This Moroccan zaalouk is baba ghanoush’s lesser-known but equally delicious cousin! Zaalouk is a Moroccan spiced eggplant dip or cooked salad. The best part is it’s all made in one pan. The eggplant is sautéed, then spiced with warm spices like cumin and paprika before being mashed to the perfect consistency. Grated tomato is then cooked down into it before being brightened up with lemon and fresh herbs.
What is Moroccan Zaalouk?
In Morocco, zaalouk is considered to be a cooked salad that is often served mezze style along with other dips and spreads (like hummus, baba ghanoush, and muhammara). It’s scooped up with Moroccan bread or pita. Cooked salads are a tradition in Morocco and several are often seen being served at lunch.
So while it may not seem like a salad in the traditional sense, it works perfectly being served alongside other mains. However you choose to serve it, it’s bright and warm flavour will shine through. The name “zalouk” comes from the term “m’zaalak” which refers to its mashed consistency. It’s flavour profile is similar to that of other Moroccan recipes, warmly spiced and allows the vegetable flavours to shine.
Make Ahead! Some dishes just get better over time! Zaalouk’s flavour will get better over time, so making this ahead for dinners and picnics is a great idea.
Roasting Vs Pan Frying
Traditionally, the eggplant is actually boiled in salted water until soft, then squeezed dry before adding to the pan. However, I find that cooking it down in a pan is easier and provides better flavour. Also, if you’d like to infuse the zaalouk with a smokey flavour, feel free to roast the eggplant in the oven or over an open flame, like I suggest in this mutabal post. You’ll end up with eggplant flesh that you can then use per the recipe instructions. Another quick trick for adding smokiness in your zaalouk is to replace the paprika with smoked paprika. That will add a little extra smokey flavour.
Ingredient’s You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
Zaalouk is a fairly simple dish to prepare with some basic ingredients. Put them together and you have something magical. Let’s get into it.
- Eggplant: A globe eggplant or American eggplant is best here. They have a good amount of flesh and not too many seeds. Stick to the smaller globe eggplants though, they will have less seeds in comparison to the larger ones.
To Peel or Not to Peel? This is a personal preference really, I prefer some skin on it so I peel following a zebra pattern so that some of the skin stays on. You can choose to keep the skin on or completely peel the eggplant.
- Tomato: Fresh tomato is the perfect addition to zaalouk. I find grating it is the best way to get it to cook down quickly and easily while allowing the texture of the eggplant to shine. However, I also add a bit of tomato paste to boost the flavour, especially if my tomatoes are not as flavourful.
- Garlic: Eggplant and garlic just belong together. It adds the perfect amount of flavour without overwhelming the dish.
- Spices: Salt, pepper, paprika and cumin balance everything out and bring the quintessential Moroccan flavour.
- Lemon and herbs: A squeeze of lemon and a generous amount of cilantro and parsley (a classic Moroccan herb duo) brighten up the salad just before serving.
How To Make This Recipe Step-By-Step
To make the zaalouk, start by peeling the eggplant. I like to peel it in a zebra pattern, peeling every other strip of the peel off the eggplant. This way you are left with some peel for texture.
Proceed to cube the eggplant into 1 inch cubes. This size helps them to cook down faster.
Next, grate the tomato. Grating the tomato allows it to become saucy and blend into the rest of the ingredients perfectly.
TIP: The easiest way to grate a tomato is to use a box grater. Slice the tomato in half, then hold it from the skin, and start grating. When finished, you’ll be left with the peel in your hand which you can discard.
Now on to the cooking. Start by sautéing the eggplant cubes in the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cover and continue cooking until the eggplant completely cooks through and is softened, this should take about 20 minutes.
Once softened, begin to mash the eggplant using a wooden spoon or a potato masher.
The grated tomatoes and their juices go in next along withe the spices and the garlic. Cook the tomato down into the eggplant for roughly 5 to 10 minutes. Keep cooking and stirring as the tomato reduces and concentrates in flavour.
Finally, finish with generous sprinkling of the cilantro and parsley as well as a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up. An optional drizzle of olive oil is never a bad idea either.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some ideas on how to serve this dip:
- Serve it immediately or allow it to cool to room temperature before serving. It will be the perfect warm cooked salad.
- If you have time, refrigerate and let those flavours meld together even more and serve cold like a more traditional salad. It will last 5 days in an airtight container.
- Serve it alongside your favourite main dishes especially chicken skewers or kabobs. My Moroccan baked chicken is also perfect with it!
- Serve it as part of a mezze of a platter of dips and sauces with bread and pita.
- Want to amp up your sandwich game? Spread it between your favourite bread and you will have the most delicious eggplant sandwich!
Other Eggplant Recipes You Will Love
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30-Min Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 globe eggplant (approx. 450g) peeled in a zebra pattern and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large tomatoes grated
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper more per preference
- 1/2 lemon juiced, more per preference
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Begin by peeling the eggplant in a zebra pattern (every other section is peeled) and cutting into 1 inch cubes.
![Eggplants cubed in a white bowl on a pink background]()
- Next, grate the the tomatoes with a metal grater and set aside.
![Tomato cut in half in a cutting board being shredded on a metal grater on a pink background]()
- In a large sauté pan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the cubed eggplant and cook, stirring for a few minutes. Cover and continue to cook for 20 minutes until the eggplant has completely softened.
![Cubed eggplant in a large saute pan with a wooden spoon on a pink background]()
- Once softened, begin mashing the eggplant roughly. It's fine to leave some pieces to have more texture.
![Cooked cubed eggplant in a large saute pan being mashed with a metal potato masher on a pink background]()
- Mix in the grated tomato along with the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and crushed garlic. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes to allow all the flavours to combine together and for the tomato to reduce.
![Grated tomatoes added to cooked, smashed eggplant in a saute pan with a wooden spoon on a pink background]()
- Pour in the lemon juice and sprinkle with the cilantro and parsley. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust for more lemon juice or salt per preference.
![Zaalouk cooked in a large saute pan with a wooden spoon and chopped parsley on a pink background]()
- Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.
Video
Notes
- Traditionally, the eggplant is boiled to make zaalouk. However, I found that cooking it down in a pan provides more flavour and it’s easier; one pan is all you need.
- You can also use already roasted eggplant in this recipe, or roast the eggplant instead of cooking it in a pan. This method provides more smokey flavour.
- The flavour of zaalouk gets better over time so feel free to make it ahead and refrigerate.
Nutrition
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