This sweet and savory eggplant dip goes well with so many different things. It’s filled with aromatic flavors like garlic, onions, and tomatoes, and it gets cooked by simmering on the stove for a long time.
The secret method:
Most eggplant dips are started by roasting the eggplant and then adding it to a blender with a whole bunch of ingredients. The recipes all look delicious, but my problem was whenever I tried roasting the eggplant it came out dry, hard, and flavorless. It just wasn’t working for me.
One day I had some extra eggplant that I didn’t know what to do with, and I just started cutting it into really small pieces. That reminded me of when I chop vegetables to sauté them, and that’s when the idea of making eggplant dip on the stove popped into my head! I thought of a few ingredients that might go well with the eggplant and decided to give it a try.
eggplant dip Ingredients List:
- Olive oil
- Eggplant
- Onions
- Garlic
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Maple syrup
- Salt
- Pepper
Use a sweetener to cut through the bitterness of the eggplant:
As I was making this the first time, I tasted it and noticed it was a little bit bitter from the eggplant. I racked my brain for a solution, and I remembered a recipe that Gordon Ramsey was making with eggplant where he said to use maple syrup. I did that and it changed the dish and made it delicious. It’s become the “secret ingredient.”
Low, Slow, and Patient is the Key!
What makes this dip so flavorful and soft is being patient while cooking it. Constantly mixing it and adjusting the flame allows for even cooking. Simmering it covered for a long time is also really important when trying to get the right flavor and texture.
Variations and substitutes:
- Using fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes.
- Using honey or sugar instead of maple syrup.
- Using shallots instead of onions.
- Adding any spices you like.
This eggplant dip goes with literally ANYTHING!
Having this dip in the fridge is awesome because it can add a great dimension to any meal. Some of the ways to enjoy it are:
- Dipping it into one of our challah recipes: Easy and delicious challah, soft and fluffy challah rolls, or honey whole wheat rolls.
- Adding it as a vegetable side dish to a meal with protein and rice.
- Adding it to pasta and topping it with cheese.
- Making a sandwich with chummus and deli, or anything else you might like to have in your sandwich.
Sweet and Savory Eggplant Dip
Ingredients
- 1 big eggplant diced into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to your preference)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium-sized onion, diced
- 2 big cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (add more if you'd like it sweeter)
- 1 can can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
- 1 can can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil a big skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Mix well until the onions soften and are slightly browned. Add the salt, pepper, and garlic. Mix everything really well.
- Add the eggplant and mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes, mixing it occasionally, until the eggplant has softened a little bit.
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and mix well.
- Add the maple syrup and mix well.
- Bring everything to a boil while mixing well and then lower the heat to a very low flame. Cover and cook for 40 minutes or until the mixture is thick and the eggplant is soft. Adjust the cooking time to your preference of texture.
- Allow to cool completely and then transfer to a container or serving dish.
What size cans of Tomatoes for diced and sauces did you use? Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks for pointing this out, we just updated it:
15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
15 oz. can of tomato sauce.
Enjoy!