Zaalouk — Moroccan Smoky Aubergine and Tomato Salad
Aubergine and tomato cooked down with garlic, cumin and paprika until jammy and smoky, served warm or cold with bread.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Zaalouk sits at the front of almost every Moroccan table. It is aubergine and tomato reduced slowly with garlic and olive oil until the two collapse into each other and turn deep, sweet and faintly smoky.
It is also one of the most forgiving things you can cook. There is no precise moment at which it is done — you simply keep going until the liquid has gone and the oil starts to separate at the edges of the pan.
Make it the day before you need it. Zaalouk is genuinely better cold, on the second day, scooped with bread.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings
Instructions
Soften the aubergine
Put the aubergine cubes in a wide pan with the water, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of the olive oil. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until completely soft and collapsing when pressed.
Add tomato and aromatics
Stir in the grated tomato, garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne if using, the rest of the olive oil and half the coriander. Season with salt.
Cook it down
Simmer uncovered over a medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, mashing with a wooden spoon or a fork every few minutes. You are looking for a thick, rough purée — some texture is correct, a smooth paste is not.
Finish
When the liquid has gone and you can see oil pooling at the edges, stir in the lemon juice and the remaining coriander. Taste and adjust salt and cumin.
Serve
Spread in a shallow dish, drizzle with good olive oil and serve warm or at room temperature with plenty of bread.
Cook’s notes
- For a smokier version, char the whole aubergines over a gas flame or under a hot grill until the skin blackens, then scoop out the flesh and skip the first step.
- Leaving stripes of skin on gives zaalouk its flecked look and a little body. Peel it fully if you prefer it silkier.
- Keeps 4 days covered in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature before serving — cold dulls the cumin.
Recipe information
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 155 kcal per serving
- Cuisine
- Moroccan
- Course
- Salad
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Keywords
- zaalouk, moroccan eggplant salad, moroccan aubergine dip, zaalouk recipe
Nutrition is an estimate per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions
Is zaalouk served hot or cold?
Do I need to salt the aubergine first?
What is the difference between zaalouk and taktouka?
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