Grilled Eggplant and Manchego Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-29 · Updated 2026-04-29

Smoky grilled eggplant paired with nutty Manchego cheese and a zesty sherry vinaigrette creates a refreshing Spanish-inspired salad. This Spanish recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 25 minutes, pairs medium eggplant, olive oil, and salt for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 100 g Manchego cheese, shaved
• 4 cups baby arugula
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush 1/2 of the 4 tbsp olive oil evenly on 1 sliced medium eggplant and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
2. Step 2: Grill the eggplant slices for 4 minutes per side until tender and marked with grill lines, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, and 1 minced garlic clove until emulsified.
4. Step 4: On a serving platter, arrange 4 cups baby arugula and top with the grilled eggplant rounds.
5. Step 5: Scatter 100 g shaved Manchego cheese over the salad and drizzle the sherry vinaigrette evenly on top before serving.