Romanian Eggplant Dip (Salata de Vinete)
You'll love this smoky eggplant dip from Romania! It features charred eggplant puree mixed with onions, oil, lemon and seasonings. Serve it with tomatoes and pita bread for a delicious appetizer!
Servings: 8
Calories: 93kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants (about 1 pound each)
- ½ medium red onion (chopped)
- ¼ cup canola oil (Or vegetable oil. See notes.)
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
- ⅓ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
- 1 pinch garlic powder (or more, to taste)
- Toasted pita or bread for serving
- halved grape tomatoes for serving
Instructions
- Make sure you have a rack set in the middle of your oven and preheat your broiler on high. Rinse the eggplants and dry them (no need to cut off the ends yet). Poke holes in them with a fork so they won't burst in the oven.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the eggplants on the foil. Broil the eggplants for 20-25 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to prevent them from burning. The eggplants are done when the skins are charred (wrinkly) on all sides, and a fork can easily be inserted into the soft flesh.
- While the eggplants are cooking, peel and chop half of a red onion and set it aside.
- When the eggplants are done, transfer them to a paper-towel lined platter or baking pan and roll each eggplant in paper towels to absorb the liquid. After about 15 minutes, the eggplants should be cool enough to handle. Peel off and discard the skins. (You can use a knife to do this, but I just use my fingers.)
- Transfer the eggplants to a medium serving bowl. Cut them up a bit and scrape away and discard some of the seeds to prevent bitterness. Mash the eggplants with a fork or spoon. Add the red onions and a bit of the oil and stir. Then add the rest of the oil and stir. Add the lemon juice, salt, garlic powder and red pepper flakes, stirring and tasting for adjustments.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. The dip tastes best after it's chilled and the flavors have had a chance to meld.
- Before serving, give the dip a quick stir and taste for any seasoning adjustments. Serve on toasted tortillas, pita, or bread and topped with halved grape tomatoes. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
It's best to use a very mild oil in this recipe. Don't use olive oil, because the flavor isn't neutral enough.
Some recipes call for processing this dip into a paste in the food processor. We prefer the chunkier texture from just mashing it.
Nutrition
Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.3mg
