Zaalouk is a simple Moroccan eggplant salad with tomatoes (also served as a flavorful eggplant tomato dip or side dish), made with just a handful of ingredients. Perfect for serving with crusty bread.
Rinse and finely chop (or grate) the tomatoes and dice the eggplant into 1-inch pieces. Mince the garlic.I peel the eggplant first for an even smoother dip, but this is 100% unnecessary and can be done either way. If you want some extra color in the dip, leave a few strips of peel on the eggplant.You can also optionally blanch and peel the tomatoes if preferred.
Step 2: Cook the Eggplant and Tomato Mixture
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the garlic, and allow it to sauté, stirring often, for a minute. Then add all the ingredients (except the lemon juice, ½ the cumin, and tomato paste).For a deeper, smokier flavor, you can grill or roast the eggplant separately (in halves, slices, or cubes), then add it to the cooked tomatoes at the end.
Mix well and add in some water to make sure the bottom of the pan isn't dry (1/4 cup is a good amount but adjust as needed). Then cover and cook over medium-low heat for around 30 minutes.If it starts to look dry at any point, quickly open the lid to add an extra splash of water.
Step 3: Mash the Eggplant and Tomatoes
Remove the lid and check that the chopped tomatoes and eggplant are all tender, then use a potato masher to gently mash the eggplant and tomatoes.You can mash the eggplant tomato dip to your desired consistency. Some prefer it as a smooth puree, and others prefer a chunkier consistency. I gently mash it so it still has a bit of texture.
At this point, add the remaining cumin and lemon juice. You can also optionally add some tomato paste (for extra depth).
If the mixture is too watery, continue to cook it over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it thickens and reduces to a paste-like "dip" consistency.
Serve the Moroccan eggplant salad topped with some additional parsley and optionally, a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Make ahead: this eggplant tomato dip/salad tastes even better on day two, so I highly recommend making it a day in advance (or at least making enough for leftovers).Store: store any leftovers of this eggplant tomato recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.Freeze: allow it to cool and then store in airtight containers of Ziplock bags (with a little headspace) for 2-3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying/reheating.Reheating: while you don’t HAVE to reheat zaalouk, upon thawing, it could be slightly more liquidy, so feel free to reheat it on the stovetop to reduce and re-warm. The freezing/thawing process could also affect the flavor, so taste and adjust any of the seasonings before serving.
Notes
Don’t skip the lemon juice: it helps lift and enhance the flavor of the eggplant tomato recipe before serving.
Adjust the amount of seasoning: as usual, there is lots of wiggle room for playing around to find your desired level of seasoning. So adjust it to taste.
Adjust the texture: mash the zaalouk to your desired consistency (smooth and puree-like vs. chunky).
Experiment with ratio: by experimenting with how many tomatoes you use per eggplant, you can easily change the balance of flavors in this simple Moroccan eggplant recipe. Though, this recipe uses my desired (and recommended) amounts.
Allow it to marinate: zaalouk tastes even better on day two, so I highly recommend making enough for leftovers.
Check the blog post for optional add-ins, serving suggestions, and answers to top FAQs!