This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. That means if you click on my link and buy something, I will earn a small commission from the advertiser at no additional cost to you. For more information, see our disclosure policy.
Warm Roasted Eggplant Spread is a perfect, crowd-pleasing appetizer for any year-round get together. This chunky dip is full of flavor from roasted eggplant, tomatoes, onions and garlic plus fresh herbs, spices and olive oil. Big on flavor but not complexity!
Inspired by my bountiful home garden harvest this summer, this eggplant tomato spread screams summer yet is appropriate to make all year-long.
Enjoy it warm or at room temperature as a spread/dip with toasted bread, pita chips, crackers and/or crudités. It’s a delicious part of a hot antipasto display, a chunky sandwich spread, hearty vegetarian sauce for pasta or even a base for eggs in purgatory!
If you love eggplant, be sure to try my eggplant caponata recipe which is also a great eggplant condiment but with a decidedly agrodolce (i.e., sweet and sour) slant.
This roasted eggplant dip is very similar to Moroccan zaalouk, French eggplant caviar (so named because the eggplant seeds are said to resemble fish roe), Greek melinitzata and Lebanese baba ganoush (but without the tahini) with its own Italian-inspired twists and ingredients.
Whole eggplants are roasted until tender, then their meaty flesh is scooped out (as in my eggplant polpette recipe) and combined with roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic and even hot pepper (if you choose) along with fresh basil and spices.
And, while optional, I always finish this dish off with some savory colatura di alici, an Italian fish sauce, if you will (see Ingredients below for more on this.) It adds a certain je ne sais quoi that really complements the other flavors in the dish. Mangia bene!
More Eggplant Recipes: Roasted Hasselback Eggplant, Pasta alla Norma, Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant, Fried Breaded Eggplant, Roasted Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs, Ricotta Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes and Grilled Eggplant.
Main Ingredient Notes
- Eggplant: Almost any variety of eggplant can be used successfully in this recipe. I prefer to use the large globe (a.k.a., American) eggplant here because it is the easiest from which to obtain all that eggplant pulp! When selecting eggplant, look for a slightly firm, but not hard, texture and choose an eggplant that feels heavy for its size.
- Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic: These vegetables are roasted and then smashed until chunky, contributing greatly to the delicious flavor and texture of this eggplant dip! Use any tomatoes that you have on hand and feel free to increase the amount of garlic to your liking! I even included one hot pepper from my garden in the mix which you may want to try as well!
- Basil: Fragrant fresh basil contributes an amazing sweet herbiness to the dish. If all you have is dried, then add about ½ tsp to the veggies before roasting along with the other spices. But, fresh is definitely best here!
- Olive Oil: I use a heat-friendly extra virgin olive oil to both roast the vegetables and in the final heating step of the eggplant tomato dip.
- Anchovy/Colatura di Alici: While optional, I love the umami flavor that anchovies or colatura di alici bring to this recipe–a certain je ne sais quoi, if you will. Of course, if you’re anchovy-averse, you can 100% leave them out.
- Colatura di alici is basically an aged Italian fish sauce–a rich, amber liquid that’s a close relative to the ancient Roman, fermented ingredient, garum. Made by straining anchovies and salt through boxes called terzigni over a three-year period, colatura is very similar in production to Southeast Asian fish sauces, though it has an aging process about three times longer and a distinctly different flavor. Because of the length of time that it takes to make colatura, it’s one of the more expensive ingredients available. But, a little goes a long way! The term colatura di alici translates from Italian to “anchovy drippings,” which is about as straightforward of a product description as you can get.
- This ingredient also shows up in my funky fettuccine recipe.
- Colatura di alici is basically an aged Italian fish sauce–a rich, amber liquid that’s a close relative to the ancient Roman, fermented ingredient, garum. Made by straining anchovies and salt through boxes called terzigni over a three-year period, colatura is very similar in production to Southeast Asian fish sauces, though it has an aging process about three times longer and a distinctly different flavor. Because of the length of time that it takes to make colatura, it’s one of the more expensive ingredients available. But, a little goes a long way! The term colatura di alici translates from Italian to “anchovy drippings,” which is about as straightforward of a product description as you can get.
How to Make Roasted Eggplant Spread
- Prep all ingredients. Chop the tomatoes, onions and hot pepper, if including.
- Using the tip of a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 slits in each eggplant, then place eggplants on a wire rack, set atop a sheet pan. Roast in a 375°F preheated oven until eggplants are very tender and their skin is wrinkly.
- Place tomato chunks, onion, garlic and pepper in a roasting pan. Toss with olive oil and spices. Roast along with the eggplant until the garlic and tomatoes are tender.
- Remove roasted vegetables from oven and smash them with a fork while hot, leaving some chunks and keeping all liquid.
Pro-Tip
You can make the roasted tomato mixture one to two days in advance and hold it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Once the eggplant is done cooking, let it rest until it is cool enough to handle.
