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5 from 4 votes

Melitzanosalata Recipe (Greek Eggplant Dip)

Melitzanosalata is a Greek eggplant dip that's made with eggplant, garlic and lemon juice. You can serve this eggplant appetizer as a part of a mezze platter with some pita. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 65kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Italian eggplants about 1 ½ lb
  • ½ white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Wash and dry the eggplant.
  • Turn on the gas range to medium high heat.
  • Place the eggplant on the range and char on one side until the skin is burned and the flesh starts getting soft.
  • Turn and char on the other sides until the skin is burned on all sides, the eggplant is cooked and the flesh is completely soft. This would take about 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Place the eggplants in a bowl and let them cool a bit. Open them up using a knife and scoop out the flesh into a strainer placed on a bowl.
  • Squeeze the eggplant in the strainer and let it sit for 30 minutes so it releases liquid.
  • Meanwhile, grate the onion and squeeze it hard. Discard the excess liquid.
  • Transfer the eggplant from the strainer to a bowl and discard the liquid from the eggplant.
  • To the eggplant, add grated onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well.
  • Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Serve cold with pita or crusty bread.

Video

Notes

  • Like traditional Greek salad, this Greek eggplant salad also uses quality fresh ingredients. Make sure you're using eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size. A good eggplant should not have any brown soft spots on its skin. 
  • Using quality olive oil is very important in this recipe. Invest in a good olive oil and use a light splash to give this dip an ideal flavor profile. 
  • Once you transfer the eggplant flesh to a strainer, let it sit for 30 minutes so it releases its extra liquid. Discard the liquid as it's bitter and has no use. 
  • If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use ½ teaspoon garlic powder in this recipe. 
  • Sometimes it's easier to scoop out the eggplant flesh instead of peeling the skin.

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg