Roasted Egg Plant Dip

Roasted Eggplant Dip (or Baba Ganoush) as the name suggests is made by roasting eggplants in the oven. The recipe combines eggplants, walnuts and other ingredients to make a flavourful dip. 

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Are you seeking to improve your diet or maintain a healthy lifestyle? Roasted vegetables are a good option for persons seeking to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle. In addition to that, roasted vegetables are delicious and eggplants are low in calories! Best of all, when preparing meals yourself you have absolute control over the added ingredients and the ingredients in this recipe, all serve to promote your wellbeing.

This recipe is gluten, dairy and nut free so it is perfect for anyone trying to avoid any of those, or those who may have allergies. 

What are Eggplants?

While eggplants are typically classified as vegetables, they are in fact fruits as they are produced by a flowering plant and contain seeds. They are also known as aubergines and are usually dark purple on the outside with a green stem. The fruit resembles the shape of an egg and is white and spongy on the inside, with numerous tiny black seeds.

Ingredients Roasted Eggplant Dip

Eggplants – They are extremely nutritious and have a host of benefits. Eggplants are fiber and antioxidant rich. They are said to aid in eye health as they contain lutein and zeaxanthin. Because eggplants are rich in fiber, they can help to assist in weight loss as they keep you full longer. When fried, eggplants absorb much of the oil and so roasting is the perfect alternative. Finally, eggplants promote heart health as they contain vitamins such as B-6 and C.

Garlic- Garlic is a common ingredient used in cooking as it is very flavourful, as well as beneficial to one’s health. It can aid with the common cold and assist with maintaining blood pressure levels.

Walnuts- Walnuts are beneficial to the brain, said to aid with gut health and are rich in Omega-3.

If you are a lover of hummus, you will most likely enjoy this recipe. Roasted Eggplant Dip however has less calories and a larger quantity of vitamins.

Storing Roasted Eggplant Dip

While roasted eggplant dip is best used fresh, you may want to store some for later use. Ideally, this should not exceed four (4) days and you may store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Eggplant Dip Alternatives

To make your eggplant dip more creamy and flavourful, you may want to consider adding some hummus, cumin and paprika. 

If you do not have a blender or food processor, you may opt to use a fork to mash your eggplant and combine the other ingredients. This will also add some texture to the dip if you prefer it to be less smooth.

You may opt to reduce the amount of olive oil in this recipe if you are trying to reduce oil consumption. Furthermore, if you are oil-free you can also eliminate the oil in this recipe completely by replacing it with some tahini. Add a little extra water to the mixture to prevent it from becoming too thick.

While it should be easy to simply scoop the pulp from the eggplant once it is roasted, you may also choose to peel the eggplant and cut it into slices before roasting it. This is completely optional but allows you to simply mash/ add the eggplant to a food processor or blender when finished.

What can Eggplant Dip be served with?

Eggplant Dip or Baba Ganoush may be served with pita bread and vegetables. It may be used as a dip for chips or vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots and celery sticks. The dip may also be used as a spread and so can be applied to your bread when making sandwiches.

Tips for Making Eggplant Dip

• Ensure the eggplant you are selecting is ripe. It should have a glossy appearance and be firm, however not hard. If the inside is white and the seeds are visible then the eggplant is generally fine for usage.
• Lighter eggplants usually contain less moisture, which suggests that they are more tasty. If you select an eggplant that is very bitter, this could greatly affect the taste of your dip. Adding some salt to the eggplant before roasting will also assist with pulling some of the moisture out, but be careful not to add too much. Who wants a bitter dip?