Pro-Tip
Test if eggplant is done by inserting a knife through its thickest part. It shouldn’t meet with any resistance in its center.
- Then, cut off and discard its stem and slice eggplant in half. Use a large spoon to carefully scoop out and set aside all the cooked eggplant pulp.
- Lightly chop the cooked eggplant flesh and discard any excess liquid.
- Next, drizzle olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped eggplant pulp, the smashed roasted tomato mixture and half the basil and mix well. Cook briefly to heat, allowing all excess liquid to release and evaporate.
Pro-Tip
If you’re including anchovies, add them with the oil and let them cook a few minutes until they dissolve.
Or, if you’re using the colatura di alici instead, add that to the pan along with the veggie mixture.
- Once all excess liquid has evaporated, turn off the heat and fold in the remaining basil. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy warm or at room temperature. That’s it!
Make-Ahead Tip
If I have a very large amount of eggplant that I need to use up, I will sometimes roast them whole (as in the recipe below), scoop out the cooked flesh and freeze it in 1-pound portions to use down the road for either eggplant “meatballs”, eggplant soup, eggplant ragu for pasta or this eggplant tomato spread recipe. It’s actually a great idea to have this on hand and makes prep for all these recipe so much faster!
More Great Italian Antipasti
- Confit Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic
- Shrimp Fra Diavolo
- Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
- Baked Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Breadcrumbs
- Peperonata with Olives and Capers
- Zucchini Bruschetta with Lemon
- Roasted Peppers
- Bruschetta Caprese with Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato
- Baked Calamari (No Frying Required!)
- Sausage Stuffed Long Hots
- Crispy Fried Artichoke Hearts
Love dips and spreads? Check out these recipes: creamy baked spinach crab dip, baked artichoke dip (without mayo) and my favorite–baccala mantecato (whipped salt cod spread).
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost any variety of eggplant can be used successfully in this recipe. I prefer to use the large globe (a.k.a., American) eggplant here because it is the easiest from which to obtain all that eggplant pulp!
When selecting eggplant, look for a slightly firm, but not hard, texture and choose an eggplant that feels heavy for its size. If you’re able to puncture the eggplant skin, then it is too far gone.
Since we are roasting the eggplant whole and then scooping out the pulp, it is not necessary to peel the eggplant for this recipe. However, if you are wondering whether or not you should eat the skin, that is a personal choice. While eggplant skin is edible and nutrient-rich, I find it tough and sometimes bitter.
Unless you are using old eggplant that have been stored for too long, no, you do not need to salt the eggplant. I realize this may be a controversial reply, since so many people swear by salting eggplants to remove its bitterness. The reality is that, over the years, farmers have bred out much of eggplants’ signature bitterness, rendering salting unnecessary. Having said this, click here for great information about salting eggplants.
Substitutions and Variations
- Red Bell Peppers: Add to the roasting pan along with the tomatoes and they’ll contribute a delicious sweet flavor to the eggplant spread recipe.
- Make It Smoky: Fold in some smoked paprika (to taste) towards the end of the cooking process to add some smokiness to the eggplant dip’s flavor.
- Cheese: A little grated pecorino cheese folded into this mixture at the very end would make it both sharper in flavor and richer. Yum!
- Piccante: Include the optional hot pepper in the roasting pan–or 2! Or, fold in some Calabrian chili paste at the end while heating the mixture.
- Anchovy/Colatura di Alici: While optional, I love the umami flavor that anchovies or colatura di alici bring to this recipe–a certain je ne sais quoi, if you will. See the Ingredients section above for information about colatura.
- Salami/’Nduja: For a similar effect but very different flavor than the anchovy suggestion, consider sautéing and crisping up some small diced salami, pepperoni or spicy Calabrian ‘nduja sausage in the oil before adding the veggies. Any of these will add lots of flavor and richness.
- Mix-Ins:
- Fold in some freshly-squeezed lemon juice at the end for a burst of citrus and acidity.
- Add some pine nuts and raisins/currants for a touch of Sicilian-ness.
- Or, fold in some capers and olives for a more briny slant.
- Fold in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes at the end while heating the veggies for more savoriness and a stronger tomato flavor. Be sure to rehydrate the first if they weren’t stored in oil.
TOP TIPS for Roasted Eggplant Spread
- Eggplant: Any medium-to-large variety of eggplant will work for this recipe. I used 2 large globe eggplants here. Round Sicilian eggplants are also a great option.
- Make In Advance: You can roast and make both the eggplant pulp and the smashed tomato mixture up to one day in advance and hold them in the refrigerator.
- Serving: Enjoy this amazing eggplant caviar warm or at room temperature as a spread/dip with toasted bread, pita chips, crackers and/or crudités. It can be a delicious component of a hot antipasto display, a sandwich spread, sauce for pasta or even a base for eggs in purgatory.
