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Bring a generous dose of zesty, sour, and lusciously creamy eggplant-based goodness to your spread or dinner table with our eggplant salad recipe, and enjoy this Romanian favorite spread on soft bread, with roasted vegetables, and plenty of other delicious combinations.
Salata de Vinete Recipe
The humble eggplant may not ignite any culinary desires when raw, but when cooked well and mixed with the right ingredients, it can unleash a truly unique and pleasantly sweet and sour flavor that can be enjoyed in a number of ways.
Honest, hearty ingredients, packed dining tables, and feeding large groups of family and friends are at the very core of Eastern European culture, especially in Romania, Moldova, and Hungary. So if you’re ready to add a salad packed with flavor to a spread, feast, or buffet you’re preparing, salata de vinete will no doubt be right up your street.
What is Salata de Vinete?
Very simply, salata de vinete, or eggplant salad, is a traditional Romanian appetizer of cooked and mashed aubergine with a handful of other ingredients.
While synonymous with Romanian cuisine, you will also find this side dish or spread in many other Eastern European cuisines, including the likes of Moldovan cuisine and Hungarian cuisine.
As mentioned at the start of the article, salata de vinete very much acts as a side or appetizer to plenty of both vegetable and meat-based dishes, and can also be enjoyed on its own, especially with something to spread it on.
Ingredients
To make salata de vinete, or eggplant salad, you need to first gather the following ingredients:
- Eggplant/Aubergine – 3 medium-large aubergines
- Onion – 1 small or 1/2 medium white onion
- Lemon Juice – 1 lemon or 3-4 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Mustard – 1 tsp
- Sunflower Oil (or any neutral-tasting oil) – 3 tbsp
Step-by-Step Instructions
Note: for reference, in our 3-step process for making salata de vinete, we have listed multiple options for step 1 (the cooking process – gas stove, oven, and grill) and step 3 (the mixing stage – traditional and modern).
Step 1 – Cook the eggplants/aubergines on the gas stove, in the oven, or on the grill outside (if you have one).
Whatever method you choose, you have to first prep the eggplant by washing it, patting it dry, and poking holes in the eggplants with a fork or a knife.
Gas Stove Method
On medium-high heat, on the gas stove, place the eggplant directly on the flame and cook for 10 minutes, turning the eggplant every 1-2 minutes.
You will get a beautifully charred texture and flavor if you’re using this method. And if you cook all 3 eggplants on 3 hobs at the same time, it will only take you 10 minutes to cook all the eggplants.
Oven Method
If you’re using the oven method, first preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Then roast the eggplants in the oven for about 40 minutes.
This method doesn’t give you a nice charred flavor but it is easy to just put the eggplant in the oven, set a timer, and do something else while keeping an eye on the eggplants. It also works if you don’t have a gas stove. Make sure you have an oven drip tray under the eggplants, catching any juices so they don’t end up on the bottom of the oven.
Grill Method
If you have an outdoor grill, roast the eggplant on the grill over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.
Step 2 – Next, drain the liquid from the cooked eggplant.
To do this, first cut the eggplants in half.
Then, scoop the insides out with a spoon and gather them in a strainer.
Add 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit in the strainer for about 15 minutes. The salt is helping remove the moisture and bitterness from the eggplants. However, nowadays, most eggplants are not bitter so this is not a huge concern in itself.
Step 3 – Chop and mix everything.
Traditional Method
Chop the eggplant, dice the onion, and add them to a bowl. To the bowl with the eggplant, add the mustard, lemon juice, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. This will give you a more traditional eggplant salad/dip, as shown below.
Modern Method
Add the eggplant, roughly chopped onion, mustard, lemon juice, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt to a food processor. Then, blend until you get the desired consistency. Your salad should instead look like the one below.
We prefer this method as you get a much smoother, melt-in-your-mouth consistency. This method also gives you a salad or dip similar to that of baba ganoush (minus the tahini), for example.
Whether you prepare it grilled, baked, charred, chopped, or blended, one thing is for certain: this eggplant salad is very simple to make and makes the humble eggplant the star of the show.
Great as a side, a dip, or enjoyed as is in its own right, our eggplant salad recipe is a wonderful way to bring a little Eastern European magic to your next gathering or dinner party.
Salata de Vinete/Eggplant Salad Recipe Card
Romanian Eggplant Salad
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large eggplants/aubergines
- 1 small or 1/2 medium white onion
- 1 lemon or 3-4 tbsp of lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mustard
- 3 tbsp sunflower Oil (or any neutral-tasting oil)
Instructions
Prep the eggplants by washing them, patting them dry, and poking holes in the eggplants with a fork or a knife. Then, cook the eggplants/aubergines on the gas stove, in the oven, or on the grill outside (if you have one).
- Gas Stove Method: On medium-high heat, on the gas stove, place the eggplant directly on the flame and cook for 10 minutes, turning the eggplant every 1-2 minutes. You will get a beautifully charred texture and flavor if you’re using this method. And if you cook all 3 eggplants on 3 hobs at the same time, it will only take you 10 minutes to cook all the eggplants.
- Oven Method: If you’re using the oven method, first preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Then roast the eggplants in the oven for about 35 minutes.
- Grill Method: If you have an outdoor grill, roast the eggplant on the grill over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.
Next, drain the liquid from the cooked eggplant. To do this, first cut the eggplants in half. Then, scoop the insides out with a spoon and gather them in a strainer. Add 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit in the strainer for about 10-15 minutes.
Chop and mix everything.
- Traditional Method: Chop the eggplant, dice the onion, and add them to a bowl. To the bowl with the eggplant, add the mustard, lemon juice, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. This will give you a more traditional eggplant salad/dip, as shown below.
- Modern Method: Add the eggplant, roughly chopped onion, mustard, lemon juice, oil, and 1/2 tsp salt to a food processor. Then, blend until you get the desired consistency. Your salad should instead look like the one below. We prefer this method as you get a much smoother, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
You Might Also Like to Read
- Moussaka (Eggplant “Lasagna”) Recipe
- Easy Oven-Roasted Eggplant Salad Spread with Peppers & Tomatoes
- Romanian Foods You Need to Try
Contributor: Efimia is a Moldovan-Romanian teacher and passionate home cook, well-versed in Eastern European cuisine, who has been feeding loved ones with her honest and delicious home cooking for the best part of 40 years and counting.