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Tender, spice-rubbed za'atar roasted eggplant meets creamy feta yogurt and fresh tomatoes in this showstopping Mediterranean dish that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
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What makes this dish special
I think eggplant is a severely underrated vegetable in the United States. When I travel abroad, I see it everywhere. But back at home, it doesn't receive the same kind of love. I guess I can't blame people, though, because it wasn't until recently that I myself started to really appreciate the vegetable.
When roasted or braised, eggplant breaks down and becomes incredibly tender, like in this braised eggplant toast or roasted eggplant dip. In this case, we're giving it some life with spices and a creamy sauce, transforming eggplant into something entirely different. Hopefully, you'll agree with me when you try this za'atar roasted eggplant with fresh tomato salsa, feta yogurt sauce, toasted walnuts, and fresh parsley.
Ingredients
- Eggplant: Globe eggplant (the large, dark purple variety) works perfectly for this recipe at 1 pound. Italian or Japanese eggplants also work well-just adjust cooking time as smaller varieties may cook faster.
- Za'atar: A Middle Eastern spice blend typically made with dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, sesame seeds, and sumac. You can find za'atar at most grocery stores in the spice aisle or at Middle Eastern markets.
- Greek yogurt: Creates the creamy, tangy base sauce that adds moisture and richness to the dish. You can use plain regular yogurt, but Greek yogurt has a better, thicker consistency.
- Feta: Adds salty, briny punch to the sauce and adds body and creaminess.
- Tomatoes: Provide bright acidity, freshness, and juiciness to the dish.
Substitutions and variations
- Toppings: You can add extra fresh herbs, fresh dill, or fresh cilantro. You can also substitute walnuts with toasted pine nuts or almonds.
- Sauce: Instead of finishing the eggplant with extra virgin olive oil, try reduced balsamic vinegar or pomegranate molasses.
Recipe
Za'atar Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients
Za'atar roasted eggplant
- 1 pound eggplant
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Feta yogurt sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 ounces crumbled feta
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove grated
- salt and pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts
- Maldon salt for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Use sharp knife to score eggplant in a crisscross pattern, making sure not to cut through the skin. Drizzle olive oil on flesh. Combine garlic with za'atar, salt, and pepper and spread mixture on cut sides. Place eggplant on middle rack in the oven and roast for 1 hour or until tender.
- Meanwhile, make feta yogurt sauce. Puree yogurt with feta and lemon juice until well combined. Stir in dill, lemon zest, and garlic. Season sauce with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Grate tomatoes using coarse grater. Discard tomato skins. Combine grated tomatoes with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread feta yogurt sauce on serving platter and place roasted eggplant on top. Spoon tomato salsa on top and sprinkle chopped parsley and walnuts. Finish with Maldon salt and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare eggplant
I think the reason why a lot of people don't like eggplant is because of the texture. If you don't cook eggplant long enough, it's very spongy. Spongey eggplant? No, thank you. But if you take the time and let it roast or braise, it softens up and changes completely. It's quite delicious.
Before we can cook the eggplant, we have to prepare it. Cut a large eggplant in half lengthwise. Then, use a sharp knife and score the flesh in a crisscross pattern, making sure not to cut through the skin.
Drizzle olive oil on the eggplant flesh and season it with garlic, za'atar, salt, and pepper. I used a premade za'atar spice mix, but you can easily make your own. Just combine equal parts dried thyme, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, and sumac, and there you have it!
Pop the eggplant into the oven and roast it for 1 hour or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh.
Step 2: Make sauces
While the eggplant is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Blend or pulse together yogurt with feta, and lemon juice until smooth. Then, stir in the remaining ingredients, including fresh dill, lemon zest, and garlic. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and set it aside.
You can prepare the sauce up to a day before.
Now, on to the fresh tomato salsa. I based this salsa on one that I had in Greece that was served with fried fish.
It's such a simple condiment, just grated tomato and olive oil, but it adds so much brightness to the za'atar roasted eggplant.
Since the tomato salsa relies heavily on sweet, fresh tomatoes, I highly recommend making this dish during the summer. However, I won't blame you if you use off-peak tomatoes too!
The tomato flavor may not be as pronounced, but you'll still get that fresh quality.
Step 3: Putting it all together
Spread the feta yogurt sauce on a serving plate and place the hot eggplant on top. Spoon the fresh tomato salsa on the za'atar roasted eggplant and garnish with toasted walnuts, fresh parsley, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of Maldon salt.
If you thought eggplant was boring before, you need to try this za'atar roasted eggplant! There's a lot going on from the creamy sauce to the savory, tender eggplant to the bright, acidic salsa to the toasted nuts, but they all work so well together.
A tasty side dish or even entree!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: The feta yogurt sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The eggplant is best roasted fresh, but you can roast it a few hours ahead and serve it at room temperature. Assemble just before serving for the best presentation.
- Store: Keep leftovers in separate containers, if possible, and store in the refridgerator for up to 2 days.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. You could use tahini sauce, hummus, labneh, or plain Greek yogurt seasoned with herbs. For a dairy-free version, use coconut yogurt or cashew cream.
The flesh should be very soft and collapse easily when pressed with a fork. The interior should be creamy and golden brown.
Yes! Replace the feta yogurt sauce with a tahini-based sauce or use dairy-free yogurt and skip the feta. The rest of the recipe is naturally plant-based.
More eggplant recipes
Looking for more dishes featuring eggplant? Try these:
Kay says
Incredibly delicious and creative!
Thanks for the recipe.
Cherry on My Sundae says
It's my absolute pleasure! Thank you for visiting!