Easy Eggplant Spread Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Mix first 4 ingredients. Place vegetables in a large bowl; toss with oil mixture. Transfer to a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray. Roast vegetables until softened and lightly browned, 45-50 minutes, stirring once., Transfer to a food processor; cool slightly. Add tomato paste; pulse just until blended (mixture should be chunky)., Transfer to a bowl; cool completely. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking.
• Cool slightly.
• Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper.

Steps:

• For the roasted garlic: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a ramekin, add the olive oil and garlic. Roast until the oil begins to bubble and the garlic becomes a very light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a large bowl and put half of the oil in a large pan. Reserve the rest of the oil in the ramekin for garnishing.
• For the dip: In the large pan with the garlic-infused oil, add the eggplant, onion and paprika; you may have to do this in batches. Turn to medium-high heat and cook, tossing, until all sides of the eggplant are lightly golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer everything in the pan, bits and all, to the large bowl with the awaiting garlic.
• Using a mezzaluna, chop the contents of the bowl until broken down but still a bit chunky. Sure you can do this in a food processor, but it may lose the texture if over-pulsed. You can also chop all of this on a cutting board, then scrape everything back into the large bowl. Add the parsley, yogurt and lemon zest and juice to the bowl. Stir to combine, taste and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until cool.
• If traveling with this to a swanky party, wait to garnish until just before serving at your host's place. Transfer the dip into a serving bowl, make a nice swirl with the back of a spoon and pour over the remaining garlic-infused olive oil. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve with assorted pita chips, grissini and flatbread crisps.

Steps:

• Grill 2 eggplants over medium-high heat, turning, until soft, 30 minutes. Cool, then scoop out and puree the flesh in a food processor with 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic, 5 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, and salt. Top with olive oil and parsley and serve with flatbread and vegetables.
• Per serving (does not include flatbread and vegetables for serving): Calories 247; Total Fat 21 grams; Saturated Fat 3 grams; Protein 3 grams; Total Carbohydrate 16 grams; Sugar: 7 grams; Fiber 9 grams; Cholesterol 0 milligrams; Sodium 152 milligrams

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Pierce eggplants several times with a sharp knife. Place on grill. Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until blackened all over and flesh is very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise. Scrape flesh into a colander (discard skins); let drain.
• Process tahini, lemon juice, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor until smooth. Add eggplant; process until smooth.
• Transfer mixture to a serving dish. If desired, drizzle with oil, and garnish with parsley or olives.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant cut side up on a baking sheet. Make slits in eggplant and insert garlic and thyme. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven; let stand until cool, about 20 minutes.
• Scoop flesh into a food processor. Add herbs, 2 tablespoons oil, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Pulse with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to combine. Serve with crackers or crostini.