Grilled Baba Ghanoush with Whole-Wheat Pita
Eggplant and red pepper are charred over high heat while a whole garlic bulb roasts gently on the cooler side of the grill. Blended with lemon, basil and olive oil, the vegetables become a smoky dip served with warm whole-wheat pita.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min*
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serving size
- 1/2 pita + 2 tbsp dip
Ingredients
- 1 whole garlic bulb (about 8 cloves)
- 2 eggplants, halved lengthwise and peeled
- 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh basil
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 rounds whole-wheat pita or other whole-grain flatbread
- Cooking spray
Method
- Lightly coat a cold grill rack with cooking spray. Heat one side of the grill to high, leaving the other side cooler.
- Slice the top from the garlic bulb, wrap it in foil and place it over the cooler side. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft.
- Grill the eggplant and bell pepper over the hot side for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until well marked and tender.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic into a food processor. Add the grilled eggplant, pepper, lemon juice, basil, olive oil and black pepper and process until smooth.
- Warm the pita briefly on the grill and serve each portion with the baba ghanoush.
Cook’s tip
Keep the garlic away from the hottest part of the grill. It needs time to soften and sweeten without burning before the eggplant and pepper are finished.
Variation
The dip can be served warm or chilled, as Mayo Clinic notes. For a platter-style starter, cut the pita into small wedges before warming.
Nutrition per serving
Values reproduced from the supplied recipe document.
- Energy
- 233 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrate
- 40 g
- of which sugars
- 11 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- of which saturates
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 150 mg
High-fiber and plant-based. Mayo Clinic also lists the recipe for DASH, diabetes, heart-healthy and kidney meal plans.