Whipped Eggplant Dip (Inspired by Elephante)
If you’ve ever had the whipped eggplant dip at Elephante, you know how insanely smooth and creamy it is. It’s light but still rich, with that perfect balance of roasted eggplant, garlic, lemon, and tahini. I became obsessed with recreating something similar at home, and this version gets incredibly close with just a few simple ingredients.
The eggplant roasts until completely soft and jammy, the garlic turns sweet and caramelized, and everything gets blended together until silky. The final dip is airy, creamy, and packed with flavor. I love serving it with warm bread, but my favorite way to eat it is with pieces of pizza dough brushed with olive oil and baked until golden and bubbly.
This is one of those dips that looks simple but tastes restaurant-level.
Roasting the Eggplant and Garlic
Everything starts with roasting the eggplant and a whole head of garlic. This step is what builds the flavor of the dip.
Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise and place them on a baking sheet. Score the eggplant and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then place them cut side down on the tray so the flesh steams and softens inside the skin. This helps the eggplant collapse and become really tender, which is exactly what you want for blending.
Cut the top off a whole head of garlic so the cloves are exposed, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt, cover with foil or in a baking tin and roast it right alongside the eggplant.
Bake everything at 375°F until the eggplant is completely soft and caramelized.
A few things to look for:
- The eggplant should feel very soft when pressed
- The skin will look wrinkled and slightly collapsed
- The flesh should scoop out easily with a spoon
The garlic should also be soft and caramelized, but sometimes it takes a little longer. If the cloves still feel firm, just leave the garlic in the oven for about 10 extra minutes until the cloves are completely soft.
Once everything cools slightly, scoop the eggplant flesh out of the skins and squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
Blending the Dip
Now everything comes together in a food processor.
Add the roasted eggplant and garlic along with tahini, crème fraîche, lemon juice, salt, and just a small pinch of sugar. The sugar doesn’t make the dip sweet, it simply balances the acidity from the lemon and tahini.
Blend everything until completely smooth.
Then, with the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. This step helps emulsify the dip and gives it that light, whipped texture that makes it so addictive.
As it blends, you’ll notice the dip becoming lighter, silkier, and almost fluffy.
Taste and adjust as needed. Sometimes a little extra lemon juice or pinch of salt is all it needs.
Optional Step for an Ultra Smooth Texture
If you want the dip to be incredibly smooth, there’s one extra step that makes a big difference.
After blending, push the dip through a fine mesh sieve using a spatula. This removes any remaining fibers from the eggplant and creates an ultra silky consistency that feels almost restaurant-level.
This step is completely optional, but it’s worth it if you want that super smooth whipped texture.
What to Serve With It
This dip is incredibly versatile and pairs well with so many things.
Some of my favorite options:
- Warm pita bread
- Lavash or flatbread
- Grilled sourdough
- Fresh vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and radishes
But my favorite way to serve it is with pizza dough baked with olive oil.
Just stretch some pizza dough, brush it with olive oil, and bake it until golden and bubbly. Tear it into pieces and use it to scoop up the dip. The crispy edges and chewy center make it perfect for dipping.
Make Ahead Tip
This dip actually tastes even better after sitting for a little while.
You can make it a few hours ahead and store it in the fridge. The flavors will deepen and meld together. When you’re ready to serve it, just give it a stir and finish with a fresh drizzle of olive oil.
Craving More Dips? Try These Recipes Out!
If you make this recipe, make sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out — I love hearing from you! And if you snap a photo, don’t forget to tag me over on Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations too.
You can also find this recipe and so many more on my Pinterest — perfect for saving to your board for later. And if you’re more of a visual learner, check out my YouTube channel, where I walk you through recipes step-by-step just like this one.
Ingredients
ROASTED EGGPLANT AND GARLIC
- 3 medium or 2 large eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 whole head garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Pinch of salt
FOR THE DIP
- ⅓ cup crème fraîche
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt, more to to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
FOR SERVING
- Warm pita bread or toasted flatbread
- Flakey sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise and score them across diagonally. Place them cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Slice the top off the whole head of garlic to expose the cloves. Place it on the tray or wrap loosely in foil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Roast the eggplant and garlic together for about 40 minutes, flipping the eggplant over halfway. When the eggplant is completely soft and collapsed and the garlic is golden and caramelized, it's done. The garlic may need about 10 to 15 extra minutes if the cloves are still firm.
- Let everything cool slightly. Scoop the eggplant flesh out of the skins and transfer it to a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and add them in as well.
- Add the crème fraîche, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Blend until completely smooth.
- With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until the dip becomes silky, whipped, and airy.
- For an extra smooth consistency, you can optionally strain the dip through a fine mesh sieve after blending.
- Transfer to a bowl and finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper before serving. Serve with warm pita bread or toasted flatbread.
Tips & Notes
Q: Can I make this without crème fraîche?
A: Yes. You can swap it with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Greek yogurt keeps it lighter while sour cream will give it a similar richness.
Q: Do I have to roast the garlic?
A: Roasting the garlic is highly recommended because it becomes sweet, soft, and mellow, which blends perfectly into the dip. Raw garlic would be much sharper and overpower the eggplant.
Q: My garlic isn’t soft after 40 minutes. What should I do?
A: Garlic sometimes needs an extra 10 to 15 minutes in the oven depending on the size of the head. The cloves should be very soft and easily squeeze out of the skins.
Q: How do I make the dip extra smooth?
A: After blending, you can push the dip through a fine mesh sieve for an ultra silky consistency. This step is optional but makes the texture incredibly smooth.
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
A: Yes. This dip actually tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge once the flavors meld together. Just give it a stir and drizzle with olive oil before serving.
Q: What should I serve this with?
A: Warm pita bread or toasted flatbread are great options. I also love serving it with pizza dough that’s baked with a little olive oil until golden and bubbly, then torn into pieces for dipping. It’s also great with grilled sourdough or fresh vegetables like cucumbers and carrots.
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HI, I’M HAJAR
Welcome to Moribyan! This is my blog where I love to share all my favorite recipes and lifestyle tips with you all. If I’m not cooking here, I’m either at Trader Joe’s, the gym, or eating a bagel.
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