What is Mutabbal?
Mutabbal is a very popular Middle Eastern dish that is made with roasted eggplants, garlic, tahini (sesame paste), lemon, and a pinch of salt! It’s a very simple recipe and it’s usually served as one of the starter dishes in the Arabic Mezza. I love this smooth dip so much and usually snack on it or have it for lunch with some freshly baked pita bread. This eggplant dip looks very similar to hummus. In fact, when I was little I was a very picky eater and I would never try things like Mutabbal or Baba Ganoush because I never liked eggplants. I never even knew the difference between hummus, fattet hummus, baba ganoush or even mutabbal even though I grew up in the Middle East! Turns out I was missing out and I’m so glad that now these simple dishes are often made in our house. If you want to find more great Middle Eastern mezze recipes, check out my Middle Eastern recipe collection.
What does Mutabbal taste like?
This smoked eggplant dip is garlicky, savory and the eggplant flavor stays obvious. The texture is silky, smooth and it’s very creamy. It is much lighter than hummus and tastes completely different when compared to Baba Ganoush.
How to roast eggplant?
How to make Mutabbal?
First, you need to roast the eggplant by placing it directly over the fire on your stovetop. Roast it for about 15 minutes by turning it from side to side until it’s black and the pulp is soft and tender.
Once the eggplant is done, you need to peel off the skin, and then mash it using a fork or a potato masher.
Make the Tahini sauce by mixing the tahini paste with cold water and lemon juice. Stir until you reach a creamy and smooth consistency.
Add a splash of pomegranate molasses. This is optional but recommended!Add minced garlic, salt, and juice of a lemon, and the eggplant. Mix everything together with a spoon.
Serve in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and garnish with Summac and parsley or fresh mint leaves. Serve warm or cold with pita, naan or taboun bread.
More great eggplant recipes
Middle Eastern stuffed eggplantsVegan eggplant sandwichEggplant and chickpea curryBaba ganoushFesenjanMtabbal eggplant dipEggplant cinnamon jam
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