Velvety and bright with lemon, this roasted garlic and eggplant dip is a lighter take on classic baba ghanoush. It pairs beautifully with crisp vegetables or the sourdough crackers included in the recipe below.
What’s in the Dip?
I first discovered a healthy baba ghanoush recipe on the Skinnytaste blog that used raw garlic. It was delicious but a little sharp for my daughter, so I swapped raw garlic for roasted garlic to mellow the flavor and add a buttery sweetness.
Ingredients
Eggplant – I used one very large eggplant for this recipe. Two medium eggplants will work similarly. If you buy the long Italian variety, plan on using three or four so you finish with about two cups of cooked eggplant flesh.
Tahini – Good tahini makes a difference. If you don’t have store-bought tahini but do have sesame seeds, you can make a quick version: toast one cup of sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring until they’re golden and fragrant (about 10–15 minutes). Blend the toasted seeds with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil until a thick paste forms. Store homemade tahini in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Roasted Garlic – Roasted garlic is simple to make and mellows into a sweet, spreadable paste. It’s perfect mixed into dips, stirred into mashed potatoes, or spread on crostini for an easy appetizer.
Let’s Make this Dip
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the top off a head of garlic crosswise so the tips of the cloves are exposed. Place the garlic cut-side up on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle a pinch of salt, wrap it up, and roast for about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool enough to handle.
While the garlic roasts, broil the eggplant on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, turning once halfway through so it chars evenly. After broiling, turn the oven off and leave the eggplant inside for an additional 20–30 minutes to finish cooking gently as it cools.
When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin and place the cooked flesh in a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the processor, then add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
The dip is ready to serve immediately, but the flavors deepen after a few hours in the refrigerator. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Check out these other recipes!
- Veggie Loaded Shepherd’s Pie
- Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Instant Pot Hummus
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Eggplant Dip with Sourdough Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant
- 1 Head Garlic
- 3 tablespoon Tahini
- 2 Lemons, juiced
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Sourdough Crackers
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 cup Sourdough Starter Discard, Unfed
- 4 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 2 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice the garlic head crosswise, drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt, wrap in foil and roast for 45 minutes. Let cool.
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Turn the broiler on. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and broil 20 minutes, turning once halfway. After broiling, turn the oven off and leave the eggplant in the oven for another 20–30 minutes to finish cooking and cool.
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Peel the eggplant and add the flesh to a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the processor, add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve or refrigerate to deepen flavors.
To Make the Sourdough Crackers
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Combine all cracker ingredients; the dough will be slightly tacky.
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Divide the dough in half, wrap each portion and chill at least one hour (or overnight).
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Roll one portion at a time on lightly floured parchment or a silicone mat until very thin (about 1/16 inch). Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
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Cut into desired shapes and prick each cracker to prevent puffing.
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Bake 20–25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until crackers are browned. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Nutrition information is an estimate and not guaranteed.