This spicy, grilled zucchini and eggplant salad is amazing and goes well with grilled chicken or seafood. The vegetables are seasoned with a Thai-style vinaigrette, topped with crunchy, chopped peanuts. It’s an explosion of flavors!
Are your taste buds looking for new flavors? Summer heat got you not wanting to cook? These are questions I ask myself from time to time. I decided to play around with some Thai flavors and came up with this easy to prepare, and delicious salad.
I highly suggest adding a touch of cilantro to this. My husband loathes cilantro, and I can't put it in anything. The cilantro will give this salad an extra pop of flavor.
Consider grilling the veggies in the early part of the day if it's too hot to stand outside by your grill. You can refrigerate the zucchini and eggplant until ready to use. The vinaigrette can be made ahead as well. When it's dinner time you can quickly put this salad together!
Thai-Style Grilled Zucchini & Eggplant
Serves 4
2 medium- sized zucchini
1 small eggplant
Peanut oil, or canola oil for brushing on veggies
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 spring onions, sliced thinly, white & part of green
Chopped peanuts
Chopped cilantro, about a tablespoon
4 basil leaves, sliced thinly
For vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
2 teaspoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons coconut aminos
2 pinches Kosher salt
Lime for garnish
Slice zucchini and eggplant into spears. Brush with oil and season with Kosher salt, and pepper. Grill vegetables until grill marks appear. Slightly charred is ok. Allow to cool slightly, and chop into chunks.
For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk all the ingredients together.
Place vegetables in a medium-sized serving bowl. Add green onions and basil. Toss with dressing. Garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.