This Roasted Eggplant Dip is truly a delicious way to enjoy eggplant! Easy to make, full of flavor, and delicious as a spread on a sandwich, with cut veggies, or scooped onto a pita, this healthy dip is going to make you an eggplant lover!
Eggplant is a very special vegetable. It is something you either love, or it is a veggie that you kinda avoid.
I am typically an eggplant avoider. However….let us talk about this Roasted Eggplant Dip.
As someone who openly admits that she isn’t an eggplant enthusiast, I’m here to tell you that this Roasted Eggplant Dip is LEGIT! I made it as a way to try and veggie-load myself with a seasonal veggie (it’s actually a berry, but that’s weird and we eat it like a veg, so let’s just call it a veg) that I don’t often get excited about eating. And mission accomplished! This Roasted Eggplant Dip was a delight to eat, is pure magic in the flavor department, and might be the best way to eat eggplant, in my book.
This Roasted Eggplant Dip is the perfect way to use up that eggplant your neighbor gifted you from their garden (it uses 3 pounds of veg) and to find a truly delicious veggie-loaded dip that you will enjoy! It’s inspired by the traditional Mediterranean eggplant dip, Baba Ghanoush, which is made by cooking whole eggplant and scooping out the inside to use in the dip. However, we peeled and diced the eggplant to speed up the cooking process AND give the eggplant this lovely, roasted flavor. It is super simple to make, is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy-free and just about everything in between. Make it as part of meal prep, store it in your fridge for up to 4 days, and enjoy it spread on sandwiches, as a dip for a veggie tray, or rip up some pita bread and scoop it directly into your mouth. Whatever floats your boat!
How to select an eggplant
If you are grabbing an eggplant from the garden, farmer’s market or grocery store, look for one that has firm skin and feels kinda heavy (or as heavy as an eggplant ever feels). The heftier the eggplant, the fresher it will be.
Skip any eggplants that have soft spots, rotting spots, discoloration, or wrinkling skin.
Serving suggestions:
This Roasted Eggplant Dip is great for a party or gathering served with vegetables like celery, cucumbers, and bell peppers as well as any pita chips, crackers, or fresh pita bread cut into triangles.
The dip is also great used as a spread on sandwiches or as a condiment on bowl-type meals such as grain bowls or salads.
What type of eggplant is best for this dip recipe?
Really any variety of eggplant will work. The most often “globe” eggplants, the large, round purple kind, are used in this type of recipe.
Suggested Adaptations
Like things with a little extra spice? Add a ¼ tsp of ground red pepper or some red pepper flakes to the dip.
Love the taste of eggplant? You might prefer to reduce the spices in this roasted eggplant dip so that the eggplant flavor can shine a bit more!
Switch up the spices. If you don’t have or enjoy cumin and coriander, you can leave them out or replace them with other ground spices like paprika.
Other veggie-loaded snacks and spread you will want to get your hands on…
- Carrot Fries (Oven or Air Fryer)
- 5-Minute Zucchini Avocado Dip
- Easy Avocado Spinach Pesto
- Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
- Sweet Potato Banana Oatmeal Bars
Loving this eggplant recipe and are hungry for more?
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Roasted Eggplant Dip
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 3 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice (2 medium/large eggplants)
- 3-4 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- For serving: Crunchy veggies, warm pita bread, pita chips, or crackers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Place the diced eggplant and garlic cloves in the center of a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, then sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and all the pepper. Toss with your hands to coat and spread out into an even layer.
- Roast the eggplant until it is golden brown and soft, about 40 minutes. For a roasted flavor, cook for closer to 45 minutes. Since every oven cooks a bit differently, keep an eye on your eggplant so that it doesn't burn!Once cooked, set the pan aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Peel the skin off the garlic cloves then place the garlic and roasted eggplant inside the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
- Add the tahini, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, parsley, cumin, and coriander to the food processor. Blend until everything is well combined and the parsley has been chopped into little bits.
- Taste the eggplant dip then add more salt and/or lemon juice as needed. Scoop the dip into a bowl then smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. As an optional garnish, drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top then sprinkle on some additional chopped fresh parsley. Serve the dip with your choice of dippers, such as crunchy veggies, warm pita bread, pita chips, and/or crackers.
- The dip can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
Eggplant Lover here, married to an avoider : ) Do you think the dip and the eggplant pasta bake could be combined? Because for my avoider it’s more the consistency than the flavor he has an issue with. Stir the pasta and tomato sauce together and then make lots of little nests for dollops of the dip before topping with the cheese. What do you think?
Oh interesting idea! I think it could be delicious! If you give it a go, please let me know how it turns out!
Prepared the combo diseh for dinner tonight. Came out really well! Avoider husband approved too!:) Find the dip really tasty on its own also of course, used 2/3 of it in the pasta bake, will enjoy the leftovers with some pita bread for lunch tomorrow.
Yay! So glad, Eva! I need to try it in the pasta bake. What a great idea!