- Storage: Freeze the eggplant caviar for up to 3 months or hold it in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Roasted Eggplant Spread (Italian Eggplant Caviar)
Equipment
- Baking Dish or Roasting Pan
Ingredients
- About 3 pounds eggplant, (See Notes.)
- About 2 pounds plum or beefsteak-style tomatoes, cored and cut into large chunks
- About 1 cup small diced yellow or red onion
- 8-10 large garlic cloves
- 1 hot pepper, any variety, rough chopped (optional)
- 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, (optional)
- ½ cup hand-torn or chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
- 2-4 chopped anchovy filets OR 2-3 tsp colatura di alici, (optional)
Instructions
- Gather and prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Arrange a rack on the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Use the convection option on your oven if you have it.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Prep the eggplant: Using the tip of a sharp knife, make 4 to 5 slits in each eggplant, then place eggplants on a wire rack, set atop a sheet pan. (You can also bake them directly on a parchment-lined sheet pan.)About 3 pounds eggplant
- Place sheet pan on lower oven rack and bake until eggplants are very tender and their skin is wrinkly. The larger the eggplants, the longer this will take. It could take anywhere from 45 to 100 minutes or so.(See Notes below for an alternative method.)Turn the eggplants over after about 30 minutes. Test if eggplant is done by inserting a knife through its thickest part; it should not meet with any resistance in its center.
- Then, place the tomato chunks, diced onion, garlic cloves and hot pepper (if including) in a baking dish or roasting pan. Toss with 4 Tbsp olive oil, salt, dried oregano, black pepper and crushed red pepper until all ingredients are coated and well-combined.About 2 pounds plum or beefsteak-style tomatoes, About 1 cup small diced yellow or red onion, 8-10 large garlic cloves, 1 hot pepper, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- Roast the veggies in the oven at the same time as the eggplant for 30 to 40 minutes or until the garlic and tomatoes are smashable with a fork. (See photo above.)
- Remove veggies from oven and smash them with a fork while hot, leaving some chunks and keeping all liquid. You should have roughly 1½ pounds (or about 3 cups) smashed tomato/vegetable mixture. NOTE: You can make this one to two days in advance and hold it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Once the eggplant is done cooking, let it rest until it is cool enough to handle. Then, cut off and discard its stem and slice eggplant in half. Use a large spoon to carefully scoop out and set aside all the cooked eggplant pulp. Discard eggplant skins. You should have roughly 1¾ pounds (or about 3 cups) cooked eggplant pulp. NOTE: You can roast the eggplant and prep the pulp one to two days in advance and hold it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Lightly chop the cooked eggplant flesh and discard any excess liquid.
- Next, drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. If you’re including anchovies, add them at this point and cook a few minutes until they dissolve. (Or, if you’re using the colatura di alici instead, add that with the next step.)2-4 chopped anchovy filets OR 2-3 tsp colatura di alici
- Then, add the chopped eggplant pulp, the smashed roasted tomato mixture and half the basil and mix well. Cook briefly to heat, allowing all excess liquid to release and evaporate. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper at this point, if necessary.
- Once all excess liquid has evaporated, turn off the heat and fold in the remaining basil. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy warm or at room temperature as a spread/dip with bread, crackers and/or crudités. It can be a delicious component of a hot antipasto display, a sandwich spread, sauce for pasta or even abase for eggs in purgatory.And, feel free to drizzle a bit of high-quality olive oil on it before serving. Buon Appetito!
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes about 6 cups, which is a fairly large amount. You can easily cut the recipe in half for a smaller yield.
- And, also keep in mind that the spread can be frozen for up to 3 months or held in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator and enjoy it either heated up or at room temperature. Or toss some with pasta and lots of grated cheese!
- Any medium-to-large variety of eggplant will work for this recipe. I used 2 large globe eggplants here. Round Sicilian eggplants are also a great option.
- If you’re sensitive to eggplant seeds, remove those as best as possible after cooking the eggplant. They don’t bother most people, but some (older) eggplants have more (and larger) seeds than others, and they often do not break down. The round and smaller eggplant varieties have fewer seeds.
- I prefer to roast the eggplant whole until soft, then scoop out the pulp because it is the easiest and least messy way to do so. But, there are other ways that you can achieve the same result, such as peeling, cubing and roasting large pieces of eggplant, or blanching large pieces of peeled eggplant in boiling water. Whichever you decide to do, be sure that you have strained and “pulpy” eggplant as the starting point for the spread.
- The hot pepper in the roasting pan with the other veggies is completely optional. Including the seeds or not is also optional and up to you. More seeds means more heat, fyi.
- Make In Advance: You can roast and make both the eggplant pulp and the smashed tomato mixture one to two days in advance and hold them in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Note that you will likely have to drain the eggplant pulp if it’s been sitting for a while or refrigerated.
love soup?
Get My Cookbook!
Ditch the dish and embrace the bowl with Soupified: Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes!
Available in ebook, paperback and hardcover.
I’ve been making this recipe on repeat all summer with no regrets. A crowd pleaser, for sure!