45 Minuten
15 Minuten
In the mood for something new? Then give this mutabal recipe a try. It’s super quick to make, requires only a few ingredients and tastes heavenly as a dip with flatbread, falafel or even as a spread.
The best part: You won’t even notice that this cream is actually a real vegetable bomb. Especially if eggplants tend to sit around in your kitchen, this recipe is incredibly practical – I have NEVER eaten an eggplant faster.
Nutritional values per serving
Instructions
Wash and dry the eggplant, cut off the stem and slice it lengthwise into two halves. Lightly brush all sides with rapeseed oil and place it cut-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Place the tray in the oven and roast the eggplant at 200 °C (top/bottom heat) on a relatively high rack. You don’t need to preheat the oven – this saves energy.
Tip: If you prefer a smoky flavor, you can also roast the eggplant directly on the grill.
After about 30–45 minutes, when the skin develops dark spots or turns black, the eggplant is ready. Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool slightly.
Remove the skin from the eggplant (it is not eaten) and place the flesh in a high-speed blender.
Add all remaining ingredients to the blender and blend thoroughly until smooth and creamy.
Season your eggplant dip with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste and serve in a nice bowl.
It pairs perfectly with Arabic flatbread, vegetable sticks or falafel.
Recipe Note
Mutabal has many names – depending on the region and culture, this eggplant-yogurt dip is also known as Muttabal, Mtabal, Mutabbal or Moutabal. Many names, one dish: a creamy dip that delights not only eggplant fans and is a must-have on any mezze platter.
What Does Mutabal Pair With?
This eggplant cream is very versatile. It goes particularly well with:
- Flatbread or pita
- Falafel and mezze platters
- Bowls with legumes or roasted vegetables
- Grilled vegetables
- Vegan wraps
It’s also delicious as a creamy spread or dip for vegetable sticks.
I personally love preparing it as part of a buffet alongside other dips like hummus, finger food and spreads. That way, everyone can take exactly what they like – and even skeptics can cautiously give the dip a try.
Mutabal vs. Baba Ganoush
When we hear eggplant dip, we often first think of baba ganoush. And this dip does resemble the classic. But mutabal is actually not just another name for baba ganoush or a lesser-known variation – it’s its own dish. Here are the differences between the two eggplant creams:
Mutabal:
- Ingredients: Base of roasted eggplant, yogurt and tahini, with a focus on tahini
- Flavor: Nutty and slightly sweet-sour, somewhat smoky
- Texture: Very creamy and smooth
- Origin: Levant / Arab cuisine
Baba Ganoush:
- Ingredients: Base of roasted eggplant with little tahini, focus on the eggplant
- Flavor: Smoky and fresh
- Texture: Chunky and airy
- Origin: Levant / Mediterranean region
The two dips therefore have different histories and backgrounds. Which recipe suits you better? Find out:
If you like it creamy & nutty → Mutabal
If you like it smoky & fresh → Baba Ganoush
Substitution Table
How often do we want to recreate a recipe but are missing certain ingredients or don’t like specific components? Here’s a substitution table so you can adapt the recipe to your taste! Simply swap ingredients as you like:
- Rapeseed oil → Sunflower oil
- Lemon juice → Lemon juice concentrate (use less)
- Soy yogurt → Another plant-based yogurt of your choice (unsweetened!)
- Olive oil → Rapeseed oil
- Eggplant → Unfortunately, eggplant cannot be replaced – mutabal and eggplant simply belong together. But you might still like this dip even if you’re not usually a fan – the eggplant flavor is not overpowering here.
Our mutabal dip is vegan, but of course you can use animal-based ingredients if you prefer!
