Greek Eggplant Dip (Melitzanosalata)
A fresh and nutritious dip that will become your new addiction.
This is something so fresh and delicious you can serve with fresh crusty bread or pita chips as a dip. The ingredients are all nutrition and flavor. It reminds me of sitting at a seaside restaurant in Greece.
This is typically served completely pureed in a food processor but I prefer to finely chop it in my mini food processor. A few spins for the bell peppers, onion and jalapeño and there it is. No serious knife skills necessary.
Serve it as a dip with some pita bread or crusty french bread. You can also top your grilled chicken or fish with this dip and you will LOVE.
Greek Eggplant Dip
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs eggplant
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeded, stemmed + finely chopped
- 1/2 medium, red onion, fine chop
- 1 jalapeño, fine chop
- 2 tbs fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 420°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle flesh side of eggplant halves with olive oil. Turn over and stab with a fork 5-6 times all over the skin side.
- Roast for 35-40 minutes or until you can easily stab the eggplant. Scoop out the flesh and transfer to a colander to drain the liquids.
- Squeeze your lemon half into a large bowl. Add the eggplant and toss – this helps prevent discoloring. Next mix in the olive oil to coat. Then, add the vegetables, herbs, feta and seasonings.
Notes
I quartered my peppers and onion and threw them into my mini food processor for a few spins to get that fine chop.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 360mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 844IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 1mg
Once every 2 or 3 months we take a break from eating around the dining room table and cozy up to finger foods at the coffee table. Tonight was the night for a little coziness so I made this recipe, as well as your roasted cauliflower and feta dip, and your spicy shrimp dip.
The moment this dip was assembled, I tried it, and I gotta say… it was pretty awful. But it had only ingredients I love so I wondered if perhaps, like chili, it just took a while to settle into itself. I allowed it to cool completely before trying it again, and the difference was amazing. This dip was seriously so delicious. It would be great simply served on top of lettuce, but I scooped it up with strips of bell pepper and devoured it. I can’t believe how easy it was to make. It was so delicious!