Ingredients (~6-8 servings)
Smoky Eggplant Dip
- 3 globe eggplants, cut in half and scored in a diamond pattern
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or skyr
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sumac
- 1 Tbsp za’atar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Pita Chips
- 9 pitas, cut into wedges
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp za’atar
Make the Pita Chips First
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Toss the pita wedges with olive oil, salt, and za’atar; spread them in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Bake for ~12-15 minutes until crispy and golden brown – they’ll keep crisping as they cool.
Char the Eggplant Cut Side Down
Brush the cut side of each eggplant half with olive oil – don’t skimp here as it helps with the charring.
Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until it’s ~400-450F.
Place the eggplant cut side down and char for ~6-8 minutes until very dark brown and almost black in spots.
The scoring helps the flesh cook evenly and makes it easier to scrape out later.
Flip the eggplant and cook for another ~2-3 minutes just to soften the skin side.
Transfer to a plate and let cool for ~10 minutes until you can handle them.
Scrape Out the Flesh and Blend Everything
Once cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scrape all the eggplant flesh away from the skin.
The flesh should be soft and smoky – if there are any firm bits, mash them with the spoon.
In a food processor, combine the eggplant flesh with Greek yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, sumac, za’atar, and cumin.
Pulse until smooth but still slightly chunky – you don’t want it completely pureed.
Season with salt and pepper to taste; start with ~1 tsp salt and adjust from there.
Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with extra za’atar, and serve with the pita chips.
The dip keeps in the fridge for ~3-4 days and actually tastes better the next day once the flavors meld.
Smoky Eggplant Dip
Ingredients
Smoky Eggplant Dip
- 3 globe eggplants, cut in half and scored in a diamond pattern
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or skyr
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp sumac
- 1 Tbsp za’atar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Pita Chips
- 9 pitas, cut into wedges
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 Tbsp za’atar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Toss pita wedges with olive oil, salt, and za’atar; spread on baking sheet.
- Bake pita chips for 12-15 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Brush eggplant halves with olive oil and char cut-side down in hot cast iron skillet for 6-8 minutes.
- Flip eggplant and cook skin side for 2-3 more minutes.
- Cool eggplant 10 minutes, then scrape flesh from skin.
- Combine eggplant flesh, yogurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, sumac, za’atar, and cumin in food processor.
- Pulse until smooth but slightly chunky.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with za’atar.
- Serve with pita chips.