Melitzanosalata Recipe

melitzanosalata (Greek eggplant dip) garnished with parsley, feta and olives

4.85 from 59 votes

Simple and delicious Greek eggplant dip with smoky eggplant, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. The perfect appetizer with a bit of warm pita bread or serve it next to grilled meats or even fish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Appetizer, Dip

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: people

Author: Suzy Karadsheh

Ingredients

2 large eggplants
1 to 2 large garlic cloves minced
¼ red onion finely chopped about 1/3 cup, more for garnish
1 cup chopped fresh parsley packed, more for garnish
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp each ground cumin and crushed red pepper flakes, more to your liking (optional)
1 lemon zested and juiced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil more for later
A few pitted kalamata olives, sliced, for garnish (optional)
Feta cheese a sprinkle for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Keep the eggplant whole and pierce with a fork in a few places.
Smoke the eggplant. Place the eggplant over a gas flame, grill or under a broiler, and cook, turning around using a pair of tongs, until the skin is fully charred, and the eggplant is quite tender.
Cool and drain eggplant. Place the eggplant in a bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle (a bowl is helpful because the eggplant will release some juices). Peel the charred skins off and discard. Cut the eggplant into chunks and place in a colander to get rid of any remaining excess juices (about 10 more minutes).
Transfer the eggplant to a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil. Add salt and pepper and spices (if using). Mix to combine and use your fork to break up the eggplant into smaller chunks.
At this point, if you have the time, it’s a good idea to cover and chill the eggplant dip in the fridge for a few brief minutes.
Transfer the eggplant dip to a serving plate and spread. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil. Arrange Garnish with lemon zest, parsley, red onions, olives, a sprinkle of feta. Serve with crusty bread or pita bread.

Notes

To bake the eggplant instead, pierce the eggplant with a fork in a few places and place it on a baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree F heated-oven for about 1 hour or until the skin is charred and the eggplant is quite tender (you should still turn it around every so often using some tongs).
For a smoother eggplant dip, you can use a food processor to blitz the eggplant together with the rest of the ingredients. Don't overdo it though or you'll end up with a watery mess. I much prefer mixing everything by hand in a mixing bowl as listed in the recipe.
Leftovers & storage: place any remaining dip in a tight-lid glass container and refrigerate for up to 2 nights (just remember, as the flavors meld overnight, the eggplant dip will turn more garlicy).
Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices used in this recipe.

Nutrition

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