Mutabbal (Smoky Eggplant & Tahini Dip)
متبل (دھوئیں دار بینگن اور تل کی ڈپ)
Mutabbal is the smoky eggplant dip on every Lebanese and Syrian mezze table. Whole eggplants are charred directly over a gas flame or grill until the skin is black and the flesh collapses, then mashed with tahini, a spoon of yogurt, garlic and lemon. The result is creamy, smoky and tangy. Anyone who has made baingan bharta already knows the most important step, roasting over the flame; mutabbal simply takes it in a cool, creamy direction.
- ⏱ Total: 35 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 20 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Prick the eggplants and char them directly over a gas flame or on a grill for 15–20 minutes, turning, until the skin is black and the flesh is completely soft.
Cool slightly, peel off the skin and leave the flesh to drain in a sieve for 10 minutes.
Mash the eggplant with a fork (not a blender) and mix in the tahini, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt.
Spread on a plate, drizzle with olive oil and scatter with pomegranate seeds and herbs. Serve with bread.
Kitchen notes
Charring over an open flame gives the smoky taste; oven-roasted eggplant is milder.
Drain the flesh well, or the dip will be watery.
Line the stove with foil before charring to make cleaning easier.
Smoke and cream
Mutabbal means “seasoned” or “spiced”, and it’s one of the essential dips of the Levantine mezze table, next to hummus. Its smoky flavour comes entirely from the way the eggplant is cooked, charred over an open flame until collapsed.
A bharta cousin
South Asian cooks will recognise the technique from baingan bharta: the same charring and peeling, the same smoky, silky flesh. Where bharta goes in a spicy, cooked direction with tomato and chillies, mutabbal stays cool and creamy with tahini, yogurt and lemon.
Choosing eggplants
Large, round, glossy eggplants with few seeds are best, the same ones used for bharta. Smaller, seedy eggplants can make the dip bitter.
Mash by hand
Mash the eggplant with a fork or pound it in a mortar rather than blending it. A blender turns it into a thin purée and loses the pleasant, slightly stringy texture. Taste at the end: add more lemon if it tastes flat, more tahini if it’s too sharp.
Serving
Serve with warm khubz, alongside hummus, tabbouleh and grilled meats like kafta. See our Turkish eggplant dishes post for more eggplant ideas.
Questions people ask
Is mutabbal the same as baba ghanoush?
Names vary by country. In Lebanon, mutabbal has tahini and yogurt, while baba ghanoush is often a tahini-free salad of eggplant with tomato, onion and pomegranate molasses. Elsewhere the names are used interchangeably.
Can I make it without tahini?
Yes. Use more yogurt and a little olive oil for a lighter, tangier dip.
How long does it keep?
2–3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 150
- Protein
- 4 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
