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roasted eggplant and tomato dip vegan recipe

Roasted Eggplant Dip

5 from 1 vote
There’s something about roasted eggplant that just makes it so irresistible. This roasted eggplant dip is packed full of that delicious smoky silky flavors from the roasted eggplant that’s mixed with tomatoes, spices, and gochujang for an extra burst of flavor!
Top this with tahini, crispy fried shallots (a must!), chopped parsley, olive oil, sesame seeds, and pomegranate seeds. This was inspired by the eggplant dip I tried from Sofreh, a Persian restaurant in Park Slope in Brooklyn, NY. Their roasted eggplant dip was topped with crispy fried shallots and garlic, and served with bread on the side. It was almost like love at first bite, and it inspired me to make a roasted eggplant dip of my own. Thought I didn’t get the exact flavor profile, I wanted to make mine with a twist. I added in tomatoes and gochujang for a little heat!The addition of pomegranate seeds also make this dish very festive visually. I made this dip to serve my friends during my early birthday dinner, and it was a hit!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dips, Finger Food, Main Course, Salad, Salads, Sauces, Side Dish, Snack, Snacks, Starters
Cuisine Fusion, Mediterranean, Turkish, Western
Servings 5 servings
Calories 156 kcal

Ingredients
  

FRIED SHALLOTS

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES

  • 2.2 lb American globe or italian eggplant , around 2 medium
  • 1/2 lb roma tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp shallot oil
  • 1 small shallot , finely minced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2-1 tbsp gochujang , adjust depending on desired heat
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 to 1 tbsp lemon juice adjust to taste

TO FINISH/SERVE

  • Generous drizzle extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp tahini
  • Chopped parsley
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Black sesame seeds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Fried shallots
  • Pita or other bread of choice

Instructions
 

FRIED SHALLOTS

  • Slice the shallots into 2-mm thin pieces. I cut these with a knife but you can also use a mandolin. Don’t cut them paper thin.
  • In a small pot, add some oil and heat at medium low heat, around 250 F/120 C. Add the sliced shallots and move around with spatula or form to prevent from sticking. At the start there will be a lot of bubbles in the oil — this is due to the moisture being drawn out from the shallots. As these cook, there will be less bubbles and the shallots will start to gain color.
  • These shallots will fry for around 8-10 minutes, depending on the heat. Once the shallots are a light golden brown, take them out of the oil and place these on a paper towel to drain excess oil. The shallots will continue to cook and darken once removed from the oil.
  • Don’t discard the shallot oil! This is great to use for stir-fries and other dishes or extra flavor!
  • These shallots can be prepare 2-3 days in advance and kept at room temperature. Be sure to cool these completely before storing in an air-tight container.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES

  • Cut slits around the eggplant. Roast the eggplant over open fire (I did mine on a gas stove) until slightly tender and charred. Since I used globe eggplants with a much rounder shape, it was hard to get the insides fully cooked.
  • To cook this completely I wrapped the eggplant in aluminum foil and baked it in my air fryer for 15-18 minutes at 350F or until fully cooked through and tender inside.
  • Allow the eggplant to cool and then peel the skin off.
  • Repeat the same for the tomatoes — char on open flame and then place these in a bowl to cover and allow to cook in the steam for a few minutes. Once cool, peel the tomatoes.
  • Mash the eggplant with a fork and then cut into small pieces. Slice the tomatoes as well and cut into small pieces. Alternatively, you can quickly process the eggplant and tomatoes but I prefer a chunkier texture so I opted to cut these manually with a knife.

PREPARE THE DIP

  • Heat a medium pan or skillet with shallot oil over medium heat. Once hot, sauté the shallot and garlic until aromatic.
  • Add the tomato paste and gochujang and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
  • Add in the mashed eggplant and tomatoes. Mix until well incorporated.
  • Add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, and season with salt, to taste.
  • Cook the dip for 1-2 minutes over low heat. Turn off the heat then finish with lemon juice. Taste and season the dip more, as needed.

TO SERVE

  • Allow the dip to cool for a few minutes before plating.
  • Place the dip in a bowl. Finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil, tahini, chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, sesame seeds, and a generous amount of fried shallots.
  • Serve with pita or bread of your choice. Enjoy!

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NUTRITIONAL INFO

Serving: 1serving (dip) | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 703mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 682IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
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