Once upon a time I thought hummus and pita was the only known dip alternative to chips and salsa.
But then John’s aunt Nadia took us to an authentic Persian restaurant in San Diego where I was introduced to the wonder that is Persian Eggplant dip, also known as kashke bademjan or borani. It’s my absolute new favorite dip on the planet.
About Kashke Bademjan
Kashke bademjan is a Persian eggplant dip. In Farsi, kashke refers to a product similar to yogurt and bademjan means eggplant. The dip makes a delicious appetizer and is often served with pita, flatbread, or baguette (source).
As always, this dip is simple; even more simple – and healthy – in fact, than traditional versions.
You don’t have to fry or even roast the whole eggplant, which douses it in grease and takes time. Instead, you roast it skin on in a little bit of olive oil and the skin peels right off. Easy, easy.
While your eggplant is roasting away in the oven, take a giant onion and some garlic and do the best thing you could possibly do to: Caramelize.
Something about soft, sweet, caramelized onions turn me into a ravenous food hog. I think I could’ve just eaten the whole pan and been in complete bliss. But, thankfully I resisted the temptation.
Once your eggplant and onion are ready just transfer them to a mixing bowl and give the whole thing a mash, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
The last step is to add a dollop of Greek yogurt, which makes it uber creamy. This obviously makes it not vegan, so you could sub tahini instead. But really this dip is so creamy as is you’d hardly miss it if you went without.
Top your dip with a few remaining spoonfuls of caramelized onion and you’re done! Persian eggplant dip in a cinch at home. And can I just tell you how insanely delicious this dip is? It’s:
Creamy
Sweet
Savory
Loaded with smokey eggplant and caramelized onion
Altogether satisfying
Light
& Healthy
What more could you ask for in a dip?
This dip is traditionally served with some form of pita bread, which I highly recommend. This dip and bread were meant to be together.
You may wonder why I’m posting this dip in the middle of pumpkin and apple season. Well, the answer is it would be the perfect appetizer to take along to Thanksgiving dinners and holiday social gathers as it can be made vegan and gluten free and is absolutely sensational. Even picky eaters will love it. (Not to mention, it would be a lovely sandwich spread the day after with its creamy texture.)
Bring on the parties and social gatherings! I know what I’m bringing. Enjoy!
Creamy Eggplant & Caramelized Onion Dip (Kashke Bademjan)
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant (cut into 1/4 inch rounds // skin on)
- 2 cups onion (diced // any kind – I used yellow)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt + ground pepper
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional // omit for dairy-free)
- Pita, toasted bread, or assorted veggies for serving
Instructions
- Sprinkle your eggplant with salt on both sides and place in a colander in the sink to drain excess water. After 10 minutes, lightly rinse with water and then press dry between two towels.
- Preheat oven to high broil (or medium if you have the option) and position a rack at the top of the oven.
- Arrange eggplant rounds on a baking sheet drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 5-7 minutes, turning once or twice until eggplant is softened and golden brown. Remove from pan and let cool to the touch.
- While eggplant is roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2-3 Tbsp olive oil. Add onion and stir often until caramelized – turn heat to low if browning too quickly. Add minced garlic in the last few minutes so it doesn’t burn. Set aside.
- Peel away the skin of the eggplant (if a little is left that’s OK) and add flesh to a mixing bowl. It should be soft and tender. Add onion-garlic mixture and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- OPTIONAL: Add 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and stir once more – this makes the dip ultra creamy, but is not necessary if vegan or dairy intolerant.
- Serve immediately with pita, toasted baguette, or assorted veggies. Best when eaten fresh, but it will keep in the fridge covered for a couple of days.
Notes
*Recipe makes ~1 1/4 cups eggplant dip.
*Adapted from Family Spice
*Our version is not a traditional preparation of Kashke Bademjan. You can find a more traditional recipe here.
Jess says
I learned to make this dip from the most amazing Iranian cook in Saint Louis, MO. I have to say, please include mint and turmeric in the recipe… I cannot imagine this delicious dish without those two flavors. 😊
Sounds lovely!
Lisa says
I fry a bit of dried mint in olive oil until it’s aromatic and add it to the dip. It’s delicious!
