What Is Zaalouk?
Zaalouk is a traditional Moroccan stewed salad made up of cooked eggplant and tomatoes, and then garlic, olive oil, and a combination of spices that can vary by region. The vegetables can also vary a bit, sometimes peppers, cauliflower, carrots or others are used, but the most popular is eggplant and we are big, big fans. The Arabic word “zaalouk” means “puree or something soft” and that is exactly what the beautiful end result texture of this is. A kind of chunky swirl of roasty eggplants and stewed tomatoes heavily laced with cumin and paprika that is the perfect swath on top of any toast.
It is often served as a side dish or spread, but we’ve definitely piled up the bread and hogged all the burrata to make an entire meal out of this smoky, saucy, quietly spicy little treat.
Ingredients For These Zaalouk Toast Cuties
Cheese isn’t traditionally served with zaalouk, but once you’ve got tomatoes and olive oil and toasty bread near us, we really can’t be stopped. These times almost always call for burrata. Here’s what else you’ll need to make this happen:
- eggplant
- a can of crushed tomatoes
- fresh garlic & parsley
- paprika & cumin
- red pepper flakes for heat (optional)
- sourdough or other crusty bread
- fresh burrata
- olive oil, salt, pepper, and more herbs for topping
Let’s Assemble Zaalouk Toasts
Tha zaalouk itself comes together easily enough and it’s definitely worth the little extra roasting time. After that you’re just playing a little game of stacking magic.
- Roast the eggplant. Cut it in half lengthwise and make small cuts to tuck the garlic cloves into for roasting. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast until the eggplant is super soft.
- Tomatoes and mash. Transfer that roasty goodness to a saucepan and add tomatoes and spices. Mash until you get a chunky-but-smooth-ish texture.
- Simmer for a bit and let all those flavors blend together. Add the parsley and season to taste.
- Grilled bread! Add some swizzles of olive oil to a heated pan and griddle it up until golden brown and toasty on both sides.
- Serve. Top your toasts with a smear of zaalouk and a hunk of fresh burrata. Drizzle with more olive oil, herbs, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
What To Serve with These Toasts
Again, traditionally zaalouk is served at the start of a meal or as a side dish but it could easily become a main if that’s what you’re after. We love it on the grilled toasts of course, but it could certainly be served over rice or another grain. If you’re going the app/side route, might we suggest serving this alongside our Simple Green Salad or maybe Liz’s Roasted Broccoli Salad for a full veg meal experience.
Ingredients
Zaalouk:
- 1 eggplant
- olive oil and salt
- one 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used crushed San Marzano tomatoes)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- red pepper flakes for heat (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
Toast, etc.:
- sourdough or Tuscan style sliced bread
- a generous amount of olive oil
- fresh burrata
- olive oil, salt, pepper, and more herbs for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Make small cuts that allow you to tuck the garlic cloves into the eggplant so they are almost completely inside (so you can roast them without burning them).
- Drizzle the halves with olive oil and salt; roast for 30-45 minutes until the eggplant is super soft and pulls away from the skin easily.
- Transfer the eggplant and roasted garlic to a small saucepan; add tomatoes and spices. Mash with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until you get a chunky-but-smooth-ish texture.
- Simmer for 15 minutes or so. Add the parsley and season to taste.
- For the grilled bread, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a generous couple swizzles of olive oil (probably 2 tablespoons or so) and add your sliced bread to the pan. Cook until golden brown and toasty on both sides.
- To serve, top your toasts with a smear of zaalouk and a hunk of fresh burrata. Top with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper.
