North African · snack, side
Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant and Tomato Dip)
Video by cookingwithalia on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (4.8 g net carbs) but not keto: 51% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Mostly eggplant and tomato, cooked down with spices, herbs and a little olive oil: vegan, about 65 kcal and 3.5 g of fibre a serve, and rich in vitamin K from the fresh parsley and coriander.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 11
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Peel the eggplant fully, partly (in stripes) or not at all, as you like, and cut it into cubes. 1:03
- Simmer the eggplant in salted water over medium heat for 30 minutes. Drain well and press it with a spoon to squeeze out the excess water. 1:42
- Drizzle the olive oil into a pan and add the tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, parsley and coriander. Stir to combine. 2:04
- Cook over medium heat for 20–30 minutes, crushing the eggplant and tomatoes with the spoon as they soften, until thick and mostly smooth. 2:35
- Stir in the vinegar. Serve warm or cold; in Morocco it is scooped up with bread. 3:05
Tip. The cook doesn't give a serving number; we count 6 serves of about ½ cup (our estimate). In Morocco it's scooped up with bread; raw vegetables keep it gluten-free. Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One portion (about ½ cup) gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 32%
- Protein 11%
- Fat 57%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High45%
54 µg a serve, mostly from parsley (76%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin C Source18%
16 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (66%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Show the other 13
Potassium8%
390 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (46%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin E8%
1.3 mg a serve, mostly from olive oil (38%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Folate8%
32 µg a serve, mostly from eggplant (51%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin B68%
0.1 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (42%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin A6%
54 µg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (59%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Iron5%
0.9 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (26%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium5%
23 mg a serve, mostly from eggplant (47%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Zinc3%
0.4 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (40%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Calcium2%
24 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (31%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Omega-32%
0 g a serve, mostly from olive oil (90%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Selenium1%
0.4 µg a serve, mostly from eggplant (58%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by cookingwithalia; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.