THAI EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI SALAD

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This Thai Eggplant and Zucchini Salad has amazing Thai flavors in the dressing, and this is the perfect recipe to try grilled eggplant!

INGREDIENTS

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  •  1 lbs. Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed and cut lengthwise
  •  3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed and cut into lengthwise strips (I cut the zucchini into sixths lengthwise)
  •  (see notes for other options)
  •  2 tsp. peanut oil for brushing vegetables and grill (see notes)
  •  salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning vegetables
  •  4 green onions, thinly sliced
  •  1/4 cup (or more) chopped fresh herbs (see notes)
  •  1/4 cup chopped peanuts

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

  •  3 T fresh lime juice
  •  1 T + 1 tsp. fish sauce (See Notes for Vegetarian option)
  •  2 tsp. Sriracha Sauce (or less; this was spicy but not unbearable for me)
  •  1 tsp. Golden Monkfruit Sweetener or sweetener of your choice
  •  2 tsp. peanut oil

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INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Brush grill grates with grapeseed or peanut oil, then preheat grill to medium-high.  (You can only hold your hand there for a couple of seconds at that heat.)
  2. Wash and dry eggplant and zucchini, trim ends, and cut into lengthwise strips.
  3. Brush vegetables with oil and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
  4. Lay strips on the hot grill, flesh side down and cook about 5-7 minutes or until grill marks appear.
  5. Turn vegetables and cook until that side has nice grill marks, about 5-7 minutes more.
  6. Zucchini may take slightly longer than eggplant, but grill all vegetables until they are nicely charred and cooked through.
  7. As they are done remove the vegetables to a cutting board and let them cool to room temperature.
  8. While veggies cool, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, Sriracha Sauce (affiliate link), sweetener of your choice, and oil.
  9. When vegetables have cooled, cut them into short crosswise pieces.
  10.  Toss with a few tablespoons of the dressing, and let them marinate while you finish prepping other ingredients.
  11.  Slice the green onions into thin strips and chop the cilantro, mint, or Thai basil.
  12.  Chop peanuts.
  13.  Stir green onions and herbs into the salad and add more dressing until the salad is as wet as you’d like it.  (You may not need all the dressing; save to use as a dipping sauce at the table.)
  14.   Serve salad in individual bowls, topped with a few spoonfuls of chopped peanuts.
  15.  This kept reasonably well overnight in the fridge, but it was best freshly made.

NOTES

 

You can also make this salad with only zucchini or only eggplant if you prefer. I think the dressing would be good on many kinds of other grilled vegetables like peppers, onions, sweet potatoes, or winter squash.

We loved the salad with cilantro, but use cilantro, mint, or Thai basil, whichever you prefer. I like Red Boat Fish Sauce (affiliate link) for this recipe. I prefer Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), but use any no-calorie sweetener you prefer. I prefer Peanut Oil (affiliate link) for Asian recipes, but use the oil you prefer.

For strictly vegetarian, use Vegetarian Fish Sauce, (affiliate link) or just replace fish sauce with soy sauce or Coconut Aminos, whichever you prefer.

Recipe adapted from Vegetables Every Day (affiliate link).

 

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Yield

6

Serving Size

1Amount Per ServingCalories111Total Fat7gSaturated Fat1gTrans Fat0gUnsaturated Fat5gCholesterol0mgSodium326mgCarbohydrates12gFiber3.8gSugar5gProtein3.6g

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