Creamy Roasted Eggplant Dip Using a “Wrinkly” Eggplant 🍆
I hate wasting food. So when I found a wrinkly eggplant hiding at the back of my fridge, I didn’t throw it away.
So many vegetables get tossed the second they stop looking “perfect,” but this eggplant wasn’t rotten at all. It was just a little dehydrated and wrinkly. And honestly? Since it’s all going into my belly anyway, I really don’t care what it looks like on the outside.
Instead of wasting it, I turned it into one of the creamiest, most delicious dips ever.
The roasted eggplant becomes silky smooth once blended, and with cashews and nutritional yeast added in, it turns into a rich, cheesy-tasting spread that’s perfect with veggies, crackers, toast, or even tossed into pasta.
It’s one of my favorite ways to save food from the trash while making something nourishing and filling.
Creamy Roasted Eggplant Cashew Dip Recipe
Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
1/3 to 1/2 cup cashews
2 to 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 garlic clove
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Water as needed for blending
Optional:
Chili flakes
Smoked paprika
Soy sauce or tamari
Fresh herbs
Directions
1. Roast the eggplant
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score the inside with a knife. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Place it in the air fryer cut side up at 375°F for about 18 to 25 minutes, or until the inside is soft and caramelized.
2. Soak the cashews
While the eggplant cooks, soak the cashews in hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes to soften them.
3. Blend everything together
Scoop the soft eggplant flesh into a blender or food processor.
Add:
soaked cashews
nutritional yeast
garlic
lemon juice
salt and pepper
Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of water if needed to thin it out.
The nutritional yeast gives it a cheesy flavor while adding B vitamins, and the cashews add healthy fats and protein that help keep me fuller for longer.
I also love recipes like this because they remind me that food doesn’t need to look perfect to still be perfectly good.
A wrinkly eggplant became lunch instead of landfill. Tiny fridge rescue mission complete. 🌱
