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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)

    Published: Mar 13, 2022 by Ayeh Manfre 14 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Kashke Bademjan is a popular Persian Eggplant Dip that is easy to make. It's a perfect warm appetizer, served with Persian or Pita bread.

    Kashke Bademjan is a Persian Eggplant Dip you need to try!

    It’s a personal favourite and a very popular Persian appetizer which is always a crowd pleaser. It’s quite similar to Baba Ghanoush or Mutabal as the base also consists of mashed cooked eggplants.

    We however also add caramelized onions and a whole lot of goodies including kashk. This gives its unique tangy taste making it an absolute flavour bomb!

    If you want to try more Persian food, here are some dishes you’ll love and need to try Makaroni (Persian Spaghetti), Shirazi Salad and Persian Rice with Tahdig.

    Kashke Bademjan is actually also very easy to make. It’s great to serve as an appetizer with warm bread everyone will love!

    It can also easily be made vegan also, just leave the kashk out at the end.

    If you love eggplants like me, you must also try my Khoresh Bademjan which is a Persian Eggplant Stew

    My mama has passed down her recipe for this dish which I’ve used as the base for this recipe. I’ve also added some of my personal tips on how I like to make it 🙂

    Jump to:
    • What is Kashke Bademjan?
    • What is Kashk?
    • Ingredients to make Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)
    • Garnish Options
    • Cooking the Eggplants
    • How to make Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)
    • Tips for Persian Eggplant Dip
    • More Persian Recipes
    • More Easy Dips
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What is Kashke Bademjan?

    Kashke (or Kashk) is liquid whey and Bademjan translates to Eggplant in Persian (Farsi).

    It’s a very popular Persian eggplant dip that consists of cooked and mashed eggplants, onions, garlic, dried mind and kashk. It has a similar texture to baba ganoush and is a dip you’ll almost always find served as an appetizer at a Persian dinner party or restaurant.

    It’s usually served warm with a side of fresh Persian flat bread or pita bread... YUM

    What is Kashk?

    In simple terms, Kashk is liquid whey.  It's made by fermenting yogurt that can be found dried or in liquid form.  Boiling water is then added to dilute it and once whisked together, it will create a thick sauce like consistency.

    Kashk is popular in several Persian dishes and used in many middle eastern cuisines that adds a unique salty, tangy and creamy flavor.

    You can find it in Persian supermarkets and possibly middle eastern markets.  Kashk substitutions are also popular due to its particular taste. You can use yogurt or sour cream as an alternative that will still turn out great.

    Ingredients to make Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)

    • Eggplants are of course the star of the dish! Try and use large darker eggplants as they’re more meaty and ripe with more flavor. Traditionally they are fried for this dish, however I like to roast mine in the oven instead for a lighter and healthier option
    • Kashk is a Persian fermented yogurt/curd which is salty and gives the dish it’s unique tangy creamy flavor. It’s found in Persian supermarkets and possibly middle eastern markets. If it’s hard to find, you can substitute with sour cream or Greek yoghurt which also work great
    • Onion is sautéed with garlic for the base of the dish, and is also commonly added as garnish on top
    • Olive oil is used throughout the recipe as my preferred oil
    • Tumeric powder gives a lovely colour and flavour to the dish. You won’t need much as a little goes a long way
    • Dried mint leaves give a beautiful aroma and colour to the dish. They are a staple in many Persian recipes and are found in Persian, middle eastern and Indian supermarkets
    • Vegetable stock is added to give the dish extra flavour while it’s being cooked. You can also add water instead
    • Walnuts are added for a little crunch along with the garnish on top. I like to toast mine on the stove or oven for a few minutes to bring out the nuttiness even more


    Garnish Options

    Persians love to garnish Kashke Bademjan. You can get as fancy or as simple as you like.

    Here are some common garnish ingredients we love to add:

    • Extra kashk or (sour cream or greek yogurt)
    • Caramelized onions
    • Fried dried mint 
    • Bloomed saffron
    • Chopped walnuts

    Cooking the Eggplants

    Eggplants are one of those vegetables that don’t get enough love! I personally love them 🙂

    Traditionally, the eggplants are fried to make kashke bademjan. However, eggplants do soak up quite a lot of oil in the cooking process which means you’ll need a generous amount of oil.

