Mutabal

5 from 1 vote

Mutabal is a smoky roasted eggplant dip from the Levant, made with charred eggplant, tahini, yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice. It is smooth, creamy, and easy to make with a handful of ingredients, and the flavor gets even better overnight.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Lebanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Halal, Low Fat, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

2 large globe eggplants
2 oz Greek yogurt or plain natural yogurt (60 g)
2 oz tahini (60 g)
2 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
chopped parsley (to garnish)
pine nuts (to garnish)
sumac (to garnish)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

The first step is roasting the eggplants. This is where the smoky flavor comes from, so it is worth doing properly. Prick each one a few times with a toothpick or a fork so they do not burst, then place them on a gas burner or BBQ.
Cook the eggplants until they are soft and the skin is charred, turning them often. This takes around 20 minutes.
If you prefer the oven, roast them at 200° C - 390° F for about 45 minutes, turning them occasionally so they roast evenly.
Place them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap or a lid for 15 minutes.
This deepens the smoky flavor as they cool and lets some of the liquid drain out. The skins come off much more easily afterwards.
Peel the eggplants, finely chop them, and then place them in a fine mesh strainer to get rid of their bitter water.
Let the chopped eggplants sit for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a bowl along with the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
Give them all a good mix until they are combined, and then transfer the mutabal to a serving bowl.
Garnish it with chopped parsley leaves, a drizzle of olive oil, pine nuts, or sumac before serving.

Notes

Look for eggplants that feel firm, heavy, and shiny, with smooth skin and no bruises.
Prick each eggplant a few times with a fork before cooking, or it can burst on the flame.
Roast the eggplants until they are completely soft and the skin is charred. The smoky flavor comes from the char.
Drain the chopped eggplant well before mixing, or the dip turns out watery.
Give the tahini a good stir before measuring, since the oil settles on top of the jar.
Chop or mash the eggplant with a fork instead of blending, or you lose the texture.
If the dip feels too thick, loosen it with a splash of cold water. If it tastes bitter, add a little more salt and lemon juice.
Let the finished dip rest for half an hour before serving, so the flavors have time to come together.
Make it vegan with a plant based yogurt, or leave the yogurt out for a sharper, more tahini heavy dip.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before serving.

Nutrition