“You can make this salad every day for the rest of the summer. I could eat it every day.” ~Michael
“Mommy, this is so good!” ~Top Gun (Then he proceeds to stand up and dance at the table.)
“Who wants to help me make the eggplant salad for Kids Cook Monday?” ~Me
“Me!” ~Three excited boys.
For a long time I thought I was the only eggplant lover in my house. The guys would eat it willingly, but they don’t crave it like I do. When it comes in season, I want eggplant sandwiches, stir-fry, baba ganoush, curry, grilled, you name it. In my search for more eggplant goodness, I came across a salad recipe on BBC Good Food with grilled eggplant and a Moroccan-style dressing that immediately caught my attention. I made it the next day with a couple changes, and my guys devoured it with gusto. Finally, an eggplant dish that they all love as much as I do!
It made me feel all giddy inside.
So it was pretty easy to get some volunteers to help make it for dinner today. I made a pot of lentils yesterday and stuck them in the refrigerator to use in the salad today, and any leftovers can go with other dishes--leftover lentils are great for breakfast. The tomatoes are Mr. Stripey and Early Girls from our garden, and I recommend using similar juicy tomatoes for best flavor.
Make sure to visit The Kids Cook Monday for more recipes to cook with the whole family, and check out the rest of our Kids Cook Monday recipes below.
Recipe Notes
The eggplant and lentils soak up flavor from the tomatoes and the dressing, so some resting time makes the salad taste better. It's even more delicious the next day.
Grilled Eggplant Salad with Lentils and Tomatoes
Equipment
- grill or grill pan
- large serving bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant
- olive oil
- 2 cups cooked brown lentils
- 4 ounces red onion (finely chopped)
- 1 pound fresh tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (lower stems removed and roughly chopped)
Dressing
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
- 2 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
- Slice the eggplant about ½-inch thick. Brush both sides lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and arrange on a preheated grill rack or pan. Grill until browned, then turn them over, brush with more oil then cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove from the grill and cut each slice into quarters.
- In a large serving bowl, toss the eggplant, lentils, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well, then toss in the salad. Allow to rest at room temperature about 10 to 15 minutes, then serve.
Nutrition
More Recipes from The Kids Cook Monday
For the complete list of The Kids Cook Monday recipes, visit my Cooking with Kids page.
Sophia says
Sounds like another great way to use eggplant! I love lentils and tomatoes too so will have to give it a try. Thanks for listing my Eggplant Fries under more eggplant recipes!
Andrea says
Thanks Sophia! My guys would definitely go for your eggplant fries.
Anjali (Vegetarian Gastronomy) says
Thanks for the reference for my Thai Basil Eggplant dish! Your lentil salad looks great!
Andrea says
Thanks Anjali. Your Thai Basil Eggplant looks fantastic.