Roasted Eggplant Dip With Pomegranate and Feta

20 mins Prep Time

30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

Dips are such a great way to ensure that you get your daily intake of vegetables. They can turn everyday ordinary raw vegetables into something to look forward to, and when you have a healthy dip like this eggplant one, you can consume guilt-free. The secret ingredient in this recipe is labneh, a strained yogurt with roots in the Middle East; it is now widely popular and available in western supermarkets. Labneh is similar to Greek yogurt, which would be the appropriate substitute here, but is strained to a thicker and more spreadable consistency. It provides the perfect creamy, savoury base to this dip which ends up getting stuffed with sweet and tart pomegranate seeds and salty crumbled feta cheese. Serve with any combination of preferred vegetables, bread crisps or crackers but keep it varied and colourful.

Ingredients

Roasted Eggplant

1 small onion, diced
3/4 pound Italian eggplant (approximately 1 medium sized)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon za'atar

Dip

1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup labneh or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Garnishes as desired: bread crisps, pita bread, crackers, vegetable crudites

Directions

Roasted Eggplant Dip With Pomegranate and Feta

3 Steps

Step 1

Peel the eggplant and cut into 1-inch thick chunks. Toss with the olive oil, diced onions, Za'atar, as well as salt and pepper. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and roast in a preheated 375°F oven until brown and softened, approximately 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before proceeding to next step.
Step 2

In a food processor, combine the cooked and cooled vegetables with the minced garlic clove, chopped cilantro, labneh, tahini and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Step 3

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with pomegranate seeds and feta. Serve alongside vegetables, breads and crackers as desired.