture.
- Garnish with olive oil and lemon wedges, and serve with vegetables or warm bread.
- For best results, use fresh eggplant and tomato.
- Roasting the eggplant is optional, but roasting them adds a delicious smoky flavor. Other recipes prefer to grill the eggplant for the same reason. I peel and cut the eggplants, but you can also cut them in half and roast them that way before adding them to the mixture.
- If you’re feeding a crowd or need to reduce the serving size, I recommend using a ratio of 1-2 tomatoes to one medium eggplant.
- Serve zaalouk chunky or smooth! An immersion blender helps to create a smooth puree, and if you enjoy a more rustic consistency, similar to caponata or ratatouille, use a potato masher.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
RJ
Monday 6th of June 2022
This has to be my favorite way to eat eggplant! I had this with your Moroccan meatballs and those two are a great combo!
Tressa Jamil
Tuesday 7th of June 2022
Hey, that's how we like to eat them too!
Kris
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
I CANNOT WAIT TO TRY THIS
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
Let me know when you do. It's easy to make and way too good.