Yum! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Angela W Broyles says
This is really good! I smoked my eggplant on my Big green egg and it came out great!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Angela! xo
Ines Kallmeyer says
This sounds delicious and easy to make! Thank you for the idea. Couldn’t you simply use vegan plain yogurt or vegan sour cream so you have the creaminess AND still be vegan? Or is there something in them that doesn’t work with the recipe?
Hi Ines! Vegan sour cream could work here!
Laura says
Tastes great. I made this for your vegetarian dinner and used it for a something different side. Served with Lavish bread.
Lucia Abuin says
It is easy and delicious!
All of my friends love it and ask for the recipe constantly
We’re so glad to hear it! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lucia! xo
Ghazal Farajzadeh says
Hi, traditional Khaske Bademjan has dried mint which is a necessary flavor component, and turmeric. Also “khask” is essentially dried whey and can be found in a Middle Eastern market , but a lot of people use yogurt/sour cream like you mentioned! Absolutely nothing wrong with this recipe, but I highly recommend the dried mint for authentic Persian flavor!
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing, Ghazal!
Mckenzie says
I think kashk is really what makes kashk e bademjan unique and delicious, it has such a distinct flavour (not at all like Greek yoghurt or sour cream). If you can’t find kashk, liquid jameed is something that’s available at a lot of Arab grocers and is very similar.
May says
Great dip. I have never successfully made anything with eggplant before, but I’m thrilled with this. My eggplant-wary husband also liked it. It’s a keeper.
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, May! Thanks so much for sharing!
Megan says
Um, delicious. Planned on making this for a while…made it and ate the whole dish by myself before dinner was served…I left no evidence behind. Planning on making more tomorrow to share, but I’m making no promises. I wonder if this would freeze well?
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Megan! We don’t think it would freeze well, but let us know if you try it.
Erin says
This is one of my favorite eggplant recipes! So simple, flavorful, and comforting. The dollop of tahini at the end really takes this over the top.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Erin! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sydney says
I added homemade cashew cream cheese instead of yogurt- it was perfect. Spiced it up a tad with cumin and smoked paprika.
Great idea, Sydney! Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
Please include a jump to recipe button. I don’t want to have to read a novel to find a recipe. I’m not buying anything, I just want a recipe FFS.
Thanks for the feedback, Melissa! We’ll take it into consideration.
Jenn says
Gosh, it’s so difficult to scroll down. I almost passed out from exhaustion. I was glad I did it, though. ;) It was totally worth it. I also added tahini – absolutely delicious.
Alex says
I made this yesterday and we LOVED it. So easy and so good. I did not add any creamy element except a little aquafaba or chickpea water I happened to have on hand. I might try tahini next time but I don’t think it’s needed.
Thank you! This will be a regular part of our meals from now on.
Jamie says
I made this and IT WAS DELICIOUS.
Thanks for sharing, Jamie!
kimberly post says
I have my eggplant soaking as we speak! I am making this for Christmas Eve appetizer. I’m thinking of adding some lemon juice or zest and some Zaatar seasoning I have. I’m going to try it each way and see which way I like the best, as per the recipe or with my own embellishments. :)
Lindsey says
I made it with plain kefir and it was delicious. Maybe slightly bland but nothing some hot sauce couldn’t fix. My only “gripe” would be that take the skin off of the eggplant slices was a pain and I felt like I wasted a lot. But overall I’d make this again! Maybe add some shiitake mushrooms and make a vegetarian “cheese” steak ?
Linda says
OMG super easy and delicious. The onions and the creaminess of the egg plant are soooo good. I actually like it as a side dish, no sour cream/yoghurt. Adding those made it instantly into a dip, also very good!!
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe, Linda!
GraceBouchard says
The only modification I made was that I left this skin on & used a mini food processor. Exactly what I hoped for. Nutritious, low on calories and delicious! Thank you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Grace!
Mulvena says
Had no yogurt; used creamy goat cheese. I’m salivating at the memory of it…
Yum!
Diane Alarcon says
This is truly a wonderful appetizer. I’m surprised it has been overlooked for so long. I use lebni to thicken, instead of yogurt. I like that it is less tangy than yogurt. Diane
Diane Alarcon says
P.S.- It is great on pizza, too! Make dough round, brush with olive oil, spread eggplant mixture, top with a little mozzarella and parmigiana.
Diane
Glad you loved it, Diane!
CL Tran says
Is it ok to use regular plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?
Yes, that should work!
Rebeca Garcia says
Delicious!
