I love this Grilled Eggplant Salad with fresh cherry tomatoes and Feta cheese and a dressing with basil, parsley, and capers!

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For anyone who saw the title of this recipe and said “I don’t like eggplant,” I need to remind you of my discovery that grilled eggplant is really one of the best things about summer. I was never an eggplant fan until I started growing the thin Japanese Eggplants in my garden, and cooking them on the grill. If you’ve never had grilled eggplant, you’ve never really had eggplant!

And I absolutely loved this Grilled Eggplant Salad from the first time I tried it, and the Basil, Parsley, and Caper sauce that we used as a dressing in this recipe really added so much amazing flavor.

But if I can’t possibly talk you into eggplant, then you still should try that delicious sauce to eat on grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables. The sauce recipe and the inspiration to combine it with grilled eggplant came from a recipe in Donna Hay’s New Food Fast (affiliate link), and this sauce is another one of those summer herb combinations that would be good on nearly anything.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

• Asian Eggplants
• olive oil
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• grape tomatoes, cut in half
• crumbled Feta (or more)
• fresh basil leaves
• fresh parsley leaves (flat or curly)
• garlic cloves, sliced
• Dijon mustard
• capers
• fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice

What are Asian Eggplants?

There are many types of eggplants. But Asian Eggplants are long and thin compared to other types. Chinese Eggplant is longer than Japanese Eggplant, but both those varieties have a soft skin that doesn’t need to be peeled and the shape and size make them perfect for cooking on the grill. See photos of the four most common types of eggplants to compare.

Can you make Grilled Eggplant Salad without an outdoor grill?

If you don’t have an outdoor grill the eggplant for this eggplant salad can definitely be cooked on a stove-top grill pan with ridges (affiliate link) or a George Foreman Grill (affiliate link) with good results. Remember that the George Foreman Grill cooks both sides at once so grilling time will be a lot shorter!

Want low-carb eggplant recipes?

Check out Low-Carb and Keto Eggplant Recipes for more tasty eggplant dishes from Kalyn’s Kitchen and other blogs around the web!

Preparing and grilling the eggplant for this salad:

(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)

1. I used 8 thin Japanese eggplants, but any kind of Asian eggplant will work.
2. Cut off both ends of eggplant, then cut in half lengthwise and brush both sides with olive oil. Season the cut side with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat the grill to medium high and lay the eggplants flesh-side-down. Cook until you see nice grill marks, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Cook about 5 minutes more on the other side, until the eggplant is fairly softened and nicely browned.
5. Let the eggplant cool on a cutting board until they are cool enough to cut.
6. While eggplants cool, cut the grape tomatoes in half. When eggplants are cool enough to handle, cut them into slices about 1 inch thick.

Making the sauce and assembling Grilled Eggplant Salad:

1. While eggplants cool, make the amazing dressing. Start with fresh basil leaves, fresh parsley, and some sliced garlic.
2. Give those ingredients a good buzz in the food processor, then add Dijon Mustard, capers, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil, and process until the mixture is chunky.
3. This keeps well in the refrigerator for more than a week, so make the full amount and eat it on everything in sight!
4. Gently combine the eggplant and tomatoes in a bowl, and stir in enough of the amazing dressing to coat the vegetables.
5. Stir in the crumbled Feta cheese and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Make it a Meatless Meal:

Eggplant is used as a meat substitute in many parts of the world, and I can definitely imagine serving this as a main-dish salad for a plant-based meal that includes hummus with grilled low-carb pita bread and some kind of green salad on the side.

More Eggplant Recipes:

Julia Child’s Eggplant Pizza

Spicy Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini Salad

Try This Next Za’atar Chicken

Mediterranean Eggplant

Spicy Grilled Eggplant

Grilled Eggplant with Feta and Herbs

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 8 Japanese Eggplants
• 1 T olive oil
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta (or more)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup parsley leaves (flat or curly)
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 3 T capers
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.)
2. Wash the eggplants if needed and cut off both ends. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, brush both sides with olive oil, and season the cut side with salt and pepper
3. Lay eggplants on the grill cut side down, and cook until you see nice grill marks (about 5-7 minutes.)
4. Turn eggplants and cook about 5 minutes more on the other side, or until eggplant is softened and nicely browned.
5. Remove eggplant to a cutting board and let them cool.
6. Cut grape tomatoes in half and make the amazing dressing while the eggplants cool.
7. If needed, wash and spin dry the basil and parsley leaves.
8. Slice the garlic cloves, then use a food processor fitted with a steel blade to chop the basil, parsley, and garlic together.
9. Add the Dijon, capers, and lemon juice and process until ingredients are well blended; then add the olive oil and process about 30 seconds more.
10. When eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it into slices about 1 inch thick.
11. Gently combine the eggplant and tomato halves in a bowl and stir in enough dressing to coat the ingredients (about 1/4 cup). Save the rest of the dressing for another time; it’s good on so many things!
12. Stir in the crumbled Feta and serve salad warm or at room temperature.
13. Even though tomatoes are best when they haven’t been refrigerated, this was not bad after it had been the fridge overnight.  It didn’t last much longer than that though.

