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Authentic Egyptian Moutabel Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 141 reviews

Authentic Egyptian Moutabel is a creamy, smoky eggplant dip made with roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic, and warming spices. Blended with Greek yogurt for a smooth, tangy texture and garnished with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley, this traditional Middle Eastern appetizer pairs perfectly with warm pita bread.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 6–8 cloves garlic (whole, unpeeled)
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1 lemon (or Egyptian lemon), juiced
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • Olive oil (for drizzling and topping)
  • Fresh parsley (for topping)
  • Red pepper flakes (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Slice the Eggplant: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into two halves, placing them flesh side down on a baking sheet. Add whole cloves of garlic (still in their skins) to the baking sheet.
  2. Roast the Eggplant and Garlic: Drizzle olive oil over the eggplant halves and garlic. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes to soften and cook through.
  3. Broil for Charred Skin: Remove the garlic cloves from the oven. Turn the oven setting to broil and place the eggplant back in for 5 to 10 minutes, until the skin becomes charred and puffed up, adding a smoky flavor.
  4. Peel the Garlic: While the eggplant broils, peel the garlic cloves from their skins.
  5. Remove Eggplant Skin: Allow the roasted eggplant to cool enough to handle. Using a knife and your thumb, gently peel back and remove the charred skin from the eggplant flesh.
  6. Remove Seeds: Use a spoon to scrape out and discard as many seeds as possible from the eggplant flesh to prevent any bitterness.
  7. Blend Ingredients: Transfer the eggplant flesh to a food processor. Add cumin, coriander, chili powder, lemon juice, and tahini. Blend until smooth. Add the Greek yogurt and continue blending until creamy and fully combined.
  8. Serve: Spoon the moutabel into a serving bowl. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil, sprinkle red pepper flakes and fresh parsley on top. Serve immediately with warm pita bread for dipping.

Notes

  • Use an Egyptian lemon if available for an authentic citrus flavor, otherwise regular lemon juice works well.
  • Removing the eggplant seeds helps avoid bitterness in the dip.
  • Adjust the chili powder quantity to control the heat level.
  • The Greek yogurt adds creaminess but can be substituted with dairy-free yogurt for a vegan option, although the recipe as given is not vegan.
  • This dip can be served cold or at room temperature.
  • Roasting and broiling the eggplant adds a natural smoky flavor essential to authentic moutabel.

Keywords: Egyptian moutabel, eggplant dip, roasted eggplant dip, Middle Eastern appetizer, tahini dip, baked eggplant recipe

Find it online: https://topreci.com/authentic-egyptian-moutabel-recipe/