Middle Eastern & North African · Lunch · Dinner · Snack
Zaalouk (Moroccan Smoky Eggplant and Tomato Salad)
زعلوك (Zaalouk)
Charred, silky eggplant simmered down with fresh tomatoes, garlic, cumin and paprika until thick and spoonable, then finished with plenty of herbs and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature as a dip or side, scooped up with flatbread (choose a gluten-free one if needed).
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 44% · Fat 47% · Protein 9%
Track it in BerryFit and see how it fits your own daily target. Get the app ›
Ingredients
For 4 servings- 2 medium600 gEggplants
- 4 medium500 gRipe tomatoes
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic
- 2 tbsp27 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tspGround cumin
- 2 tsp5 gSweet paprika
- 1/4 tspCayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1/4 cup60 gWater
- 1/2 cup15 gFresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup15 gFresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
Steps
- 1
Heat the oven grill (broiler) to high and line a tray with foil.
- 2
Prick the eggplants all over with a fork and place them on the tray.
- 3
Grill the eggplants for 25-30 minutes, turning every 8-10 minutes, until the skins are charred and the flesh has collapsed.
- 4
While the eggplants cook, halve the tomatoes and grate the cut sides on a box grater into a bowl, discarding the skins.
- 5
Peel and finely chop the garlic.
- 6
Heat the olive oil in a wide nonstick pan over medium heat and cook the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant, without browning.
- 7
Add the grated tomatoes, cumin, paprika, cayenne if using, salt and water, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- 8
Let the grilled eggplants cool for a few minutes, then split them open and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skins.
- 9
Roughly chop the eggplant flesh and add it to the tomato sauce.
- 10
Cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat, mashing with a spoon and stirring often, until thick and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- 11
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, cilantro and lemon juice.
- 12
Taste, adjust the salt, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- If you don't like cilantro, use all parsley (1 cup total) instead.
- Swap the fresh tomatoes for a 14 oz (400 g) can of crushed tomatoes when good ripe tomatoes are out of season.
- Use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika to boost the smoky flavour, especially if you roast the eggplants in the oven rather than charring them.
- Leave out the cayenne for a milder, kid-friendly version, or add a pinch of chili flakes at the end for more heat.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days; enjoy cold or at room temperature, or reheat until steaming hot. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture turns watery and the herbs lose their freshness.
Make ahead
Make the zaalouk up to a day ahead and keep it in the fridge, since the flavours deepen overnight. Stir in the herbs and lemon juice just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
Track this in BerryFit
Log Zaalouk (Moroccan Smoky Eggplant and Tomato Salad) in one tap and see how it fits your remaining calories for today.
Or ask Coach Berry to change it
Allergens and nutrition
No major allergens in the ingredients.
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (314 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 133 kcal | 42 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16.3 g | 5.2 g |
| of which sugars | 8.9 g | 2.8 g |
| Fiber | 6.8 g | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 7.7 g | 2.5 g |
| of which saturated | 1.1 g | 0.4 g |
| Sodium | 598 mg | 190 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
