Grill/Barbecue

Grilled Eggplant & Peach Caprese Salad

by:
June 25, 2018
5
6 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This caprese salad ditches the tomatoes, calls in grilled eggplant and peaches, and upgrades to burrata. It’s charred and juicy, savory and sweet, warm and cool, creamy and snappy. It’s a salad interesting and satisfying enough to call dinner one night, and then repeat the next. —EmilyC

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Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (whole-milk recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons miso (white, yellow, or red)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing the grill grates
  • Flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds eggplant (any variety), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds or slices
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1 pound firm-ripe peaches (about 2 or 3), pitted and sliced
  • 8 ounces burrata or good quality, fresh mozzarella
  • A big handful of basil (small leaves left whole, or large leaves roughly torn)
  • A small handful of toasted slivered almonds (optional)
  • Good extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
Directions
  1. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, miso, and olive oil until smooth. Taste for seasoning; add a pinch or two of salt, if needed. Rub all over the eggplant, cut sides and skin, until evenly and fully coated.
  2. Heat the grill to medium-high and brush your grates clean, then brush with olive oil. (Eggplant has a tendency to stick, so don’t skip this step.)
  3. Arrange the eggplant in a single, even layer, either directly over the grates or on a perforated grill tray (brushed with a little oil). Grill the eggplant on the first side until nicely charred (lift up a piece or two to check), then flip and continue grilling until nicely charred and tender. (Back down the heat if the eggplant is browning too fast.) To test if it’s fully cooked, stick a knife or fork into the thickest piece; there should be no resistance. Off the grill, taste a small piece for seasoning and balance. Season with flaky sea salt, coarsely ground black pepper, and lime juice, to taste.
  4. Arrange the eggplant and peaches on a large serving platter, then add big, torn pieces of burrata. (I like to scatter them across a big platter, but you can plate this caprese any way you wish.) Top with basil and almonds (if using) and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Add a little more flaky sea salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

3 Reviews

Melissa Y. June 27, 2023
Miso and yogurt is a genius spread for eggplant! The burrata and peaches made a nice contrast with the eggplant flavor bomb and added that sweet touch of summer to the dish. We also marinated chicken in the extra yogurt/miso mix for about an hour before grilling it and rounded out the easy weeknight meal!
FrugalCat August 4, 2018
Wait. you don't grill the peaches too? I definitely grilled the peaches. Used parsley instead of basil and pine nuts instead of almonds. I bet this would be good in autumn with apples instead of peaches.
EmilyC August 4, 2018
Ha, yes, absolutely grill the peaches! I personally like the difference in texture between grilled eggplant and fresh, juicy peaches, but salads like this one have no rules! ; ) Thanks for trying it!