This sunny roasted eggplant, tomato, and goat cheese salad might look fancy, but it’s actually super easy to make. With fresh, colorful ingredients like tomato and basil, this salad is a beautiful side dish or lunch for late spring or early summer. 

One of my favorite things about this dish is it can be adapted in so many ways, depending on your preferences and what’s in season. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, try swapping it out for some fresh mozzarella or cashew cheese. Have the eggplants at your local grocery store seen better days? Zucchini or squash would work well instead. 

Have fun cooking, and I hope this colorful salad brings you some of the fun, summery vibes we’re all in need of right now.

Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

For the eggplant: 

• 1 medium eggplant

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Salt and pepper

For the whipped goat cheese: 

• 8 oz goat cheese

• Splash of heavy cream

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 small clove of garlic, minced

• 1 tsp thyme, minced

• Zest from 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Salt and pepper 

For the lemon dressing: 

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Salt 

Other ingredients: 

• 2 cups greens (spring mix or arugula work great)

• 2 cups quinoa (leftover is fine!)

• Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 

• Fresh basil, thinly sliced 

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with half the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 8 minutes, then flip the eggplant slices and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then return to the oven and bake for 8 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

2. While the eggplant is baking, make the whipped goat cheese. In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, cream, and olive oil and mix well with a fork. Then, add the minced garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice and whip the mixture together. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

3. In a small bowl, make the lemon dressing. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, mixing well to emulsify. 

4. To assemble the salad, place the greens on a large serving platter and drizzle the lemon dressing over the top. Layer the quinoa on top, followed by the roasted eggplant slices. Spoon the whipped goat cheese over the eggplant, then top with sliced tomatoes and basil. Enjoy!