Description
Smoky Roasted Eggplant Pepper Spread brings Mediterranean charm straight to your kitchen table with minimal effort. Serve this delightful dip alongside warm pita bread for an instant crowd-pleaser that feels like a quick vacation to Southern Europe.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 large eggplants
- 3 large red bell peppers
- 1 large yellow bell pepper
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
Liquids and Seasonings:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Herbs and Finishing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to 400F (200C) and grab two large eggplants.
- Pierce the eggplant skin multiple times with a fork to prevent bursting during roasting.
- Place whole eggplants and three bell peppers directly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the eggplants and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Roast vegetables for 50 minutes until eggplants feel completely soft and peppers turn deep black.
- Transfer roasted peppers into a covered bowl for 15 minutes to steam and loosen their skins.
- Carefully peel off the blackened pepper skins and discard them.
- Split open the peppers, removing all seeds and stems with your fingers.
- Slice open the roasted eggplants and scoop out their tender inner flesh using a spoon.
- Roughly chop the eggplant flesh and roasted peppers into small, chunky pieces.
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
- Mince 4 garlic cloves and sauté with the onions for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Incorporate chopped eggplant and peppers into the skillet, mixing thoroughly.
- Pour in ¼ cup red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons tomato paste.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes into the mixture.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the spread, uncovered, for 18 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to create a smooth, cohesive texture if desired.
- Fold in ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley just before serving.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve warm alongside crusty bread, drizzled with an extra tablespoon of olive oil.
- Refrigerate remaining spread in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Roasting vegetables whole develops deeper, richer flavors that transform this spread from ordinary to extraordinary.
- When choosing eggplants, select firm ones with smooth, shiny skin and no brown spots to ensure the best texture and taste.
- For a smoother spread, blend thoroughly, but for a more rustic version, use a fork to mash ingredients, leaving some chunks for texture.
- Adapt this recipe for vegan diets by ensuring all ingredients are plant-based, and for low-carb options, serve with vegetable sticks instead of bread.
- Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Roasted
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 192 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg