Happy Friday! I'm hot (temperature wise) and half asleep during this heat wave and my dog is whining for his 5th treat of the day (he's the whiniest), so I'm going to cut straight to the recipe.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Roasted Eggplant Pomegranate Feta Salad with Smoked Paprika Dressing!

How do you make this roasted eggplant salad recipe?

Peel and chop the eggplant into one-inch chunks. Full ingredients and amounts down in the recipe card below.

Toss eggplant with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then spread the pieces into a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast the eggplant at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes, flipping once.

Prepare the other ingredients, including making the extremely easy smoked paprika yogurt dressing. After the eggplant is ready, put everything together.

What's in this easy-to-make side dish?

The main ingredient in this salad is eggplant (aka aubergine). Did you know that eggplants are technically fruit? Did you also know that they are many varieties of eggplant?

Eggplants come in varying sizes and shapes. They can be plump and long, small and round, or large and pear-shaped and are available in an assortment of colours too such as purple, white, and green. They have a firm, almost meaty texture and a unique flavour.

This recipe uses the popular Italian eggplant. It's has a smooth, glossy, deep purple skin and ivory white insides with tiny edible seeds and a medium-sized oblong shaped body.

Check out my recipe for Vegetarian Pad See Ew, which uses Chinese eggplant if you like.

How to pick an eggplant? Pick one that feels heavy for its weight and is smooth, shiny, firm, and free of blemishes and wrinkles. The stem and cap (called the calyx) of the eggplant should be bright-green; avoid ones that are dry and brown.

Roasting eggplant that's been cut into cubes and seasoned with olive, salt, and pepper helps bring out its squash-like sweetness and allows the eggplant to get deliciously tender and lightly charred.

Once the eggplant is ready, sweet, savoury, colourful and texture-rich ingredients are added to enhance this salad.

Crumbled feta cheese gives this dish a wonderful salty, tangy flavour and creamy texture. Red pomegranate arils are small, juicy, crunchy, and tart in taste. Slivered almonds give it a nutty crunch. Fresh green flat-leaf (or Italian) parsley has bright, mildly bitter notes and delicate leaves.

Last, but not least, a simple and delicious creamy yogurt dressing tops this satisfying salad.

A mixture of Greek yogurt, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and little more salt and pepper is all that makes up this easy dressing that can also be used as a dip. It is an awesome combination of tangy, tart, smoky, and salty flavours.

Here are some tips for making this eggplant salad.

• I chose to peel the eggplant using a vegetable peel. The skin is entirely edible, but can be tough to eat even after it is roasted, especially if the eggplant is on the larger side.
• Slice and chop the eggplant into similar shapes and sizes so they roast evenly.
• Prepare the other ingredients while the eggplant roasts, which can include measuring, chopping, and mixing together the dressing.

In all, this roasted eggplant salad is:

• Full of delectable tastes and textures
• Colourful and pretty
• Quick and easy to prepare
• Lovely to serve as a side dish for four or as a light meal for two
• A wonderful vegetarian and gluten-free option

I hope you try this recipe! If you do, please leave me a rating and comment down below or tag me on any of my social media. I'm @yay_for_food on Instagram. I'll love a picture!