Did you know you don’t need any meat products to make paté? Just try this vegan roasted eggplant paté with sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, and walnuts!
When most of us hear the word “paté,” we automatically think of a spread made from liver. For those of us that are trying to eat less meat, this isn’t exactly appetizing.
But did you know that paté doesn’t need to be made with liver… or with any kind of meat at all? In fact, it can refer to any savory paste made from meat OR vegetables.
And since I love plant-based dips, I decided to try this roasted eggplant paté with sun-dried tomatoes!
This chickpea-based paté is a bit like hummus, but you get sweetness from the sun-dried tomatoes and savory flavors from the roasted eggplant, carrot, and peppers. As a bonus, the walnuts are loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
I’m not the biggest fan of eggplant, but I simply love it in this recipe! So if you’re looking for a new plant-based dip recipe, definitely give this meat-free paté a try.
How to make roasted eggplant paté with sun-dried tomatoes
This recipe may look long, but don’t worry, it’s very simple to make. Just roast a few ingredients, let them cool, then throw everything in the food processor.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2: Cut the eggplant into thick slices, then quarter each slice. Transfer the eggplant pieces to a large bowl.
Step 3: Cut the carrot into thick slices, then cut the bell pepper into about 8 pieces. Add everything to the bowl with the eggplant.
Step 4: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until everything is well-coated, then transfer to a baking sheet.
Step 5: Keeping the head of garlic intact, remove the loose outer skin. Slice off the top to expose the cloves, then place the head, cut-side up, on a piece of foil.
Step 6: Drizzle the garlic with the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, then wrap it in the foil and add it to the baking sheet.
Step 7: Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until everything has softened, then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Step 8: In a food processor, combine the roasted eggplant, carrot, and bell pepper along with the chickpeas, walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Step 9: Squeeze each clove of garlic out of the skin, then add to the food processor.
Step 10: Purée the ingredients, stopping the processor and scraping down the sides a couple of times, until the paté is smooth.
You can transfer to a serving bowl to serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy!
What to eat with vegan paté
Now that your delicious dish is ready, how should you enjoy it?
The simplest option is to eat it as a dip! I like to use carrot sticks, celery sticks, or cucumber slices for a healthy, plant-based snack. If I have some carbs to spare, I’ll use tortilla chips or crackers as well.
But this recipe is also wonderful as a spread! Serve it with slices of crusty baguette or cucumber for a small snack. You could also enjoy it in place of mayonnaise on a sandwich or wrap.
Storage
This recipe is for 10 servings, so unless you’re making it for a group, you’ll probably have some leftovers.
Simply store the eggplant paté covered in the refrigerator. I recommend enjoying within 3-4 days.
Other vegan dip recipes
I love finding tasty plant-based dishes I can enjoy as a snack or appetizer. There are so many ways to incorporate amazing flavor! Here are a few more of my favorite vegan dip recipes I know you’ll enjoy:
When you’ve tried this paté, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Roasted Eggplant Paté with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 large carrot
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin — divided)
- 1 head garlic
- 15 ounces chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 12 sun-dried tomato halves (in olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (from the sun-dried tomato jar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cut the eggplant into thick slices, then quarter each slice. Transfer the eggplant pieces to a large bowl.1 large eggplant
- Cut the carrot into thick slices, then cut the bell pepper into about 8 pieces. Add everything to the bowl with the eggplant.1 large carrot, 1 medium red bell pepper
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until everything is well-coated, then transfer to a baking sheet.kosher salt, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, freshly ground black pepper
- Keeping the head of garlic intact, remove the loose outer skin. Slice off the top to expose the cloves, then place the head, cut-side up, on a piece of foil.1 head garlic
- Drizzle the garlic with the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil, then wrap it in the foil and add it to the baking sheet.1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until everything has softened, then remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- In a food processor, combine the roasted eggplant, carrot, and bell pepper along with the chickpeas, walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.1 large eggplant, 1 large carrot, 1 medium red bell pepper, kosher salt, 15 ounces chickpeas, ¼ cup walnuts, 12 sun-dried tomato halves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, freshly ground black pepper
- Squeeze each clove of garlic out of the skin, then add to the food processor.1 head garlic
- Purée the ingredients, stopping the processor and scraping down the sides a couple of times, until the paté is smooth.
The pate sounds delish. I am an eggplant lover. An easy hack for the garlic. buy already
peeled, wrap in aluminum foil with the oil and roast. simple and no mess, and lots of garlic left over for future recipes.
Hi Lindsay – Great idea! Thanks for the tip.