Eggplant & Cucumber Crunch Salad
By Dishing Up the Dirt
I can’t get over how fresh this salad tastes. The lemon tahini dressing ties everything together for a simple, no fuss meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 medium-sized eggplant or several small fairytale eggplants, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 3 scallions, minced, white and light green parts only
- 1 large cucumber, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
- 1 bunch of parsley, diced
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas-if canned rinsed and drained
- salt and pepper to taste.
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Overview
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Serves
4
Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the quinoa by combining 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until quinoa has absorbed the liquid and can easily be fluffed with a fork.
Step 2
Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth. Taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Step 3
Slice the eggplants into 1/4 inch chunks (no need to peel) and lightly salt them and set aside on a dish cloth.
Step 4
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant and chickpeas and continue to cook stirring often until eggplants begin to brown on all sides and chickpeas become lightly toasted. About 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 5
In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and eggplant/chickpea mixture. Stir in the parsley and toss until well combine. Drizzle with dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use this recipe as a guide.
- Adjust measurement and ingredients as necessary.
Let us know if you make this recipe! Tag your photos with #freshharvestga on Instagram.
Thanks to Dishing Up the Dirt for this amazing recipe. Check out her cookbook here.