Moroccan Zaalouk with Aubergine and Tomato
Zaalouk is a cooked Moroccan salad of aubergine, tomato, garlic and cumin. Its texture is everything: it must cook until all the water has evaporated and it becomes a concentrated paste eaten with bread — a runny zaalouk simply needs longer on the heat.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Calories
- 160
Zaalouk is a fixture among the Moroccan salads served before a tagine. It is eaten cold or at room temperature, and it is better on the second day once the flavours settle — which makes it ideal to prepare ahead.
Method
-
1
Roast the aubergine
Roast the aubergines at 220°C for thirty-five minutes until completely soft and collapsed, or over a direct flame if you want a smoky note.
⏱ 38 min -
2
Drain the flesh
Split the aubergines and scoop out the flesh, then leave it in a sieve for ten minutes to drain. That water is what makes zaalouk runny.
⏱ 12 min -
3
Build the tomato base
Heat the olive oil, add the garlic for a minute, then the grated tomato, all the spices and salt, and cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes.
⏱ 17 min -
4
Add the aubergine
Add the aubergine flesh and crush it into the tomato with the back of a spoon, stirring until they are fully combined.
⏱ 5 min -
5
Cook off the water
Cook over medium heat for twenty minutes, stirring, until all the water has gone and the oil starts separating at the edges. That is the doneness cue.
⏱ 20 min -
6
Finish
Take it off the heat and stir in the coriander, parsley and lemon juice. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.
⏱ 6 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Oil separating at the edges is the marker that zaalouk is finished — before that there is still water in it.
- Draining the aubergine for ten minutes saves you ten minutes of extra cooking.
- It is eaten cold or at room temperature, not hot — the flavour reads more clearly.
- It is better on the second day and keeps four days in the fridge.
People also ask
Why is my zaalouk runny?
It has not cooked enough. Wait until the oil separates at the sides of the pan — that is the only reliable sign.
Can I fry the aubergine instead of roasting?
You can, but it will soak up a lot of oil and the flavour will be richer and less deep. Roasting brings out a natural sweetness.
How is it different from taktouka?
Zaalouk is built on aubergine; taktouka is built on roasted peppers and tomato. Both are served as Moroccan salads.
What is it eaten with?
Moroccan bread, or any bread. It is served as a starter before the tagine alongside other cold salads.
Cook mode
Moroccan Zaalouk with Aubergine and Tomato
-
1
Roast the aubergine
Roast the aubergines at 220°C for thirty-five minutes until completely soft and collapsed, or over a direct flame if you want a smoky note.
-
2
Drain the flesh
Split the aubergines and scoop out the flesh, then leave it in a sieve for ten minutes to drain. That water is what makes zaalouk runny.
-
3
Build the tomato base
Heat the olive oil, add the garlic for a minute, then the grated tomato, all the spices and salt, and cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes.
-
4
Add the aubergine
Add the aubergine flesh and crush it into the tomato with the back of a spoon, stirring until they are fully combined.
-
5
Cook off the water
Cook over medium heat for twenty minutes, stirring, until all the water has gone and the oil starts separating at the edges. That is the doneness cue.
-
6
Finish
Take it off the heat and stir in the coriander, parsley and lemon juice. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.
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