Shara says
This recipe is wonderful! If you blend it it tastes just like the kashke bademjan at the persian restaurants nearby. So addictive. I’m impressed with how well the broiling works.
I’ve brought this to parties and people love it.
For those of you who are lazy like me, you can get out of peeling the eggplant if you blend it too. I usually just drop the cooked eggplant in a mixing bowl and cut it in smaller pieces with a couple butter knives so any pieces that escape won’t be too big and then just add the other ingredients and go at it with a hand blender.
Beth says
Hello, great recipe. The caramalized onions really make the flavor. I added lemon and dill to mine and not the yogurt…yum yum yum!
Jen says
This recipe turned out deeeeeeelish! I used vegan cream cheese and it was spot on. I will totally make this again.
Larry Ugone says
I plan on using eggplant and creaming it in in the blender and using it in my pasta dishes instead of ricotta
Drew says
I made this last night and it was life changing! Thanks for the recipe. I crushed this soo hard with some pita. Ridiculously simple to make and sure to be a crowd favorite durring the upcoming colder months :)
David G says
I would have given this five stars but I found that peeling each individual eggplant slice after broiling was labor intensive and the skin didn’t come off easily. In the future I would peel the eggplants whole before slicing and baking. Also, I found the texture a little too chunky even after mashing so I put the mixture back in the oven for 10 minutes in a baking dish and then gave it a few pulses with a food processor. It’s absolutely delicious.
Shaheen Samavati says
Another option (and the way my Persian relatives do it) is to broil the entire eggplant or eggplant halves, and then peel off the skin. I do think roasting with the skin makes it taste better for some reason, but it could be in my head :-P
Shelly says
I also roast while eggplants I’m the grill and then just enjoy the deliciousness left inside. No peeling!
Milena says
I followed the recipe from A to Z. It was ok-ish. Not sure if I would make it again – the dip seemed dry and it felt like the eggplant to onion ratio was not balanced. Maybe adding more eggplants + slightly more plain Greek yogurt would help.
Mary says
Just picked some tender white eggplant from the garden and used carmalized vidalia onions. I roasted the garlic separately, a creamy deliciousness and went easy on the yogurt. Heavenly is all I can say. I threw some black olives on the side of the dip. One of the best recipes yet!
Jim says
LOVED LOVED LOVED this – thank you! I didn’t use the yogurt and just loved it. I also grilled the eggplant on the BBQ and loved the extra smokeyness that it gave.
Lisa says
I am making this tonight! I love this dip and haven’t made it for awhile!! So delish!! ❤️❤️❤️
Sevi says
This was really good. I didn’t bother peeling them, I just left the skin on and put it in a blender (but didn’t completely blend it). As I was also making hummus, there were still some leftover blended chickpeas and lemon juice in that blender, I just left them in there so they were mixed in. Really yummy! And the caramelized onions are very important in this recipe!
Candle Loop says
Wonderful cream! I love aggplant vegan cooking. I only add one level spoonful off celery seed. I´m looking for another side dish to serve with this recipe.
Barb Jackson says
Hi… cant wait to make this recipe, and the Pomegranate Chicken! so festive! Just a comment though, for some reason you print option doesnt work? “Print friendly version”…well its not friendly??? I tried on both of these, on 3 different devices….
Garden girl says
This looks great! Can it be frozen?
Donna says
Hi there!!! I hope you will reply..
Can I use vegan sour cream to replace the yogurt?
x
Thanks!
Potentially! If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Debra says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I was looking for an eggplant dip recipe without tahini, because I didn’t have any and came upon this one. I’m so glad I did. I made this for a picnic and everyone loved it! This is a keeper. I actually added a bit of cayenne to it and it gave it a nice kick with the sweetness of the onions.
Nicole says
I’m so glad I found this recipe. I made this today and all I can say is Delicious!! Thank you so much.
Jess says
This dip is so delicious that it’s almost criminal. Thank you, Dana, for changing a former eggplant hater into a bonafide eggplant lover! Between this recipe and the Vegan Queso, I’m converted. I definitely think the addition of the yogurt brings it up a notch from “really good” to “insanely tasty.” :)
Bea says
Great recipe, and it was delicious! Here’s a question for you as a food blogger. Is it really necessary to make us scroll through the whole story of who found the dish, how you got the recipe, how easy it is to make, how it’s the best thing EVER! that you’ve put in your mouth, etc., etc., etc. Is it not possible to share the recipe at the top of the page, and then for those who are interested to scroll, scroll, scroll though your story? I don’t care about all of the other stuff, I just want the recipe and the instructions. If this was a cooking show, I could understand. If that’s what you want it to be, make videos; just quit making us scroll to the bottom.
