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Close up of the eggplant salad plate showing a variety of toppings on the fried eggplants

Fried Eggplant Salad

My grandpa's Fried Eggplant drenched in garlic sauce, drizzled with tahini and topped with pine nuts, feta, mint and tomatoes is the BEST Eggplant Salad you'll ever make. Serious Mediterranean flavors make this eggplant recipe a must TRY!

Course Appetizer, Salad, sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish, vegetarian
Keyword Eggplant Recipe, Eggplant Salad, Fried Eggplant
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 488 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

Eggplant

  • 4 eggplants cut in half lengthwise
  • oil for frying

Sauce

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
  • 11/2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves minced

Serving

Topping

  • 3 tablespoons Fresh mint leaves minced
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 3 tablespoons Diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup Feta cheese
  • 3 sliced jalapeños more or less to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  1. 1.Preheat the oil for frying. If you're using an electric fryer, set it up to 375 degrees F.

    2. Place the sliced eggplants in the oil and deep fry them for 10 minutes while flipping the eggplants since they float during frying.

    3. Remove the fried eggplant on a paper towel on a plate to soak up some oil.

    4. Make the sauce while the eggplant is cooling.

    5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add in the garlic.

    6. Cook the garlic until translucent and nearly golden. Then add in the coriander or cumin and vinegar and cook for 1 minute.

    7. Turn off the heat and add in the parsley.

    8. Use a fork to slightly poke the insides on the fried eggplant and drizzle the warm sauce from the skillet onto the eggplants.

    9. To serve, pour some tahini sauce at the bottom of the plate and arrange the eggplants over it.

    10. Drizzle extra tahini sauce over the eggplant.

    11. Use your favorite toppings to top the fried eggplant and drizzle any extra olive oil (from the sauce) over it and serve!

    12. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

EGGPLANT SALAD TIPS

  • Start with small eggplants for frying
  • Fry eggplants without salting
  • Cutting eggplants lengthwise allows for space to for the toppings
  • Either the eggplant or the garlic sauce need to be hot before drizzling, that way the eggplants soak more flavor.
  • A fork is a great way to infuse the sauce into the fried eggplant. Poke the insides of the eggplant using a fork and pour the sauce.
  • Use my Perfect Tahini Sauce at the bottom of the serving dish not only for drizzling. This also optimizes flavor.
  • Have your favorite toppings chopped and ready.
  • Use a variety of toppings and top the fried eggplant halves differently for a more attractive salad.
  • To prepare the salad in advance: The eggplants needs to be fried and drizzled with the garlic sauce. They can keep in the fridge for a week.
  • On serving day, dress up the eggplant salad with tahini and other toppings.
  • Leftover dressed eggplant can be stored in the fridge for 4-7 days. The tomatoes are the only topping that wilt fast, other toppings handle storage in the fridge well.
Nutrition Facts
Fried Eggplant Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 488 Calories from Fat 351
% Daily Value*
Fat 39g60%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 192mg8%
Potassium 985mg28%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 370IU7%
Vitamin C 21mg25%
Calcium 136mg14%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.