Ajvar is a smoky dip made with Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant mixed with garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. It comes from the Balkans, and you will find it on Turkish tables too.
It is naturally vegan and gluten free, it keeps for well over a week in the fridge, and the flavor deepens as it sits. Spread it on bread, serve it as a dip, or stir it into pasta sauces and stews.
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe Works
- A Brief History of Ajvar
- Is Ajvar Turkish or Balkan?
- Health Benefits of Ajvar
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How to Make Ajvar - Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip
- Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Ways to Enjoy Ajvar
- Variations
- Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
- Recipe FAQs
- Related Recipes
- Turkish Ajvar - Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip
Traditionally ajvar is simmered after blending, but I have found that step is not really necessary. It does not do much to thicken the dip and only slightly changes the flavor.
If you would rather stick to the traditional method, simmer it for 30 to 40 minutes after blending, and you will find the full instructions in the recipe card.
Why This Recipe Works
- Romano peppers are the right pepper for this. Their flesh is thick and holds little water, so the dip comes out thick instead of runny.
- Charring the peppers and eggplant over a flame is where the smoky taste comes from, and it is the one step worth doing properly.
- You can skip the long simmer. I have made it both ways and the uncooked version tastes almost the same, so this is done in well under an hour.
- It is naturally vegan and gluten free, with nothing to swap out.
- It keeps for 10 to 14 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months, so one batch goes a long way.
- Blend it smooth or leave it chunky, so the same recipe works as a spread, a dip, or a side.
A Brief History of Ajvar
Ajvar has its origins in the Balkan Peninsula, where it became a popular part of everyday meals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The name comes from the Turkish word "havyar," meaning caviar, as people often referred to it as "poor man’s caviar."
Back then, making ajvar was more than just cooking, it was an event. During autumn, when red peppers were in season, families would gather to roast the peppers over an open flame, peel the skins, and prepare the dip together.
Is Ajvar Turkish or Balkan?
Ajvar is Balkan. It belongs to Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Croatia. It is not a Turkish dish, even though the name itself is a Turkish word.
Turkey has its own close relatives instead. Biber Salçası is the thick red pepper paste that goes into stews and marinades, and Muhammara is the spread most often put out with bread.
Ajvar itself still turns up on Turkish tables, especially in the northwest where Balkan families settled, and it sits happily among Turkish meze.
Health Benefits of Ajvar
- A serving gives you about 160mg of vitamin C. Red peppers hold far more of it than oranges do, and most of it survives roasting.
- There are 6g of fiber in a serving, which comes from the eggplant and the pepper skins.
- Both red peppers and eggplants carry antioxidants, and roasting them does not destroy those.
- Nothing is added to sweeten it. The 9g of sugar per serving comes from the peppers, which turn sweeter as they char.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Red peppers - Romano peppers are what I use, and they are the right pepper for this. They are the same long, thick-fleshed sweet red pepper that Balkan cooks call kapija, and you will also see them sold as Ramiro or sweet pointed peppers. Bell peppers work if that is all you can get, but they have thinner flesh and more water, so the dip comes out looser.
- Eggplant - It adds a creamy texture and softens the sweetness of the peppers.
- Garlic - Turn it into a paste with a mortar and pestle or grate it on a Microplane, so you do not get sharp chunks of raw garlic in the finished dip.
- Olive oil - It brings the richness and gives the dip its smooth finish. Sunflower oil is the traditional choice in the Balkans if you would rather keep it neutral.
How to Make Ajvar - Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip
Roast and Peel the Vegetables
Begin by cooking the eggplants and red peppers. To keep the eggplants from bursting, use a toothpick to poke a few holes in each one. Place them, along with the red peppers, directly on a gas burner or barbecue.
Cook them until they’re soft and the skins are nicely charred, turning them regularly to ensure even cooking. This step is key to getting that classic smoky flavor.
Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven. Bake the eggplants in a preheated oven to 200° C (390° F) for 30-40 minutes, and the peppers for 20-25 minutes until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
Place the roasted vegetables in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap or a lid for about 15 minutes. This helps bring out the smoky flavor as they cool and lets any extra liquid drain.
Once cooled, peel the eggplants and red peppers and pull out any seeds you find. Peel them with your fingers rather than under the tap, as running water takes the smoky flavor with it.
Blend and Cook It Down
Put the peeled vegetables, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, seasoning, and the optional chili peppers into a blender or food processor, then blend to the consistency you want.
Leave it a little coarse for a side dish, or take it smooth for spreading.
Your ajvar dip is ready to consume, but you might want to add the extra step and cook the mixture further to follow the traditional way.
Simply transfer the blended mixture to a pan and cook over low heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Buy the meatiest peppers you can find. Thick flesh means more pulp and less water, which is what makes ajvar thick rather than runny.
- Roasting the peppers and eggplant over a flame is what gives you the smoky taste. The oven works, but it will not get you the same depth.
- Cover the hot vegetables and leave them for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour. The trapped steam loosens the skins and lets more liquid drain out, and less water means thicker ajvar.
- Sterilize your jars properly if you plan to keep it. Wash them in hot soapy water, then dry them in a 285°F (140°C) oven for 15 minutes, and fill them while they are still warm.
- Peel the peppers with your fingers rather than rinsing them under the tap, as running water washes the smoky flavor away.
- If you go the traditional route and cook the ajvar down, add the oil a little at a time as it simmers, and leave the vinegar and salt until the last few minutes so the seasoning does not cook flat.
- You will know the cooked version is ready when you drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan and the trail holds for a second before closing up.
- Taste it before you jar it. Peppers vary in sweetness through the season, so it may want a little more vinegar or a pinch of salt.
Ways to Enjoy Ajvar
Spread it thickly on toast, crackers, or a thick slice of Sourdough Sandwich Bread. It works in sandwiches too, and it is very good next to a sharp cheese.
Serve it as a side the way you would Havuç Tarator or Skordalia, next to Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs, Briam, or a rice dish such as this Lamb and Rice Recipe. The smoky, slightly tangy taste sits well beside most main courses.
Put it out as a dip with Barbari Bread, raw vegetable sticks, or Air Fryer Pita Chips.
It is worth keeping a jar for cooking as well. Stir a spoonful into a pasta sauce or a stew, or use it as a marinade for chicken and lamb.
Variations
- Leave the chili out for a mild ajvar, or blend in two or three hot red peppers for the version Balkan cooks call ljuti ajvar.
- Skip the eggplant entirely for a pure pepper ajvar, which is sweeter and a brighter red.
- Add a chopped, deseeded tomato for a looser, fresher dip closer to a relish.
- Bulgarian kyopolou is the near neighbor of this dip, made with the same roasted peppers and eggplant but with more garlic and often a little parsley.
- Blend it smooth for spreading, or pulse it briefly and leave it chunky to serve as a side.
- Stir a spoonful of walnuts through at the end for texture, the way some Macedonian cooks do.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
Ajvar keeps in an airtight jar in the fridge for 10 to 14 days, and it gets better after the first few days as the smoke and garlic settle. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface before you put the lid on, which seals it from the air and keeps the top from drying out.
It freezes well, which is the easier option if you have made a big batch. Spoon it into small containers or freezer bags, leave a little headroom, and it will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and stir it before serving.
For longer storage, jar it while it is still hot in properly sterilized jars. Wash the jars in hot soapy water, dry them in a 285°F (140°C) oven for 15 minutes, fill them warm, and seal straight away. Once a jar is opened, treat it like a fresh batch and use it within 10 to 14 days.
Recipe FAQs
You can substitute olive oil with sunflower oil, which is commonly used in traditional Balkan recipes.
Ajvar is Balkan, from Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Croatia. The name comes from Turkish, and you will find it eaten in Turkey too, but the dish itself belongs to the Balkans.
