Roasted Eggplant Salad with Feta Dressing

Roasted eggplant salad with feta dressing. Made with just a few ingredients, it’s light yet super satisfying. Imagine tender eggplant with crispy baked edges, cherry tomatoes and the best creamy feta dressing. So good on its own or as a side with chicken or salmon.

Why you’ll love this eggplant and feta salad

Roasting eggplants brings out their silkiness and natural sweetness. Here they’re the star in a simple yet aromatic salad. Don’t let the step to roast them discourage you, this salad is fuss-free to prepare!

I absolutely adore roasted eggplant, it makes a great addition to any salad. It soaks up lots of flavor from the feta dressing, while the cherry tomatoes add a touch of juicy sweetness. It’s comforting yet fresh, hearty yet light. A little tangy, creamy and rich… it’s irresistible. It’s fabulous all on its own or next to grilled steak, chicken or fish like salmon. I especially like it piled up on a piece of toasted bread.

The creamy feta dressing comes together in minutes! Feta cheese, olive oil, garlic and red wine vinegar make for a tangy, easy salad dressing. We simply mash everything with a fork, this way your dressing is ready in seconds. And once you’ve tried it, you’ll find many uses for this delicious condiment.

The eggplant is tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano, then roasted until soft and buttery. This is not a cold salad, it’s best eaten at room temperature, when the eggplant comes out of the oven.

Every time I serve this salad, guests go wild for this one, it’s hands-down the fastest to disappear at any gathering.

Watch the recipe video

Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.

How to roast eggplant (and why I do it almost every week during summer)

If there’s one trick I swear by to make vegetables taste like magic, it’s roasting. Eggplant especially, raw, it’s bland and spongey (honestly, not very exciting). But once it hits a hot oven? Total transformation!

The edges caramelize and the inside turns buttery soft… and suddenly it’s the star of your plate. That first bite, when the crispy corners give way to tender, juicy flesh, it’s what keeps me coming back for more.

I roast eggplant all the time, whether I’m layering it into pastas, tossing it in grain bowls, or just eating it straight off the tray! And I’ve found that you don’t need much to make it shine, just olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of oregano.

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way:

Cut it into big chunks – Smaller pieces cook too fast and go mushy before they get that golden crust.

Crank up the heat – Roasting at a high temperature gives you that perfect surface browning while keeping the insides tender.

Be generous with olive oil – Eggplant soaks it up, but that’s part of what makes it delicious.

Use parchment paper – It keeps everything from sticking and helps with even roasting.

One question I get a lot: Do you peel it? No, I don’t. The skin softens in the oven and helps hold the slices together. Without it, they’re more likely to collapse into mush, and personally, I like that little bit of structure.

Worried about bitterness? Honestly, nowadays eggplants aren’t like the old-school ones that needed salting and rinsing. Unless you’ve picked up a giant, overripe one, you’re probably safe.

I always look for eggplants that feel heavy for their size, with smooth skin and just a little give when pressed. If it’s light or wrinkly, it’s probably dried out inside, and not worth roasting.

Love eggplant? Try my Eggplant bolognese, Lebanese stuffed eggplants or Eggplant Parmesan orzo skillet next.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Eggplants: Look for small to medium eggplants as possible, the larger ones could be bitter and have more seeds. Make sure the skin is smooth and the flesh feels firm. Soft spots indicate that it’s old and is starting to spoil. 
• Salt, Black Pepper and Dried Oregano: A simple mix to season the eggplant. You can swap the oregano for Italian seasoning or thyme.
• Olive Oil: Oil is very important for caramelization. I like cooking eggplant with extra virgin olive oil, but you can substitute for other heat-safe oils.
• Cherry tomatoes: Try to buy the sweetest cherry tomatoes. The ones on a vine are mostly the ones with a rich sweetness and juiciness.
• Fresh Parsley: It brightens up the salad and adds balance to the savory flavors. You can also use a handful of arugula.

Feta dressing ingredients

• Feta: The best feta cheese to use in this recipe is a block of plain feta sold in the brine. It’s creamy and rich, with the sharp tang and saltiness you’ll expect from good feta cheese. Try to avoid pre-crumbled feta cheese, as it is dry rather than creamy, and usually has a muted flavor that is much milder than feta sold in blocks. 
• Red Wine Vinegar: The acidic component of the salad dressing, it brightens and adds tang. You can swap it for white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
• Olive Oil: The base for our dressing.
• Garlic: Adds so much flavor, this is why you should use freshly minced or grated garlic instead of store-bought chopped garlic or garlic powder.
• Seasoning: Salt and black pepper. 
• Red Onion: A delicious addition, you can swap it for shallot.

Recipe tips

• This salad is delicious on its own, but you could toss in some farro, lentils or pasta like orzo or penne. 
• Serve with crusty bread for lunch or a light dinner, but it’s also fabulous next to grilled steak, chicken or fish like salmon.
• You can also serve it piled up on a piece of toasted bread as an open-faced sandwich, or next to an omelette. 

Storage

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature.

Make ahead

The eggplants can be roasted one day ahead, feta dressing can also be made one day ahead. Refrigerate in separate containers, bring to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes.

Try these next

• Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing
• Rotisserie chicken salad (no-cook)
• Thai-Style Steak Salad