Melitzanosalata
A silky Greek eggplant dip made by charring whole eggplants and blending them with garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Smoky, creamy, and perfect for mezze boards or pita.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 178
- Protein
- 1g
Ingredients
- 2 whole eggplants, medium
- 2 cloves garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 425°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Pierce each eggplant 4 or 5 times all over with a fork to prevent them from bursting; this releases steam as they cook.
- 3
Place both eggplants directly on the oven rack with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. Roast until the skin is completely blackened and the flesh inside feels very soft when squeezed gently (use tongs or an oven mitt), about 25 minutes.
- 4
Remove the eggplants from the oven using tongs and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool until you can touch the flesh without burning yourself, about 5 minutes.
- 5
Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise (from stem end to tip), then use a spoon to scoop out all the soft flesh, leaving behind the blackened skin.
- 6
Place the warm eggplant flesh and the 2 peeled garlic cloves into a food processor or blender.
- 7
Pour in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 5 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 8
Blend until smooth and creamy, about 90 seconds. The dip should look like silky hummus, with no visible chunks of eggplant.
- 9
Transfer the melitzanosalata to a serving bowl and stir in 0.75 teaspoon of salt and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper.
- 10
Taste the dip and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice if you like it brighter or more savory.
Tools you’ll need
- oven
- baking sheet
- tongs
- oven mitt
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- spoon
- food processor or blender
- serving bowl
- wooden spoon
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