Ajvar is a dip you eat as it is, made from roasted peppers and eggplant blended with oil and vinegar. Turkish biber salçası is a concentrated paste you cook with, made from peppers that have been salted and reduced right down.
The peppers held too much water. Use thick-fleshed Romano or kapija peppers rather than bell peppers, let the roasted vegetables drain properly while they steam, and if it is still loose, simmer it in a wide pan until it thickens.
Related Recipes
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this Turkish Ajvar - Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Turkish Ajvar - Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip
Ingredients
- 3 large red pepper (sweet Romano pepper)
- 1 medium eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon good quality olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Roast and Peel the Vegetables
- Start with the eggplants and red peppers. Poke a few holes in each eggplant with a toothpick so it does not burst, then set them and the peppers straight on a gas burner or over the barbecue.
- Cook them until they’re soft and the skins are nicely charred, turning them regularly to ensure even cooking. This step is key to getting that classic smoky flavor.
- Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven. Bake the eggplants in a preheated oven to 200° C (390° F) for 30-40 minutes, and the peppers for 20-25 minutes until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
- Place the roasted vegetables in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap or a lid for at least 15 minutes. The trapped steam loosens the skins, brings out the smoky flavor, and lets any extra liquid drain.
- Once cooled, peel the eggplants and red peppers, and remove any seeds you find.
Blend and Cook It Down (optional)
- Place the roasted vegetables, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, seasoning, and optional chili peppers in a blender or food processor. Blend to your desired consistency.
- The ajvar is ready to eat at this point. If you would rather follow the traditional method, transfer the blended mixture to a wide pan and cook it over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often. Add the oil a little at a time as it cooks, and leave the vinegar and salt until the last few minutes.
- Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for 10 to 14 days, with a thin layer of olive oil poured over the surface. For longer storage, fill sterilized jars while it is still hot and seal straight away.
Notes
- Fridge: Keep in an airtight jar for 10 to 14 days. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface before sealing, which keeps the top from drying out.
- Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Spoon into small containers, leave a little headroom, and thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Jars: For longer storage, fill sterilized jars while the ajvar is still hot and seal straight away. Wash jars in hot soapy water and dry them in a 285°F (140°C) oven for 15 minutes. Once opened, use within 10 to 14 days.
- Buy the meatiest peppers you can find. Thick flesh means more pulp and less water, which is what makes ajvar thick rather than runny.
- Romano peppers are the same long, thick-fleshed sweet red pepper that Balkan cooks call kapija. They are also sold as Ramiro or sweet pointed peppers.
- Roasting over a flame is what gives the smoky taste. The oven works, at 390°F (200°C) for 30 to 40 minutes for the eggplants and 20 to 25 for the peppers, but it will not be as deep.
- Cover the hot vegetables and leave them 15 minutes or up to an hour. The steam loosens the skins and lets more liquid drain, and less water means thicker ajvar.
- Peel with your fingers rather than under the tap, as running water washes the smoky flavor away.
- If you cook it down, add the oil a little at a time and leave the vinegar and salt until the last few minutes so the seasoning does not cook flat.
- The cooked version is ready when you drag a spoon across the pan and the trail holds for a second before closing up.
- Taste before jarring. Peppers vary in sweetness through the season, so it may want more vinegar or a pinch of salt.
- Peppers: Bell peppers work if Romano are not available, but they hold more water so the dip comes out looser.
- Olive oil: Sunflower oil is the traditional choice in the Balkans and gives a more neutral result.
- Vinegar: White wine or apple cider vinegar both work. Add it at the end and taste as you go.
- Leave the chili out for a mild ajvar, or blend in two or three hot red peppers for the version known as ljuti ajvar.
- Skip the eggplant for a pure pepper ajvar, which is sweeter and a brighter red.
- Blend it smooth for spreading, or pulse briefly and leave it chunky to serve as a side.
Diane says
Tasty and healthy! Easier than I thought so it is a bonus!
Ayla Clulee says
Dear Diana, I am so glad you found it easy too—that’s definitely a bonus!