How to Make Melitzanosalata (Greek Eggplant Dip)

Table of contents:

How to Make Melitzanosalata

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 fl oz/60 ml olive oil
• 1 lemon, juice
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

For Serving

• Pita bread or fresh baguette

Equipment

• Oven and baking tray
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Garlic crusher

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Garlic crusher
• Large skillet/frying pan with lid
• Wooden spoon or spatula

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C.
2. Pierce each eggplant all over and place them on a lined baking sheet whole. Roast them for around 1 hour or until the eggplant is soft and squishy.  
3. Remove eggplants from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. 
4. Cut in half carefully holding them with tongs while you cut them, then allow to cool completely. 
5. Use a spoon to scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin. Discard the skin and add the flesh to a mixing bowl with the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Mash all your ingredients together with a fork. 
6. Add the red onion and parsley and stir them in with the fork. 
7. Cover the mixture and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours so all the flavors mingle. 
8. Test before serving and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking Notes

• Make sure your eggplants are cooked through before removing them from the oven. If they’re particularly large they will need more than 1 hour but don’t be tempted to speed up the process by increasing the heat. Instead, add an extra 10 or 20 minutes. 
• Cutting your eggplants in half after cooking them will allow excess liquid to drain.
• Melitzanosalata is traditionally quite chunky and not blended but that doesn’t mean you can’t throw it all in the food processor to get a smooth dip if that’s what you prefer. 
• When you taste your dip after mixing all the ingredients together, you’ll notice it’s flavorsome already. But, it does pay off to leave it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before serving it.  

You may not even need to add salt or pepper to your dip. Go with the less is more approach with this recipe to begin with and let the other flavors shine through.

Melitzanosalata Ingredient Substitutions

As we mentioned earlier, this recipe is quite tangy and has strong flavors. There are lots of different versions of Melitzanosalata and we’ve just shared our personal preference. There are a few ingredients in here that some people find too much. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry, you can tailor it to suit you and your loved ones. 

• Red wine vinegar – We love it in the recipe but it does give it that strong tangy flavor. If you’re not a vinegar lover, you can simply leave it out or try it with just one tablespoon for a milder version. You can also use apple cider vinegar if you want. 
• Garlic – While garlic does add something special to the dip, it’s raw in this recipe so has a strong, spicy essence. If you want something less punchy, try using just one small clove of garlic or omit it completely.  
• Parsley – You can use mint if you prefer but halve the amount as it will overpower the other flavors otherwise. 

What other ingredients can you include in this dip? Other Greek flavors that go well in this are black olives and feta cheese. You can also dice other vegetables and mix them in, like red bell pepper (especially pickled versions), spring onions, or tomatoes (OK it’s a fruit but you can use it like a vegetable).

Serving Suggestions

The most common way to use melitzanosalata is if you’re making an authentic Greek meze platter. To do this, try serving it with meze favorites like:

• Pita bread or chips 
• Greek meatballs (keftedes)
• Creamy Greek tzatziki
• Hummus
• Dolmades
• Olives
• Greek chicken souvlaki 

But don’t stop there, why not keep a batch in your fridge to dress up other meals? You can use it as a condiment for grilled meats, fish, or vegetables. You can also use it on salads, or as a spread on wraps or sandwiches. 

Nutrition Facts

More Vegetarian Mediterranean Recipes

• Spicy roasted potatoes (batata harra)
• Beetroot yogurt dip with seasonal roasted veg
• 10-Minute tagliatelle pasta with sun-dried tomatoes
• Baked Mediterranean rice with dates, apricots, and chickpeas
• Roasted eggplant and artichoke hearts with za’atar
• Moroccan couscous with roasted veg and tahini dressing

Melitzanosalata (Greek Eggplant Dip)

Byron

Melitzanosalata, "eggplant salad" in English, is a traditional Greek dish that is more of a dip or spread than a salad as we’re used to. It’s made from roasted or grilled eggplants, which lend a smoky quality to the dish. If you’ve ever tried baba ganoush, this may be ringing bells, and they are quite similar but there are some key differences — like melitzanosalata has a more tangy, stronger flavor.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Refrigerate time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, dip, dips and sauces

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 4 appetizer

Calories 137 kcal

Equipment

• Oven and baking tray
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Garlic crusher

Ingredients

  

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 fl oz/60 ml olive oil
• 1 lemon juice
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 red onion finely diced
• ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving

• Pita bread or fresh baguette

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C.
• Pierce each eggplant all over and place them on a lined baking sheet whole. Roast them for around 1 hour or until the eggplant is soft and squishy.
  2 large eggplants
• Remove eggplants from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Cut in half carefully holding them with tongs while you cut them, then allow to cool completely.
• Use a spoon to scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin. Discard the skin and add the flesh to a mixing bowl with the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Mash all your ingredients together with a fork.
  2 cloves of garlic, 2 fl oz/60 ml olive oil, 1 lemon, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Add the red onion and parsley and stir them in with the fork.
  1/4 red onion, ½ cup fresh parsley
• Cover the mixture and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours so all the flavors mingle.
• Test before serving and add salt and pepper to taste.
  Pita bread or fresh baguette, Salt and pepper

Video

Notes

Cooking Notes

• Make sure your eggplants are cooked through before removing them from the oven. If they’re particularly large they will need more than 1 hour but don’t be tempted to speed up the process by increasing the heat. Instead, add an extra 10 or 20 minutes. 
• Melitzanosalata is traditionally quite chunky and not blended but that doesn’t mean you can’t throw it all in the food processor to get a smooth dip if that’s what you prefer. 
• When you taste your dip after mixing all the ingredients together, you’ll notice it’s flavorsome already. But, it does pay off to leave it in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before serving it.  
• You may not even need to add salt or pepper to your dip. Go with the less is more approach with this recipe to begin with and let the other flavors shine through. 

Keyword dips, Eggplant, Greek mezze, meltzanosalada, mezze, Smoky Eggplant

Byron

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