Sorry for being so blunt, and I really do want to know. I’m just frustrated as to why this is the layout on almost every food blog out there right now.
Shazia says
Amazing recipe! The caramelized onions take it to another level of yumminess :)
Janice says
I’m sure you didn’t make it correctly. Read the directions and try again. This is a wonderful dish. Among my favorite!! Thanks for the Recipe
Suz says
This sounded amazing & has tons of great reviews. So I gave it a try & all I can say is YUCK! & maybe EWW. I`ll never make this again or any version of it.
Janice says
I’m sure you didn’t make it correctly. Read the directions and try again. This is a wonderful dish. Among my favorite!! Thanks for the Recipe
Suz says
Janice, I always read the directions and i don’t know how you are “sure” i made it incorrectly unless you were in my kitchen? I’ve been cooking for over 35 years and know my way around the kitchen. I won’t waste my time or money trying this again, but thanks for your comment anyway.
Alejandra says
Delicious! Followed the recipe and couldnt be happier with the way it turned out! Thanks for sharing
Deb says
Loved it! Making more today! People really enjoyed it at dinner party. I grilled it and left the skin on didn’t salt it and no yogurt. I’m craving it right now.
Roxana says
Here in Romania we roast the whole eggplant, it will peel off quite easily. Then, we mash it and add only salt, chopped onion and olive oil. That’s it! Goes well with tomatoes and cheese! Or simple, on any type of bread. We call it eggplant salad.
Tania says
My eggplant seemed dry and it was difficult to remove the peel. Any advice? Still very good w carmelized onions! I need to spice it up a little next tho – prob add some chili oil!
Add more oil next time!
Brittney says
I made this, and it was seriously one of the most delicious dishes I have ever put in my mouth. Honestly, I was not even a huge fan of eggplant…I am now :)
So kind! Glad you liked it, Brittney!
Emily says
I always have too many eggplants and not enough recipes. I’m glad I found this one because it was super easy to make and delicious! Even my boyfriend who’s not fond of onions loved it. I added some red pepper flakes for spice too :)
So great! thanks for sharing, Emily!
Sarah says
Eggplant + caramelized onions are like two of my favorite foods, so this recipe will go right up on the meal plan for next week. Thanks for sharing!
Heather says
A nice way to simplify this recipe. Please consider adding dried mint to the onions as it adds a great amount of flavor and makes it more authentic! My husband is Persian and we make this dip all the time!
Great tip!
Stranger says
Loved the recipe and how versatile it is. Hubby is lactose intolerant so I skipped the yogurt – but added about 7 mint leaves, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and a dash of lemon and puréed it up (I could not easily remove the eggplant skins). So good!
Vanessa says
I really enjoy eggplant. I just made this last night and took care to slice the eggplant 1/4 inch. But quite a few of the slices burned black under the broiler. Do you think it’s my broil setting or should I have sliced them thicker?
sequoia says
Just made this! Sooooo good! I put it on a sandwich with hummus and vegenaise yum yum!
Karen says
This was great! My husband and I loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
alex says
Yum. You can also add a little bit of tomato sauce to expand the flavor profile.
Erin says
Made this last night but forgot the garlic. (I know!) I added a shake of a really fine garlic powder and it was still yummy. Ended up using corn chip dippers but it was still tasty.
I guess I was a bit distracted by the Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes. Also a big yum.
Kathleen W says
I have to add, I did not add the yogurt. Just the raisins.
Kathleen W says
I have been looking for an eggplant recipe like this. I enjoyed an eggplant dish once and have never seen anything close to it since. But this pretty much did it, with the addition of plumped raisins. Thanks.
Shannon C says
So simple and delicious! I halved the recipe and devoured all by myself. I hardly bothered with any dip conduits and mostly ate it up with a spoon.
bethany littleton says
So this looks damn tasty!!!! So going to make this! Thank you. Love your blog. It’s really inspiring me with my meals in my recovery from anorexia. If I wanted to make this dip like a cheesy dip could I add nutritional yeast or wouldn’t it work?
