Turkish Grilled Eggplant and Yogurt Salad Recipe
A light, creamy salad made from roasted eggplant with yogurt and garlic, this is a popular appetizer on Turkish meze tables. It’s served with bread, grilled meat, or simply as a snack to share over tea. The flavor is smoky from the roasted eggplant, balanced by tangy yogurt and fresh herbs.
This salad combines the smoky depth of roasted eggplant with cool, tangy yogurt and fresh herbs, giving you a classic Turkish meze experience with just a few simple ingredients.
Chef's tips
Roast the eggplants until the skin is really dark and the flesh almost collapses—this is the key to a deep, smoky flavor and a creamy texture. If you can, roast them directly over a gas flame or on a grill for even more smokiness.
How to serve
Serve in a shallow bowl, drizzle with good olive oil, and finish with a pinch of paprika or Aleppo pepper. Pair with warm flatbread, olives, and other meze like hummus or stuffed grape leaves for a complete spread.
Ingredients
- eggplant - 2 piece
- yogurt - 250 g
- garlic - 2 cloves
- lemon juice - 1.5 tablespoons
- olive oil - 2 tablespoons
- parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- mint chopped - 1 tablespoon
- salt
- black pepper
- paprika - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top and bottom heat). Wash and dry the eggplants, then prick them in several places with a fork.
- Place the eggplants on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 30–35 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes, until the skin is very dark and the flesh is very soft and collapsed.
- Transfer the baked eggplants to a board and let them cool slightly for 5–10 minutes. Then cut them lengthwise and scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon, avoiding the burnt skin.
- Finely chop the eggplant flesh with a knife or lightly mash it with a fork to get a thick mixture with small pieces.
- Press the garlic through a garlic press or chop it very finely. Chop the parsley and mint.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. You should get a smooth, slightly tangy mixture.
- Add the chopped eggplant and herbs to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and, if needed, season with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
- Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld, then serve drizzled with a little olive oil.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w szczelnym pojemniku w lodówce. Przed podaniem zamieszaj i ewentualnie dodaj odrobinę świeżych ziół, bo z czasem tracą kolor.
