Zaalouk
Smoky cooked salad of aubergine and tomato. ยท Morocco
Smoky cooked salad of aubergine and tomato.
About Zaalouk
Aubergine and tomato are cooked down with garlic, cumin and paprika into a soft, smoky, spiced dip finished with olive oil and coriander. It is a staple of the Moroccan mezze table.
๐๏ธ History & Culture
Zaalouk is a classic Moroccan cooked salad, traditionally made from aubergine and tomato, seasoned with garlic, cumin, and paprika. Its precise origins are not well documented, but it is deeply rooted in the everyday home cooking of Morocco, where it is served as a side dish or part of a larger mezze spread.
Regional variations exist across Morocco, with some versions adding green peppers, chili, or preserved lemon, while others adjust the texture from chunky to smooth. Culturally, zaalouk is valued for its simplicity and seasonal ingredients, often appearing at family meals and festive gatherings as a humble yet essential accompaniment to bread and tagines.
๐ณ How to make Zaalouk
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedZaalouk (Moroccan Aubergine and Tomato Dip)
A smoky Moroccan mezze classic of aubergine and tomato slow-cooked with garlic, cumin and paprika until silky, finished with olive oil and fresh coriander. Served warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Serves
- 4-6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Recipe ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) aubergines (eggplants), about 2 medium, globe variety is traditional
- 400 g (14 oz) ripe tomatoes, fresh, grated; or 1 x 400 g can of chopped tomatoes
- 60 ml (ยผ cup) olive oil, plus extra to finish, Moroccan olive oil preferred
- 4 g (4 cloves) garlic, finely grated
- 5 g (2 tsp) sweet paprika, not smoked (Spanish pimentรณn is not traditional here)
- 3 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 2 g (1 tsp) ground coriander, or 1 small pinch of saffron threads steeped in 1 tbsp hot water
- 1 g (ยฝ tsp) salt, or to taste
- 0.5 g (ยผ tsp) cayenne or harissa paste, optional, for heat
- 10 g (ยฝ cup loosely packed) fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 5 g (1 tbsp) preserved lemon, rind only, finely chopped; optional but traditional
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice, fresh
Steps
- 1 Prepare the aubergines: peel in zebra stripes (alternating strips of skin removed and left on), then dice into roughly 2 cm / ยพ inch cubes. The traditional peel-and-char method: if you have a gas burner or grill, char whole aubergines directly over the flame until blackened and collapsed (8-12 minutes), then scrape off the skin and chop the flesh โ this gives the authentic smoky depth. The diced-and-cooked method below is the easier home-stove version.
- 2 Place the diced aubergine in a heavy skillet or tagine base, drizzle with 30 ml / 2 tbsp of the olive oil and ยฝ tsp salt, and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cubes are softened and lightly browned.
- 3 Add the grated garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the paprika, cumin and ground coriander (and cayenne if using). Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices โ do not let the garlic or spices burn.
- 4 Add the grated or chopped tomatoes, the preserved lemon (if using) and the remaining 30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
- 5 Cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring every few minutes and mashing with the back of a spoon, until the mixture is very soft, thick, and the oil begins to separate at the edges. The aubergine should break down into a coarse purรฉe with some texture remaining.
- 6 Stir in the chopped fresh coriander and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt.
- 7 Spoon onto a shallow plate, make a well in the centre and pool a generous glug of olive oil in it (this is the traditional Moroccan finish). Scatter a little extra coriander over the top.
- 8 Serve warm or at room temperature with khobz (Moroccan flatbread) or crusty bread for dipping.
Report an issue with this recipe
Recipes from travellers
No one has shared their own Zaalouk recipe yet. Yours would be the first.
Share how you make Zaalouk
You'll need to be signed in with Google or Facebook so your name can appear on it. Recipes go through an automatic food-safety check before they publish.
Sign in to share your recipe
Zaalouk โ frequently asked questions
What is Zaalouk?
Aubergine and tomato are cooked down with garlic, cumin and paprika into a soft, smoky, spiced dip finished with olive oil and coriander. It is a staple of the Moroccan mezze table.
What is Zaalouk made of?
Zaalouk is made with aubergine, tomato, garlic, cumin and paprika.
Where does Zaalouk come from?
Zaalouk comes from Morocco, and is especially associated with Nationwide. Zaalouk is a classic Moroccan cooked salad, traditionally made from aubergine and tomato, seasoned with garlic, cumin, and paprika.
Where can I eat Zaalouk?
A Moroccan table, scooped up with crusty khobz bread.
How do you make Zaalouk?
Making Zaalouk at home takes about 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4-6 and is rated easy. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.
Taste Zaalouk in Marrakech
Independent picks. We earn a small commission if you book through these โ at no extra cost to you. How this works.
โ Before you go to Morocco
Round out your trip โ most travellers book these alongside their trip.
More dishes like Zaalouk
Mechoui
Whole lamb slow-roasted until falling off the bone.
Tagine
Morocco's aromatic slow-cooked stew, named for the conical clay pot it is braised in โ meat, dried fruit, olives and warm spices.
Pastilla
Sweet-savoury pie of spiced poultry in crisp filo, dusted with sugar.
Couscous
Steamed semolina grains piled with vegetables and meat.
Baghrir
Spongy semolina pancake covered in tiny holes.
Rfissa
Chicken and lentils over shredded msemen in fenugreek broth.
Caponata
Sweet-and-sour aubergine relish with capers and olives.
Causa
Chilled layered potato terrine with chicken or tuna.
Grits
Creamy ground-corn porridge, savoury and buttery.
Bubble and Squeak
Fried leftover potato and cabbage, crisp at the edges.
Horiatiki (Greek Salad)
Tomato, cucumber and a slab of feta under olive oil and oregano.
Bobotie
Spiced minced meat baked under a savoury egg custard.
Malva Pudding
Sticky apricot sponge soaked in hot cream sauce.
Mandazi
Lightly sweet East African fried bread, scented with coconut.
Dholl Puri
Split-pea flatbread wrapped around curry and chutney.
Bazin
Firm barley dough dome served with a spiced sauce.
- ๐ฒ๐ฆ Mechoui · Morocco
- ๐ฒ๐ฆ Tagine · Morocco
- ๐ฒ๐ฆ Pastilla · Morocco
- ๐ฒ๐ฆ Couscous · Morocco
- ๐ฒ๐ฆ Baghrir · Morocco
- ๐ฒ๐ฆ Rfissa · Morocco
- ๐ฎ๐น Caponata · Italy
- ๐ต๐ช Causa · Peru
- ๐บ๐ธ Grits · United States
- ๐ฌ๐ง Bubble and Squeak · United Kingdom
- ๐ฌ๐ท Horiatiki (Greek Salad) · Greece
- ๐ฟ๐ฆ Bobotie · South Africa
- ๐ฟ๐ฆ Malva Pudding · South Africa
- ๐น๐ฟ Mandazi · Tanzania
- ๐ฒ๐บ Dholl Puri · Mauritius
- ๐ฑ๐พ Bazin · Libya
Travel guides for Morocco
All travel guides →Planning a trip where Zaalouk is on the menu? These guides cover Morocco and beyond.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience with Zaalouk.
Write a review
Sign in to verify you're a real person, then share your thoughts on Zaalouk.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to say something about Zaalouk.