Hearty Lentil Salad with Roasted Eggplant and Burrata

A hearty lentil salad packed with roasted eggplant, baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and creamy burrata. It’s satisfying, Mediterranean-inspired and comes together in about 10 minutes—perfect for family meals or a quick lunch.

Because a lentil salad simply shines with burrata….

What Is Burrata Cheese?

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese with an outer shell of mozzarella and a soft, creamy interior called stracciatella. When you cut into it the rich, silky center pours out—delicious on its own or paired with salads, grilled vegetables, bread or pasta. In this salad it adds a luxurious creaminess that complements the earthy lentils and roasted eggplant.

Ingredients Overview

• Pre-cooked puy lentils (canned) — convenient and ready to use
• Eggplant (aubergine) — roasted or pan-fried until tender
• Sun-dried tomatoes — for concentrated sweet-tart flavor
• Olives — briny depth
• Baby spinach — fresh greens for texture and color
• Dried oregano and fennel seeds — aromatic seasoning
• Burrata cheese — rich and creamy finish

How To Make Loaded Lentil Salad With Eggplant And Burrata — Step By Step

Start by cutting the eggplant into medium-sized cubes. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the eggplant for roughly 3 minutes, until it begins to soften and pick up some color.

Add the finely chopped red onion and garlic to the pan, adding a splash more oil if needed. Continue cooking until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Drain and rinse the canned lentils, then place them in a large mixing bowl. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips and quarter the olives, then add both to the lentils.

Toss in the baby spinach along with dried oregano, fennel seeds, lemon juice and the cooled eggplant mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly so the flavors combine evenly.

Arrange the salad on a serving plate and place the burrata on top. Finish the burrata with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional), a few fennel seeds and a pinch of oregano, plus a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve with toasted ciabatta or crusty bread.

Ways To Adapt This Lentil Salad

• Add cooked chicken for extra protein
• Swap eggplant for sautéed zucchini rounds
• Stir in fresh herbs such as basil, parsley or mint
• Replace burrata with goat cheese or feta for a tangy alternative
• Add marinated artichoke hearts
• Use arugula (rocket) or another leafy green instead of spinach
• Drizzle with basil pesto for a herbaceous finish

This salad is one of my current favorites: full of Mediterranean flavors, satisfying and quick to prepare. If you enjoy burrata, try it with this combination and let me know how you like to use it.

More Easy Salad Ideas

• Fennel and courgette salad with smoked scamorza and chilli
• Winter salad with spinach, apple, gorgonzola and candied walnuts
• Summer bean salad
• Watermelon and basil salad with mint and goat’s cheese
• Zucchini ribbon salad

If you make this loaded lentil salad or try another recipe from the site, please leave a rating or comment to share how it turned out. I love hearing from readers and cooks trying these dishes.

Step By Step Photos Above

Most recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to help you get great results.

Loaded Lentil Salad With Eggplant And Burrata

By Emily

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 10 mins

Servings: 4 people

A loaded lentil salad with eggplant, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and burrata—ready in about 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 3 cups lentils, pre-cooked or canned (800g)
• 1 eggplant (aubergine)
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (80g)
• 1/2 cup olives (70g)
• 1 large handful fresh baby spinach (around 2 cups)
• 1 ball burrata cheese (200g / 7oz)
• 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3–4 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the eggplant into medium cubes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the eggplant for about 3 minutes until it starts to soften.
2. Add the chopped onion and garlic, adding a splash more oil if needed. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Set aside to cool.
3. Drain and rinse the lentils and place them in a mixing bowl. Slice sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips and quarter the olives; add them to the bowl.
4. Add the baby spinach, oregano, fennel seeds, lemon juice and the cooled eggplant mixture. Season with salt and pepper and toss until combined.
5. Transfer to a serving plate and top with the burrata. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and optional red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and extra oregano. Serve with toasted ciabatta.

Notes

*Weight of lentils is undrained weight when canned.

Variations

• Add cooked chicken
• Use sautéed zucchini instead of eggplant
• Stir in fresh basil, parsley or mint
• Replace burrata with goat cheese or feta
• Add marinated artichokes
• Use arugula (rocket) instead of spinach
• Finish with a drizzle of basil pesto

Helpful Info for All Recipes

• I use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
• Vegetable sizes are medium unless noted.
• All recipes are tested using a convection (fan) oven where applicable.
• Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Calories: 425 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 38 g |
Protein: 22 g |
Fat: 25 g |
Saturated Fat: 8 g |
Cholesterol: 35 mg |
Sodium: 536 mg |
Potassium: 1392 mg |
Fiber: 12 g |
Sugar: 13 g

Nutrition information is approximate.