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My Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Dip bursts with flavor from roasting the vegetables to bring out their natural sweetness. Inspired by baba ghanoush but without tahini. Vegetarian and vegan, it features delicious spices, along with roasted tomatoes, onion, and garlic. This dip takes eggplant (or aubergine) to a whole new level.

A white bowl filled with eggplant dip with cherry tomatoes

Table of contents

How to roast eggplant/aubergine

Roast eggplant to add tons of flavor to this otherwise bland vegetable. Serve it best with toasted pita chips—cut pitas into triangles, brush them with oil, and bake for 10–15 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

There’s a little preparation involved when cooking with eggplant. The recipe starts with sliced eggplant. The slices are sprinkled with salt and allowed to sit for about 15 minutes.

This process does two things: it draws out extra moisture for better browning when roasting, and it removes any bitterness from the eggplant. I also like to leave the skin on so the dip shows flecks of purple when processed. You can peel the eggplant if you prefer—it’s a personal choice.

Roasted eggplant slices, onions, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes

Spice blend

Sprinkle the eggplant slices, quartered onions, and garlic cloves with a delicious spice blend, then roast them in a hot oven. I add the tomatoes during the last 10 minutes of cooking to avoid mushiness—we just want them to burst and soften.

A jar filled with eggplant dip served with pita chips

Once the veggies are done roasting, allow them to cool for a few minutes so you can handle them, then into the food processor (or blender) they go. I pulse until they are slightly smooth but still have a little texture.

More Eggplant Recipes:

If you’ve made my Roasted Eggplant Dip please leave a star rating in the recipe. You can also leave a comment or ask a question below.

Yield: 4

Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Dip

Roasted eggplant dip in a white bowl garnished with fresh parsley

Eggplant is roasted with onion, garlic, tomatoes and spices.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pounds (471 grams) eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon mild chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 8 ounces (225 grams) yellow onion, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • Olive oil
  • 8 ounces (239 grams) cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
  2. Spread the eggplant slices onto a large baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and leave for 15 minutes to draw out excess liquid. Pat the slices dry.
  3. To a small bowl combine the 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, chili powder, coriander and cumin. Set aside.
  4. Dry the eggplant. Add the onions and garlic to the baking sheet with the eggplant in an even layer. Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the vegetables, reserving a small sprinkle for later when you add the tomatoes. Mix well using your hands. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
  5. Drizzle the tomatoes with oil and remaining spice mix and add to the eggplant on the baking sheet.. Continue to roast for 10 minutes longer, just until the tomatoes soften. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
  6. Add all the vegetables to a food processor or blender and pulse until almost smooth but still slightly chunky.
  7. Serve with baked pita chips, crackers or toasted bread.

Notes

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 167Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 1093mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 9gSugar 15gProtein 5g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: American / Category: Appetizers