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Home Cuisine Middle Eastern

Mutabbal (Eggplant dip)

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By: Diana Posted: 11/9/19 Updated: 5/4/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Mutabbal is a Middle Eastern silky, lemony, garlicky, smoky, eggplant dip… Made with tahini, this eggplant dip is often confused with Baba Ganoush. This is an authentic Mutabbal recipe that you will love!

a bowl of Mutabbal eggplant dip with pomegranate seeds

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?

This is much simpler than it looks. To make mutabbal you have to roast an eggplant, mash it, add tahini sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. And voila you’re done! There are many ways to roast an eggplant:
  1. You can roast it by placing it directly over the stovetop and turning it side to side until it turns dark black and pulp is soft and tender
  2. Bake it in the oven by making holes in the eggplant using a fork, then wrap it with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes
  3. Slice your eggplant in half then place it on a baking tray and bake for 50 minutes
mtabbal-in-steps-1
Above are pictures of how to roast an eggplant on the stovetop step by step, and then adding the tahini sauce.
Roasting an eggplant over the stovetop is my favourite way to do it, because it gives the eggplant that lovely smokey taste. But keep in mind that it might get a little bit messy, as you will have to wipe clean the stovetop after you are done (which I don’t mind doing as it’s really worth it!)

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 eggplants
  • Vegan eggplant sandwich
  • Eggplant and chickpea curry
  • Baba ganoush
  • Fesenjan
  • Mtabbal eggplant dip
  • Eggplant cinnamon jam

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
5 from 7 votes
(Click stars to rate!)

Mutabbal

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Author: Diana
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6

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sumac optional

Instructions

  • First you need to roast the eggplant by placing it directly over the fire on your stove top. 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.
  • Add minced garlic, salt, and juice of a lemon, mix. Then add the Tahini sauce (which is made by mixing the tahini paste with cold water and lemon juice – unless you have used all of the juice in the previous step)
  • When serving, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and garnish with Summaq and parsley or crushed mint leaves. Serve warm or cold with pita or taboun bread.

Notes:

Roasted eggplants freeze very well and can stay in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 76kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 198mg, Potassium: 223mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 18IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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This recipe was first shared on the blog on July 11th, 2014. It was updated in November 2019 with more images and information.

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  1. Samk says

    Posted on 1/26/20 at 19:17

    Hi
    When I make mutabbal it looks more like tuna mayonnaise.
    I tried a recipe from Instagram, is there anything I can do to make it look whiter. I added 2 tbsp tahini, 2 lemons juiced, 4tbsp yoghurt, 1 clove garlic and 2 large aubergines. What am I doing wrong ?

    Reply
    • Diana says

      Posted on 1/26/20 at 19:29

      I don’t like adding yogurt to Mutabbal, but the tahini is what makes it light in colour. Have you tried following my exact recipe? Maybe add more tahini (lemon juice and water is what makes it lighter). Mix the tahini with lemon and water separately until it becomes creamy and white, and then add it to the eggplant.

      Reply
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