It has been a labor of love, but we are finally getting eggplant to grow in our garden! We love to cook this seasonal veggie by lightly seasoning it and grilling it. This version of eggplant is served in a caprese salad and pairs perfectly with the tomato and mozzarella cheese. This is an easy and delicious way to mix up a classic and makes for a hearty salad recipe. You can serve for the salad for lunch, as an appetizer, or a side dish for an Italian-inspired dinner.
Eggplant Caprese Salad
Makes: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients For The Salad:
- 1 eggplant slices in 1/4 inch rounds
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 3 beefsteak tomatoes cut in 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 log of fresh mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella cut into 1/4 inch rounds
- basil
- salt
Ingredients For The Dressing:
- 1/2 balsamic vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Directions
- After slicing the eggplant, sprinkle salt on both sides of the pieces and set on paper towel for 15 minutes. This will help remove some of the excess moisture from the eggplant before you grill.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, about 450 degrees.
- Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the eggplant and grill the slices on high for 2-3 minutes on each side so that the pieces are lightly charred and cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Assemble the caprese by layering the eggplant, tomato and mozzarella across a long serving dish. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and top with fresh basil. Serve immediately.
