Smoky Roasted Eggplant Red Pepper Dip with Walnuts
A smoky, savory dip made from roasted eggplant and bell pepper, blended with sautéed onion, garlic, walnuts, tahini, and seasonings. Serve as a dip or spread.
Equipment
- Non-stick baking sheet
- Oven-safe glass baking dish (8-inch / 20 cm)
- Immersion hand blender with 20 fl oz container
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Eggplant medium
- 1 Bell pepper red, yellow, greensmall/medium
- 2 clovesGarlic
- 1 Onion medium
- 1 TbspWalnut minced/finely choppedor pecan
- 1/2 TbspTahini->list of tahini substitutes
- 1 TbspSoy sauce->gluten-free soy sauce substitutes
- 2 TbspTomato paste
- 1/4 tspNutmeg
- 1/2 tspSweet smoked paprika powder
- Salt & Pepper to tastestart with 1/2 tsp each then adjust to your liking
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Wash the 2 eggplants and 1 bell pepper. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise; you may remove the stems. Leave the bell pepper whole.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a nonstick sheet). Place the eggplant halves cut-side down (skin up) on the sheet and place the whole bell pepper next to them.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30–40 minutes, until the eggplant skins are wrinkled and the bell pepper skin is blistered or charred in places.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven and let them cool until you can handle them. Transfer the hot bell pepper to a bowl and cover loosely (or place in a sealed container) for about 10 minutes to steam and loosen the skin. Peel the pepper, remove the stem and seeds, and reserve the flesh. For the eggplants, peel away or scoop out the flesh from the skins and reserve the flesh.
- While the vegetables roast, peel and finely chop the 1 medium onion and 2 cloves garlic. If your 1 Tbsp walnuts are not already minced/finely chopped, mince or finely chop them (or pulse briefly in a food processor).
- Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened (about 2–4 minutes).
- Add the minced walnuts, 1/2 Tbsp tahini, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika, and start with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the pan. Stir to combine and cook for another 1–2 minutes to warm and meld the flavors.
- Place the roasted eggplant flesh and peeled roasted bell pepper in a tall, narrow container. Add the cooked onion–nut mixture. Purée thoroughly with an immersion blender until smooth and well combined.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired. Serve as a dip or spread.
Notes
You need to allow them to cool a bit, so it is not too hot to touch them.
Place them on a wooden cutting board with their peel down.
Hold the bottom tip of the eggplant with one hand and gently scrape the eggplant flesh with a spoon in the other direction (where the stem was).
If the eggplants are very soft and tender, you can just pull off the peel with your fingers easily.
You need to allow them to cool a bit, so it is not too hot to touch them.
Place them on a wooden cutting board with the stem up.
Roasted bell peppers are super soft, so you can easily remove the stem and the seeds with your fingers at this point. Just hold down the pepper and pull the stem upwards. Most of the seeds should come out like that.
Now place them sideways.
Cut the top half vertically from stem to bottom, but do not cut it in half. This way you can spread it out like a carpet with its peel down.
Finally, scrape the bell pepper flesh with a spoon.
Place them on a wooden cutting board with their peel down.
Hold the bottom tip of the eggplant with one hand and gently scrape the eggplant flesh with a spoon in the other direction (where the stem was).
If the eggplants are very soft and tender, you can just pull off the peel with your fingers easily.
You need to allow them to cool a bit, so it is not too hot to touch them.
Place them on a wooden cutting board with the stem up.
Roasted bell peppers are super soft, so you can easily remove the stem and the seeds with your fingers at this point. Just hold down the pepper and pull the stem upwards. Most of the seeds should come out like that.
Now place them sideways.
Cut the top half vertically from stem to bottom, but do not cut it in half. This way you can spread it out like a carpet with its peel down.
Finally, scrape the bell pepper flesh with a spoon.