Description
Bold roasted veggies – like earthy eggplant, savory garlic, and crunchy radishes – take center stage in this vibrant salad, combined with fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 small eggplant, unpeeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
- 1 small yellow summer squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 large red onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small bunch radishes, stemmed and halved (big ones quartered)
- 1 small head garlic, top trimmed to expose the cloves
- 1 small bunch baby carrots (preferably multi-colored), peeled and cut into bite-sized half-moons
- 3 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thickly sliced
- 1 small sweet potato, cut into bite-sized wedges
- 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon good-quality balsamic vinegar, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rough chopped fresh basil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rough chopped fresh parsley
- 1 small head butter lettuce, or other greens for serving (optional)
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Arrange eggplant on a plate lined with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt to remove excess water and any bitterness. Set aside for at least 30 minutes, then rub dry with paper towels to remove the excess moisture and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, red onion, radishes, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and sweet potato. Toss with 6 tablespoons oil, black pepper, and the remaining salt..
- Arrange the veggies in a single layer on several rimmed baking sheets. Roast for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden and tender.
- Adjust your oven rack to about 4 inches below the broiler, and turn the broiler on low heat.
- Keeping a close eye on the oven, broil the veggies until they’re caramelized and the edges begin to darken, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- The garlic cloves should be entirely golden, but if they seem underdone, return the oven to 425°F, wrap the entire head in foil, and put the head of garlic back in the oven for several more minutes, until the cloves are soft and lightly browned all over.
- Allow the veggies to come to room temperature, and then transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
- Pushing from the bottom of the roasted garlic head, squeeze out the cloves, and add them back to the bowl of veggies. Toss the roasted chilled veggies with the remaining tablespoon of oil, 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and the basil and parsley.
- Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve as is, or over fresh greens with shaved Parmesan. Garnish with the remaining balsamic.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Keywords: roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, eggplant, garlic