You may be aware of many other Arabic aubergine salads, but you might not have come across this hidden gem. This Lebanese Aubergine salad is known as ‘Rahib’ salad or ‘Salateet Batenjal’. My husband and I both just love aubergine, so I will never get bored of learning new ways to incorporate it into our diet.
This delicious Lebanese eggplant salad is a popular feature in many restaurant Mezas. It is versatile in its serving temperature because it can be enjoyed hot or cold, making it a flexible and accessible dish for any occasion during winter or summer.
Pomegranate Molasses, although optional, adds a delightful finishing touch. Often used in Middle Eastern restaurants, this ingredient adds a unique zing to the dish. Made from fresh pomegranate juice reduced to a thick, dark syrup, it offers a sticky and sour flavour profile that complements the salad perfectly.
Nutritionally, this salad is a powerhouse. It is healthy and caters to various dietary preferences: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and low in carbs. With its low-calorie content, it is an ideal choice for those adhering to a strict diet regimen.
Ingredients needed for Lebanese Aubergine Salad
- 1-2 medium eggplants
- 2-3 medium fresh tomatoes diced small
- 1 small chopped red onion or half a large one
- 1 Asian cucumber or 1 cup pickled gherkins, finely chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves crushed or grated
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley, sometimes I use a bit of both
- 1 lemon juiced
- 4-6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp red chilli flakes or ground black pepper
- Pomegranate Molasses for drizzling over
- Chopped Roasted Red Pepper for garnish (optional)
How to Make Lebanese Aubergine Salad
- Start by washing the aubergines and then oven-bake (whole) for about 45 minutes.
- While the aubergine is baking you can start preparing the rest of your ingredients, wash, peel and finely chop or grate the onion, cucumber and tomatoes, grate the garlic and add the remaining ingredients into a bowl and give it a good mix.
- Check on the aubergine, when you see the juice starting to come out, it’s done. Take care to make sure the skin is almost charred and that it is soft when you poke it with a knife.
- When cooled, cut the aubergines in half and remove the skin.
- Dice the aubergine into small cubes and then add it to your prepared mix. (you can pre-cook it beforehand but smother it in some lemon juice so that it doesn’t darken).
- When you have added all of the ingredients and mixed it well, you can either serve it as it is or you can mash it slightly like I did, this way you can use it as a spread too.
- Drizzle over some olive oil or pomegranate molasses just before serving and garnish with some more fresh herbs.
- Enjoy with fresh flatbreads.
If you like this recipe, you may also like our Baba Ganoush Recipe or Moroccan Aubergine Salad.

Lebanese Style Eggplant Salad
Ingredients
- 1-2 medium eggplants
- 2-3 medium fresh tomatoes diced small
- 1 small chopped red onion or green, spring onion
- 1 Asian cucumber or 1 cup of pickled gherkins
- 1-2 garlic cloves crushed or grated
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley sometimes I use a bit of both
- 1 lemon juiced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp red chilli flakes or ground black pepper
- Pomegranate Molasses for drizzling over
Instructions
- Start by washing the aubergines and then oven-bake (whole) for about 45 minutes.
- While the aubergine is baking you can start preparing the rest of your ingredients, chop the herbs, wash, peel and finely chop or grate the onion, cucumber and tomatoes, grate the garlic and add the remaining ingredients into a bowl and give it a good mix.
- Check on the aubergine, when you see the juice starting to come out, it’s done. Take care to make sure the skin is almost charred and that it is soft when you poke it with a knife.
- When cooled, slice off the tops, cut the aubergines in half, remove the skin and drain if needed.
- Dice the aubergine into small cubes and then add it to your prepared mix. (you can pre-cook it beforehand but smother it in some lemon juice so that it doesn’t darken).
- When you have added all of the ingredients and mixed it well, you can either serve it as it is or you can mash it slightly like I did, this way you can use it as a spread too.
- Drizzle with some olive oil or pomegranate molasses just before serving and garnish with some more fresh herbs.
- Serve with some warm flatbread