Grilled Eggplant Souvlaki with Zesty Yogurt Sauce
In our vegetarian twist on a Greek favorite, eggplant and cherry tomatoes are marinated then grilled to perfection.
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Ingredients
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
- 4 tsp olive oil
- Pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 16 cherry tomatoes
- 1 large Japanese eggplant, trimmed and cut into 20 1/2-inch-wide half-moon pieces
- 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1 large yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup black olives (pitted, optional)
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- High-heat cooking oil (such as sunflower, safflower or grape seed oil), as needed
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 2 6-inch whole-grain pitas
- 2 cups lightly packed trimmed baby spinach leaves
Yogurt sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
Equipment
- 4 metal or wooden skewers (soaked if using wooden)
Preparation
- In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, 1/4 cup lemon juice, garlic, oregano, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Transfer half of dressing to a second large bowl.
- Add tomatoes and eggplant to first large bowl, tossing to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare salad: To second large bowl, add cucumber, bell pepper, olives and onion; toss well with dressing and set aside.
- Prepare yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, combine all yogurt sauce ingredients. If necessary, add additional water 1 tbsp at a time until sauce reaches a pourable consistency.
- Heat grill to medium-high and lightly oil grate with cooking oil. Onto each skewer, thread tomatoes and eggplant, dividing ingredients evenly among skewers. Mist skewers with cooking spray. Add skewers to grill; close lid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice, until tender.
- Just before skewers are finished, mist pitas with cooking spray; grill, turning once, until lightly toasted and warm, about 1 minute. Cut into quarters and divide among plates. Add spinach to salad and toss. Serve with souvlaki, yogurt sauce and pita.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 skewer of eggplant souvlaki, 1 1/2 cups salad, 1/2 pita
- Calories 241
- Carbohydrate Content 38 g
- Cholesterol Content 1 mg
- Fat Content 8 g
- Fiber Content 9 g
- Protein Content 8 g
- Saturated Fat Content 1 g
- Sodium Content 369 mg
- Sugar Content 11 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g