Easy Roasted Eggplant Dip – How to Love Cooking
Easy Roasted Eggplant Dip
(This post has been updated Nov. 2018.)
Eggplant has to be one of my favorite vegetables of all time. I’m pretty sure I remember the moment I fell in love with it too. I was at a friend’s party in college. My friend, the host, was from Spain and had prepared a few simple but incredibly delicious dishes to share – one of which was roasted eggplant, very thinly sliced with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Now, I’m fairly sure/I hope I didn’t do this, but I feel like I spent most of the evening parked in front of that plate devouring those eggplant slices one by one. I couldn’t believe how such a simple preparation yielded such a flavorful dish.
(For another one of my creamy dips, try this Spicy Corn and Chorizo Queso!)
How to make Eggplant Dip:
Since then, I have looked for more and more ways to use eggplant in my cooking. This roasted eggplant dip is one of my favorite ways to do so. Due to the fact that the eggplant is roasted, the dip has a slightly sweet quality and a strong eggplant flavor.
Essentially, it’s a super simple recipe. Chop the eggplant into pieces, and coat them in just a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, roast the pan of chopped eggplant for about 30 minutes in the oven until tender and sweet. Remove it from the oven, and allow to cool while you prepare the other ingredients. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
When the eggplant has cooled enough, blend the mayo mixture with the eggplant in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy. (Current status: Mouth watering.) Then, just serve warm or cold!
Such a Flavorful Roasted Eggplant Dip!
The touch of mayo makes it ever so slightly creamy while the lemon gives it a little zing. (You’ll discover very quickly that lemon is very important in my cooking – more important to me than salt.) Additionally, the garlic and paprika add a nice savory quality.
If you aren’t a fan of the skin, feel free to peel the eggplant it before you cube it. However, I typically leave the skin on. It all gets blended together, anyhow.
Enjoy this dip with your favorite bread, chips, or veggies. It’s great to pack for lunch or to serve for friends at a party!
Did you make this?? Please let me know in the comments below or tag me on social media #howtolovecooking! I’d love to know how it went for you!
Want to pin this recipe for later? Tap or click on the image below to save the image and recipe on Pinterest!
Easy Roasted Eggplant Dip – How to Love Cooking
Easy Roasted Eggplant Dip
This creamy Roasted Eggplant Dip is flavored with lemon and garlic. It's delicious with veggies, bread, or your favorite crackers.
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Eggplant
- 2 TBS Mayonnaise
- 5 TBS Olive Oil (divided)
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1 Pinch Salt and Pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 TBS Chopped Pistachios or Parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
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Rinse and dry the eggplant, and chop into 1 inch pieces. (I like to leave the skin on, but if you prefer to peel your eggplant, you can.)
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Place the chopped eggplant onto a lined baking sheet, and drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss the eggplant gently to coat, and bake for 30 minutes.
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Remove the eggplant from the oven, and allow it to cool while you mix the other ingredients.
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In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise, 3 TBS olive oil, garlic powder, and paprika and mix well.
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Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, add it to a food processor or small counter top blender along with the lemon & mayo mixture. Pulse or blend until smooth.
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Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then, pour the dip into a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped pistachios or fresh parsley for a little pop of green. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil, and enjoy!
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