Notes

This makes more dressing than you need for the salad, but it’s good on any type of grilled meat, grilled vegetables, or sliced tomatoes, and it will keep more than a week in the fridge. 

This recipe inspired by a grilled eggplant dish from Donna Hay New Food Fast. (affiliate link)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 183Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2.9gUnsaturated Fat: 6.7gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 301mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 6.4gSugar: 8.6gProtein: 4.3g

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Everything in this Grilled Eggplant Salad is approved for all-phases of the original South Beach Diet or any other type of low-glycemic eating plan, and this salad is also relatively low in carbs but probably too high in carbs for Keto.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Eggplant Recipes or Salads to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2012. It was updated with more information in 2022.

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Za’atar Chicken

Seasoned with a traditional Middle Eastern Za’atar spice blend and grilled, this Za’atar chicken is juicy and packed with unique flavors. In just 20 minutes you’ll have a flavorful and filling dinner that no one will forget!

If you have never heard of Za’atar seasoning, you are not alone! I just heard of it recently, and now I’m hooked! It’s a great savory blend of warm and earthy seasonings that will really wow your taste buds. You can also make the spice at home! If you like homemade spices, you’ll have to try this Homemade Fajita Seasoning, this better than store bought Italian Seasoning, and this Taco Seasoning too!

Grilled Za’atar Chicken

So at this point you may be wondering what is Za’atar seasoning? It is a blend of savory, nutty, and earthy spices that usually includes oregano, thyme, marjoram, and sumac. There are different blends of Za’atar seasoning based on where you are eating it. Kind of like curry the ingredients can change based on the area it’s made in. I have a link to the Za’atar seasoning blend in the recipe box below too if you want to make it, or you can pick it up from the store.

Grilled Za’atar Chicken is quickly marinated in the Za’atar seasoning and olive oil and grilled to perfection. I really think you are going to love this dish! It’s an easy 20 minute dinner that would go great with some pita bread and hummus. I also love with baba ganoush which goes great with this Za’atar seasoning. You can actually sprinkle some on top and the flavor is incredible. I think this will be a new family favorite!

Ingredients

These simple ingredients combine to make the most delicious and moist chicken. This Za’atar chicken is so unique, and amazingly flavorful! If you are looking for a great easy dinner, then this is the recipe for you! See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: If you get a breast that is really thick, then you’ll want to flatten it out a bit so that it will all cook evenly on the grill.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil is a must for this recipe. It’s a great quality oil that helps the flavors in the seasonings really pop.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is just what this recipe needs to bring out all of these gorgeous flavors!
• Za’atar Seasoning: I love making this blend at home! It is really herby and nutty, and perfect on meat. I add sesame seeds, coriander, and salt to my blend and I think it’s fantastic!
• Garlic: Minced garlic is one of my favorite things to eat on chicken. It’s so full of flavor and makes every bite the perfect one!

Za’atar Chicken Recipe

This recipe is so easy! I love how quickly it comes together and it really is so delicious. I ate it with some tomatoes and pita bread and it was perfection. Some of my kids added salt and pepper, but I thought it was perfect the way it was. You can make it however you like, and I know you are going to love it!

Popular Recipe Grilled Fish with Lemon and Capers

1. Whisk: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, za’atar seasoning, and garlic.
2. Put in Bag: Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag then pour the mixture over the chicken.
3. Refrigerate: Seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
4. Grill: Grill chicken breasts on medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165° Fahrenheit.
5. Enjoy: Let the chicken rest before slicing and enjoying!

Tips for Grilling Chicken

Here are a few simple ways to make yourself the master of the grill! Once your friends and family get a bite of your grilled Za’atar chicken, they’ll be hooked. It’s hard not to be when they’re so juicy and flavorful.

• Use a Thermometer: This step is super important so that your chicken doesn’t dry out on the grill. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken. You can take them off the grill when the temperature inside reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you cook them any more than that, they may dry out.
• Let Rest: The key to juicy grilled Za’atar chicken is letting it rest for a minute or two after you pull it off the grill. This allows all of the tasty juices to reabsorb, giving you chicken breast that will melt in your mouth! If you cut into them too soon after grilling, those juices may be released instead of absorbing back into the meat.
• Dripping: If you have seasoning and oil dripping off of your chicken, it will make the flames touch the meat and that’s where the black burned part comes from. If you don’t want crispy crunchy parts on your chicken, make sure that your seasoning is all over your chicken, but not dripping off.

Storing Leftovers

Who doesn’t wan’t grilled Za’atar chicken for leftovers? This recipe makes enough to serve eight people, so if you need to save your leftovers here is how.

In the Refrigerator: Store your cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Chicken Recipes

I love a simple chicken dinner! But sometimes chicken can taste boring when you are always making it the same way. Here are some recipes that will give you great ideas to keep your chicken tasting unique and juicy!

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