Roasted Eggplant Tahini Dip

A savory and healthy vegetable dip made with Greek yogurt and infused with fresh basil.

A collection of easy, delicious, and reliable appetizers is a must for anyone who entertains on a regular basis. No fuss appetizers that are versatile and can be made ahead of time will ease the stress that often accompanies feeding guests. Dips are great for all of the aforementioned reasons but can sometimes be too rich if they’re made with a lot of mayonnaise or cream cheese. Health considerations aside, appetizers are supposed to simply whet our appetites, not ruin them. That’s why I love Roasted Eggplant Tahini Dip; it’s a light but satisfying appetizer that can be served with a wide range of foods for dipping and, more importantly, guests love it!

Eggplant dips, also known as Baba Ghanoush or Baba Ghanoui, are standard fare in Mediterranean cuisine but my recipe for Roasted Eggplant Tahini Dip differs from the classic preparation in three ways. It uses roasted garlic instead of raw, for a more mellow garlic taste, and basil instead of parsley, for extra savory flavor. Greek yogurt, another non-traditional ingredient, adds creaminess and tang.

Serve Roasted Eggplant Tahini Dip with pita bread, pita chips, crackers, baguette slices, or crudités. This dip is casual and rustic but if you want to create a more elegant appetizer, use it is as a stuffing for hollowed out cherry tomatoes or mini bell peppers.

Roasted Eggplant Tahini Dip is definitely on the healthier side when compared to other appetizers. It clocks in at only 76 calories per ¼ cup serving, with only 6 grams of fat and virtually no sugar. No appetizer containing any amount of mayo or cream cheese can beat that so dip away!

Roasted Eggplant Tahini Dip

 

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Author: QUEEN OF MY KITCHEN

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• ROASTED GARLIC
• ½ head of garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• DIP
• 1 eggplant (about 1 – 1¼ pound)
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons tahini
• 1½ Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the garlic on a sheet of foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil on top. Wrap the foil around the garlic to fully encase it and place on a half sheet pan along with the eggplant. Roast on the bottom rack of the oven for 50 minutes.
2. Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle remove and discard the skin. Place the remaining eggplant flesh into the work bowl of a food processor. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze each clove out of its papery skin into the food processor. Add the remaining ingredients (except pine nuts) and process to desired consistency.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle pine nuts on top. Serve with pita chips or pita bread.
4. Makes about 2 cups.

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