Eggplant Chickpea Salad With Olive Dressing

Eggplant Chickpea Salad With Olive Dressing

This roasted vegetable salad combines caramelized, smoky vegetables with a simple, punchy sauce made of green olives, lemon, shallots and olive oil. The vegetables develop deep, rich flavors, while the bright, tangy sauce and feta cheese ties everything together. The salad is great on its own as a vegetarian main, or alongside some pan-roasted sausages if you want to make it a little more hearty. If you’re meal prepping, keep the sauce separate and drizzle it on last so that the vegetables stay vibrant and fresh.

Yield: 4 servings

2 pounds globe or Japanese eggplant 

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely ground (see Tip)

Salt

Black pepper 

2 heads romaine (about 1 pound)  

20 pitted Castelvetrano or other meaty green olives

1 small shallot or ¼ small red onion

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)

⅔ cup crumbled feta 

Whole-milk yogurt, for serving, optional

Fresh herb leaves such as oregano, cilantro or dill, for serving

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven heats, cut the stems off the eggplant, cut the eggplant into 1-inch chunks and transfer to a sheet pan. Add the chickpeas, drizzle with ½ cup olive oil and toss to combine and coat well. Add the fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; toss again.

Roast, tossing occasionally, until the eggplant is golden and tender and the chickpeas are slightly crisp, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly chop romaine and divide among serving bowls or plates. Roughly chop the olives and place in a small bowl. Finely chop the shallot and add to the bowl with the olives along with the lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.  

When ready to serve, top the romaine with the roasted eggplant and chickpeas. Sprinkle with the feta and drizzle with the yogurt, if using, then top with the herbs. Spoon the olive dressing over the vegetables. 

Tip: To coarsely grind fennel seeds, gather them in a shallow pile on a cutting board and slice through them slowly two to three times. The seeds may bounce and roll around, so using a medium or large cutting board helps keep them contained and makes the process easier. Alternatively, you can crush them slightly using a mortar and pestle.