Years ago I made a pasta sauce out of pureed eggplant and garlic. A few weeks ago I wanted to make it again, but I couldn’t find my recipe (if I even had one. The trials of a cook who just “adds a little of this and a little of that”). So I did what any improv cook would do – I winged it. Turned out delicious.
In fact, I realized that before tossing it with pasta and diluting it with starchy water, the base itself would be a tasty dip for veggies, chips, pita, whatever you feel like dipping.
I mean, roasted eggplant is pretty darn yum by itself, but blend it together with roasted garlic…
All the flavor on ALL THE THINGS.
So do yourself a favor and make this. Use it as dip, or throw it on your pasta, toss with pasta water and top with basil. Either way, it’s pretty scrumptious.
Roasted Garlic Eggplant Dip
| Prep time 15 mins | Cook time 40 mins | Total time 55 mins |  |
Author: Joy @ The Joyful Foodie
Recipe type: dip, appetizer, sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs eggplant (about 2 medium sized eggplants)
- 1 large bulb of garlic (about 10-15 cloves)
- 3 Tbs olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 2 Tbs tahini
- ½ tsp paprika (preferably smoked)
- 1 lemon
- salt to taste
- water as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut the eggplant into 1 inch cubes.
- Cut the top off the garlic, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or with a light layer of oil.
- Spread the eggplant over the baking sheet, season with salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- Place the garlic in the corner of the baking sheet and roast everything in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the eggplant is browned.
- In a blender or food processor add the juice of half the lemon, the olive oil, 4 Tbs water, tahini, paprika, all the eggplant and as much of the roasted garlic as you prefer. (Tip: Start with 8 cloves and add more if desired. I like about 12 cloves).
- Add salt to taste.
- Pulse or blend on low until desired consistency is reached. If dip is too thick, add more water a tablespoon at a time.
- Adjust seasoning as desired.
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Random tip: Little hands love to play with cubed vegetables. Edible blocks, I guess. 😉
Ever try to recreate a dish only to come up with something else?
Feelin’ saucy?
