Zaalouk
زعلوك
Cooked eggplant and tomato salad — smoky if you char the eggplant, a dip if you mash it.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: زعلوك.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Zaalouk is eggplant cooked down with tomato, garlic, cumin and paprika until it is a spread. Char the eggplant first if you can. It is a salad in the Moroccan sense: a cooked side, eaten with bread, often at room temperature.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Cube or char and peel the eggplant. Cook in oil with garlic, tomato and spices until it collapses, 20–25 minutes. Mash.
25 min
Step 2
Lemon, coriander, more oil. Serve warm or cold with bread.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 141 kcal
- Protein
- 2.7 g
- Carbs
- 14.1 g
- Fat
- 9.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 1.3 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 7.5 g
- Sodium
- 494 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Eggplant → Courgette
A different cooked salad. Softer.
Tips
- A little chilli is allowed.
- It is better after an hour.
History & culture
A mezze-ish start to a meal. Also the thing you make when eggplants are cheap.
Cooked vegetable salads are Maghrebi table furniture. The name is the mash.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Zaalouk take?
45 min all in — 15 min prep, 30 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
5 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Eggplant → Courgette. A different cooked salad. Softer.
Any tips from this recipe?
A little chilli is allowed. It is better after an hour.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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