Roasted Eggplant And Lentil Salad Recipe

There are salads that accompany a meal and then there are salads that are the meal — hearty salads that balance protein, fat, and fiber are a meal on their own and are so useful in today's busy life. Rather than creating several dishes that complement each other, why not use compatible ingredients together in one big bowl?

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for roasted eggplant and lentil salad recipe and says, "Lentils are my go-to item when I want to make a salad a meal. They are full of health benefits and add great texture." In this salad when they're combined with the roasted eggplant that takes on a caramelized flavor after roasting, you get a savory and satisfying dish in just 20 minutes. And, while you can enjoy this salad as a main course, you could easily pair it alongside a protein like chicken or tofu.

To make this recipe, pick up an eggplant, lemon, garlic, arugula, and grape tomatoes from the produce aisle. Then grab some cooked lentils and feta cheese. "If you want to cook your own lentils, just make sure to cook them al dente so they stay together in the salad," Hahn shares.

For the dressing, you'll need some oil, salt, pepper, honey, Dijon mustard, and oregano. Most of these you may have stocked in your kitchen already.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Add the eggplant, 1 tablespoon of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

Spread the eggplant on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, Dijon, remaining salt and pepper, and oregano.

Toss the cooked eggplant, arugula, lentils, tomatoes, feta, and dressing.

The salad is ready to serve.

Eggplants come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. The most common type is globe eggplant which has a large oblong shape and is dark purple, but depending where you live there are many other types. The long and slender Japanese and Chinese eggplant varieties work well along with Italian eggplant or Indian eggplant, both of which have a different shape. "I find that many people with gardens grow Chinese eggplant and if that is the case for you, by all means use it," Hahn shares.

If you have another type of green on hand you can swap out the arugula with any hardy green. Kale or spinach both work well. "If you decide to use kale, make sure to strip if from the stems, squeeze some lemon on it, and give it a quick massage to break it down," Hahn shares.

It's also easy to customize this recipe for dietary preferences. To make this recipe vegan, just swap out the feta for a dairy-free version and substitute maple syrup for the honey.

If you're a meal-prepper and like to make dinners in advance you can definitely get a jump on some of the components of this salad. Even though it's best to roast the eggplant before serving the salad, you can get it diced and prepped with the oil, salt, and pepper. "I like to do the bulk of my dinner chopping in the morning when I'm making breakfast. That way it's ready to go right on the baking sheet," Hahn shares. 

You can also make the dressing ahead of time and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. Since it's a really versatile dressing you might want to double it for use on other salads throughout the week.

As far as leftovers go, like most salads, they are best eaten soon after they are made. If you're making this salad with arugula or kale, it will be fine the next day but you'll need to add a little more dressing. "When I want to revive a salad the next day, I usually just splash in some vinegar and give it a toss if I don't have extra dressing made," Hahn explains.