Roasted Vegetable (Sweet Potato, Eggplant & Tomato) Spread or Dip Recipe

As the clock flicks past midnight tonight, summer officially turns to fall. To get myself in the proper frame of mind for this autumnal arrival, this morning I slid a baking sheet full of root and other vegetables into the oven. Sweet potatoes (or yams, as your grocery store may call them), eggplants, tomatoes, a red bell pepper, and green onions slowly roasted until they were soft. The sweet vegetable aroma curled out of my oven as in a cartoon and filled my senses with every breath. From there, I scooped the soft vegetables into a food processor and pureed them with lemon zest and juice, and fresh mint leaves. While I originally intended to serve this just as a spread or dip, I will be using the leftovers to swipe across a tortilla for an unusual, earthy sandwich wrap.

With enough vegetables to keep the doctor away and only a scant portion of olive oil, this spread is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and healthy fats. The combination of sweet, tart, and herbal flavors makes for a very satisfying appetizer when the mixture is spread on crackers or toasted pieces of baguette.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut red-skinned sweet potatoes (or yams), eggplants, tomatoes, and a red bell pepper into 1-inch chunks. This pretty little eggplant was from my garden, but any type of eggplant will do. Cut several green onions into 3-inch lengths. Place all of the vegetables in a single layer on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast the vegetables until soft, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Place the roasted vegetables, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and fresh mint leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the spread to a serving dish and serve at room temperature with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

Other vegetable dip or spread recipes:

Cookin’ Canuck’s Artichoke Hazelnut Pesto Spread/Dip
Recipe Girl’s Vegetable Goat Cheese Spread
A Veggie Venture’s Baba Ganoush (Middle Eastern Eggplant Spread)
Acquired Flavor’s Vegetable Pate

Roasted Vegetable Spread or Dip

1 3/4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (or yams)
8 oz. eggplant (any variety)
1 red bell pepper
2 medium tomatoes
4 green onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
10 large fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted baguette slices or crackers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut red-skinned sweet potatoes (or yams), eggplants, tomatoes, and red bell pepper into 1-inch chunks. Cut green onions into 3-inch lengths. Place all of the vegetables in a single layer on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Roast the vegetables until soft, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Place the roasted vegetables, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and fresh mint leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the spread to a serving dish and serve at room temperature with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

Makes about 3 cups spread.

Printable recipe

Tagged as: Dip, eggplant, roasted, spread, sweet potato, tomato, vegetable, vegetarian