Xxx
Totally! Give it a try! Glad our recipes can be of help/inspiration to you!
Lisette says
This looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I have a question if there is any left the next day do you heat it up before you eat it or do you eat it cold?
emma says
being British, I am not sure what broil is!? Is it a grill?
am looking forward to making this. Emma
Broil is an oven setting. It’s where you put your food at the very top of the oven where it’s getting direct overhead heat!
Nava says
I just made this with my mother. :) Having it now with some roasted mint leaves as garnish. Thank you for the simple recipe, we love eggplant!
Yay! Glad you both enjoyed it, Nava!
Erica says
Dana,
This looks delicious! Already planning on making this for my family’s Mother’s Day get-together this May. Do you think vegan soy or coconut milk yogurt would taste good? I love the idea of adding yogurt to make it more creamy, but I want to keep it vegan.
Can’t wait to try it! :)
Never tried it but it’s worth a shot!
Nina says
Ask and I shall receive! I spotted this after I made the comment of it on your fesenjoob recipe!
I’m SO making this for my husbands family next week on our visit to France, they will love it :) Thank you for the recipe!!
Of course! Hope the family enjoys it, Nina!
Melissa Skot says
Hi, where can I find your fesenjan recipe?!
Mai Jeans says
Hi Dana,
In the recipe you say to add the eggplant to a colander to drain excess water. Are you slicing the eggplant, sprinkle salt, and then rising the eggplant? Could you clarify? I LOVE eggplants and I totally want to make this…like today!
Yes, I first slice the eggplant, lay it in a colander in the sink and sprinkle it generously with salt. Wait 15-30 minutes. Then I rinse the eggplant, dry it between towels and then broil it! Hope that helps!
Janine says
This is the best dip ever! I have made it four times. I actually purée the eggplant after roasting. I prefert with a bit of sour cream through it. Awesome!thanks for the recipe!
Love that idea! Thanks for sharing, Janine. So glad you enjoy this dip as much as we do!
Laura @ Family Spice says
I am so glad you liked the dip. Just one note, borani is typically made with yogurt. Persians mix yogurt with many vegetables like spinach and beets. Kashk is much more sour and has been strained of water. As most people can’t find kashk or don’t like it’s distinct flavor, they substitute it with sour cream. I hope you are able to try more Persian foods, too. It truly is a delicious culture!
Love it! Thanks Laura :D
amanda says
i’ve made this twice already and am pretty sure it’s going to be in my permanent eggplant season rotation. with or without the addition of yogurt it’s savory and caramely and perfect. i love it served as a dinner garnish to be picked up with a little veggie here or a little meat there. thanks, dana!
Yay! Love to hear it. I love this dip so much too!
Anne Griffin says
I cannot get enough of eggplant, so this is definitely going into the snack dip rotation. Looks amazing. And the photos are beautiful, especially the one of the roasted eggplant coins. Great job!
Abbie Emmons says
Oh my gosh. This looks so awesome.
pinned!
Thanks, Abbie!
Donna says
I instantly prefer this to the old Baba Ganoush (been done?!) dip…if only because of your STUNNING upgrade via caramelized onions!!..I honestly do not think you have ever provided a more visually impressive-yet-not-daunting recipe …ever!!..The layout and images are award-worthy…really.
I cannot wait to make this for the imminent Holiday soirées!!!…Already giving “Thanks”…for such an exquisite recipe!
Emma says
Roasting aubergine makes it so wonderful! I love a good baba ganoush but this dip looks healthier and probably tastier with the caramelized onions in the mix :)
Melanie says
This looks absolutely delicious! Makes me wish that I wasn’t currently without an oven so that I could try it ASAP!
thelittleloaf says
Total gorgeous creamy deliciousness!!
Tieghan says
Any dip containing caramelized onions is a good one! I love the addition of the creamy eggplant though and yeah, I think this would be awesome for Thanksgiving!
Jessica (bakecetera) says
considering i live off of hummus and/or baba ghanoush, this recipe is an amazing way to spice up (quite literally) my daily staples! yum. i can’t wait to try this out!!!
Joy //For the Love of Leaves says
Well I know what I’m buying at the farmer’s market today! This looks absolutely fabulous!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit says
I love eggplant dips! The middle eastern nations sure do know how to puree and add spice to an eggplant.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I love your simple recipes – I honestly make them all the time and this recipe is no different! It’s going right on my list :)