Roasted Eggplant Veggie Dip

This healthy roasted eggplant dip adapted from Food Network star Ina Garten‘s repertoire of tasty traditional European cooking recipes is perfect for serving with sliced veggies or gluten-free crackers/pita bread at your next social gathering. Plus, it’s simple, tasty, and oh-so-healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded
• 1 red onion, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes.
• Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, lemon, parsley, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
• Transfer the contents of the bowl to a baking sheet and spread evenly.
• Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the veggies to cool for about 10 minutes.
• Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse until blended but not over-mixed. You want the texture to remain thick and chunky.
• Serve with cut raw veggies, crackers, or pita chips!