Baked eggplant salad on yogurt is a light vegetable dish that combines soft slices of eggplant, juicy cherry tomatoes, aromatic basil and a cool yogurt dressing. The recipe looks simple, but the contrast of textures works well in it: warm fried eggplants add richness, fresh tomatoes are responsible for juiciness, and Greek yogurt unites everything in a delicate and fresh taste.
Such a salad is convenient to serve both as an independent light dish and as a side dish to meat, poultry or fish. In order for the taste to remain clean and balanced, it is important not to overload it with a large number of spices. There is enough salt, oregano, freshly ground black pepper and the natural aroma of basil. If the eggplant is young, the pulp after frying will be especially tender, and the yogurt will add a pleasant creaminess without excess fat.
Salad is also convenient because it does not require complicated dressing. Greek yogurt works as a light sauce that accentuates the flavor of the vegetables without overpowering them. If you serve the dish slightly warm, the eggplants will remain tender, and the basil and tomatoes will retain their freshness. It is because of this balance that the recipe is good for both lunch and dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 eggplant
- Cherry tomatoes 1 sprig
- Purple basil 1 bunch
- Greek yogurt 50 g
- Salt
- Oregano
- Fresh black pepper
How to prepare eggplants
Cut the eggplant into circles of the same thickness, salt and leave for 5 minutes. This short step helps to remove excess moisture and make the taste more concentrated. After that, drain the released juice and lightly wipe the slices with a napkin. If cooking in a grill pan, heat it in advance so that the eggplants brown quickly and do not have time to absorb too much fat.
Don’t cut the eggplant too thin, otherwise the circles will quickly lose their shape during frying and stirring. Medium thickness allows you to get a soft middle and ruddy stripes on the outside. It is better to add oregano during frying, then it will reveal its aroma on warm vegetables.
How to cook eggplant salad with yogurt
Fry the eggplants in a grill pan and sprinkle with dry oregano. Ready circles should become soft inside and slightly brown outside. Transfer them to a plate and let them cool for a few minutes until warm. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and tear the basil leaves with your hands so that the greens retain their aroma and do not darken from contact with the knife.
To assemble the salad, mix the eggplant, tomatoes and basil in a convenient bowl. Season with fresh black pepper and top with Greek yogurt. Stir gently so that the warm eggplants do not break down completely and the cherry halves retain their shape. If necessary, adjust the salt already at the end, when all the components are combined.
Serve the salad immediately or after a short infusion for 5-10 minutes. During this time, the yogurt dressing will have time to cover the vegetables, but the dish will still remain fresh and light. The salad tastes good with dried bread, baked potatoes or simply as a seasonal lunch. If you want to make the serving more expressive, leave some basil and a few cherry halves on top before serving.
The recipe is easy to repeat even on a weekday, because most of the time it takes is only a short frying of eggplants. The rest of the ingredients do not require long preparation. That is why this salad is convenient to prepare when you want something fresh, but not too heavy. Its taste is best revealed in the season of vegetables, when cherries are sweet and basil is most fragrant.