This smoky, creamy mutabal is made with charred eggplant, tahini, yogurt, lemon, and garlic. The eggplant is broiled until deeply blackened, giving this easy Middle Eastern dip plenty of smoky flavor-no grill required.
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Mutabal is a smoky, creamy Middle Eastern eggplant dip made with charred eggplant, tahini, yogurt, lemon, and garlic. I make mine under the broiler, turning the eggplants until the skins are deeply blackened and the flesh is completely soft-an easy way to develop that signature smoky flavor without a grill or gas burner.
Serve it with warm pita and crunchy vegetables, or add it to a mezze spread with my tahini hummus and quinoa tabbouleh salad.
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Mutabal
- Deeply smoky: Broiling the eggplant until blackened creates plenty of smoky flavor without an open flame.
- Creamy and flavorful: Tahini, yogurt, lemon, and garlic balance the earthy roasted eggplant.
- Easy: Just a handful of ingredients and about 30 minutes from start to finish.
💬 What is Mutabal?
Mutabal (also spelled moutabal, mutabbal, or moutabel) is a Levantine eggplant dip made with charred eggplant, tahini, lemon, and garlic. Yogurt is also added in many versions for an extra-creamy texture.
It is traditionally served as part of a mezze spread with pita, vegetables, hummus, and other small dishes.
Mutabal Vs. Baba Ganoush
The names can vary by region and are sometimes used interchangeably, but mutabal generally refers to a creamy eggplant dip seasoned with tahini. In many Levantine traditions, baba ganoush is more like a chunky roasted eggplant salad with additional ingredients such as vegetables, herbs, and pomegranate molasses.
🍆 Ingredient Notes
- Eggplant: Use globe or Italian eggplants that feel firm and heavy with smooth, shiny skin. If you have extra eggplant, use it in my roasted vegetable bowl.
- Tahini: This gives mutabal its nutty flavor and creamy texture. Stir the tahini well before measuring since the oil naturally separates.
- Yogurt: Full-fat or 2% plain yogurt creates the creamiest texture. For a dairy-free mutabal, you can omit it or use an unsweetened dairy-free yogurt.
🔪 How To Make Mutabal
Prep eggplants: Pierce eggplants all over with a fork and place on a large baking sheet.
Place under broiler: Turn broiler to the highest setting, and place eggplants under broiler for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin turns black and the flesh is softened. Let the eggplants cool down for 10-15 minutes.
Remove skin: Use a sharp knife to remove the skin off of eggplants (this should be very easy to do at this stage).
Puree: Chop the flesh and add it to a food processor or blender. Add tahini paste, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and blend until smooth. If using cayenne, cumin, and paprika, add and blend for an additional 30 seconds.
Garnish and serve: Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with parsley and olive oil. Serve with pita or crudité.
⏲️ Tips For the Best MIddle Eastern Eggplant Dip
- Don't be afraid of the char. The eggplant skin should be deeply blackened. That char is what gives mutabal its distinctive smoky flavor.
- Cook the eggplant until it collapses. If the flesh is still firm, it needs more time.
- Drain if needed. If your roasted eggplant releases a lot of liquid after peeling, let it drain briefly before blending so your dip stays thick and creamy.
- Taste before serving. Eggplants vary in size, so adjust the lemon, garlic, and salt after blending.
Serving & Storage
Serve smoky eggplant dip at room temperature or chilled with pita bread, pita chips, cucumbers, carrots, or other raw vegetables. It also works well as part of a mezze platter with hummus and tabbouleh.
Store leftover mutabal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
🍽 More Dip Recipes
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Mutabal Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- ¼ cup full-fat or 2% yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (for garnish)
- ¼ teaspoon each: cayenne pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Pierce eggplants all over with a fork and place on a large baking sheet.
- Turn broiler to the highest setting, and place eggplants under broiler for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin turns black and the flesh is softened.
- Let the eggplants cool down for 10-15 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the skin off of eggplants (this should be very easy to do at this stage).
- Chop the flesh and add it to a food processor or blender. Add tahini paste, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and blend until smooth. If using cayenne, cumin, and paprika, add and blend for an additional 30 seconds.
- Transfer dip to a serving platter and garnish with parsley and olive oil. Serve with pita or crudité.
Nikki says
I love smoky eggplant dip but never thought to make it myself. I blackened my eggplants on my gas stove and it worked like a charm! I skipped the yogurt since I can't eat dairy. It was a great snack that my kids really liked too!
Gastronotherapy says
Hi, Nikki! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yeah, the yogurt really isn't necessary, it just makes it extra creamy. And so happy that your kids liked it, too!