A perfectly light meatless dinner for a summer evening – succulent grilled eggplant and vegetable salad with croutons and freshly made ranch dressing. We added our favorites – cubed pickled yellow beets, cherry tomatoes, microgreens and watercress, but you can select your own ingredients to customize your salad to taste.

 

INGREDIENTS
Grilled Eggplant & Bread Croutons
2 small eggplants, slice into ¼” rings
4 slices of country bread
Olive oil
Kosher salt

 

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
½  cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Thinly sliced green onion tops

 

Salad Ingredients
Use these or choose your favorites!
10-12 Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
¼ cup yellow pickled beets, cubed
3 cups watercress or your favorite salad greens
Microgreens, optional

 

INSTRUCTIONS
Grilled Eggplant & Bread Croutons
Heat a grill to high. Brush the eggplant slices and each side of the bread with olive oil. Light salt both. Place the eggplant on the grill and cook until well marked and the eggplant is cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side. Place the bread on the grill and cook until well-marked. Cool the bread and cube it into crouton sizes. 

 

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
In a medium bowl, whisk in mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice until a smooth dressing forms. Season with fresh ground pepper and salt to taste. Add to a bowl and top with more fresh ground pepper and green onions.

 

Assembly
Place the dressing in a bowl on a large platter. Arrange the greens and top with the eggplant, croutons, and vegetables.  Makes 4 servings