This salad is an ode to summer and can be riffed with whatever summer produce you can get your hands on. Warm chewy farro, luscious grilled eggplant, juicy sweet tomatoes, fresh green herbs, and salty olives get tossed in a simple dressing that I absolutely loved paired with the eggplant. Top with plenty of cheese and nuts!
Ingredient highlight
Eggplant! These summer veggies belong to the nightshade family and have a spongy texture and pleasantly bitter taste. Both the skin and the flesh contain potent antioxidants to help the body fight off free radicals and inflammation. The compound found in the flesh of the eggplant is why it turns brown so easily once sliced open.
Eggplants can be tricky to cook all the way through without drying out. Don’t slice them too thin and after they are cooked/browned, let them steam in a covered bowl to get nice and tender.
Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants (about 1.5 lbs), cut into ½-inch thick rounds*
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 2 1/2 cups cooked farro (from 1 cup dry)**
- 2 cups loosely packed herbs (parsley, basil, mint, and/or cilantro)
- 2 cups chopped summer tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pitted and chopped green or kalamata olives
- 1 cup 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Toasted nuts, chopped (almonds or walnuts)
- *Easily substitute or add any of your favorite summer veggies to grill (bell pepper, zucchini, corn, etc…). If you don’t like eggplant skin (can be bitter), peel some of it off in strips, but leave some strips on to keep the eggplant intact.
- **Some farro takes a lot longer to cook than others, so use your judgment. Bob’s Red Mill farro is the best and always cooks perfectly in 20-25 minutes.
- Don’t want to grill? ~ Leave out the eggplant and substitute with 2 cups of chopped jarred roasted bell peppers or artichoke hearts. You could also cube the eggplant, toss in the oil and salt, and bake in a 450F degree oven for about 20 minutes (use the same method of covering them to create steam after cooking).
Instructions
- Preheat your grill on high for at least 10 minutes.
- Place eggplant slabs on a baking sheet. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt evenly all over the eggplant rounds, then flip and sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle evenly with ¼ cup of olive oil, drizzling half on one side then flip and repeat with remaining olive oil. Spread all around with your fingers and toss them to coat in any oil remaining on the pan.
- Place eggplant on the grill and cook, covered, for 4 minutes, or until you get nice grill marks. Flip and repeat for 3-5 more minutes, reducing the heat down to medium.
- Transfer eggplant to your cutting board or baking sheet and immediately cover with an upside down bowl or another baking sheet to make it airtight so it can steam for about 10 minutes (this is a trick to help the eggplant get nice and luscious). Stack the rounds on top of each other in two piles and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, lemon, tahini, soy sauce, and garlic. Add the farro, herbs, tomatoes, olives, and eggplant and toss to coat. Serve topped with cheese and nuts.
How to cook farro:
- In a medium pot, add the farro and enough water to cover by 2-inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer rapidly for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Slice 2 medium eggplants into ½-inch thick rounds
- Prep and grill the eggplant
- Whisk together the dressing in a large bowl
- Cook 1 cup farro
- Prep 2 cups loosely packed herbs (parsley, basil, mint, and/or cilantro)
- Chop 2 cups summer tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
- Pit and chop ½ cup green or kalamata olives
- Toast and chop nuts, for topping
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, use cooked short grain brown rice or quinoa in place of farro.
- To make vegan, skip the cheese.
- Easily skip the tomatoes and add more veggies.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- I like this salad at room temp or just warm, so pop it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to take the chill off. It can also be eaten right out of the fridge!
- Toss in some arugula or other greens with leftovers for a leafier salad – just drizzle some extra oil, lemon, and salt when you toss it together.
- Top or serve with any grilled protein.
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