    I prefer to roast the eggplants in the oven which is healthier and lighter as you don’t need much oil for this. You’ll end up with beautifully caramelized eggplants that taste amazing in this dip! My mama was a little skeptical at first but she was totally surprised with how good they still tasted!

    You can however still fry them if you prefer, that’s totally ok too!

    How to make Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)

    Time needed: 1 hour and 20 minutes.

    1. Preheat oven

      Set to 180°C/350°F

    2. Prepare eggplants

      Slice eggplants in half lengthways and cut diagonal slits into the flesh, making sure not to cut all the way through.

      Optional, salt the insides of the eggplant and let them stand for 15-20 minutes to allow them to sweat. Then dry them well with a paper towelSteps to show how to prepare eggplants for Kashke Bademjan

    3. Cook eggplants

      Drizzle with olive oil and face downwards on a baking tray with a baking sheet. This way there is no need for peeling the eggplants

      Cook for 45 minutes or until they have fully cooked and look golden brown. Remove from oven and scoop out all of the flesh with a spoon and set asideSteps to show how to cook eggplants for Kashke Bademjan

    4. Time to fry

      In a pan, sauté the onion in olive oil and once translucent add diced cloves of garlic. Add turmeric, dried mint with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté over medium heat for a few minutesTo show saute of onion, garlic, turmeric and dried mint in a pan

    5. Add ingredients and simmer

      Add the eggplant flesh, vegetable stock and chopped walnuts and mix through together. Simmer on low heat with the lid on for 15 minutesTo show adding of eggplants, vegetable stock and walnuts

    6. Add kashk

      Once most of the liquid has been absorbed, the eggplant will resemble a mash. Now add the kashk (or sour cream or Greek yoghurt). Stir through, it should be nice and creamyTo show the adding of kashke to complete the cooking of the Persian eggplant dip

    7. Serve it up

      Allow to slightly cool and serve in a bowl. Garnish with some extra kashk and additional garnish (optional). Serve with fresh Persian or pita bread and enjoy!To show garnish how Kashke Bademjan is served

    Tips for Persian Eggplant Dip

    1. Salting the eggplants are optional, but I feel this is a crucial step. Eggplants can be a little bitter so salting them for 15-20 minutes draws out that bitterness
    2. Pick larger eggplants which have a darker skin as they are more meaty
    3. Roast the eggplants face down on the baking tray. This will ensure they don’t dry out and will be nicely cooked
    4. Sauté dried mint and turmeric for a few minutes to bring out all the flavour. They can burn very quickly so ensure to add a tablespoon of olive oil at this point
    5. Slowly add boiling water if using kashk, to dilute it and whisk together to create a thick sauce consistency
    6. Use sour cream or thick Greek yogurt if you can’t find kashk, not to worry

    More Persian Recipes

    • Khoresh Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)
    • Persian Patties (Kotlet)
    • Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)
    • Persian Rice with Crispy Tahdig
    • Makaroni (Persian Spaghetti)

    More Easy Dips

    • Bread Dipping Oil
    • White Bean Dip
    • Vegan Tzatziki
    • Whipped Feta Dip
    • Gyoza Dipping Sauce

    I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip) photo on Instagram so I can share the love!

    Recipe

    Kashke Bademjan Persian Eggplant Dip with fresh mint and bread on the side
    4.79 from 19 votes

    Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)

    Kashke Bademjan is a popular Persian Eggplant Dip that is easy to make. It's a perfect warm appetizer, served with Persian or Pita bread
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 20 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Persian
    Keyword: dip, eggplant, family
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 160kcal
    Author: Ayeh
    Pin Print Rate

    Ingredients

    • 4 eggplants (1.5 kgs)
    • 1 large onion diced
    • 6 garlic cloves diced
    • 3-4 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
    • 2 tablespoon dried mint leaves
    • 1 cup vegetable stock (or water)
    • 50 g chopped walnuts
    • 3 tablespoon kashk mixture or (sour cream or greek yogurt)

      ** See notes

    Garnish (optional)

    • Extra kashk or (sour cream or greek yogurt)
    • Caramelized onions
    • Bloomed Saffron
    • Chopped walnuts

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F
    • Slice eggplants in half lengthways and cut diagonal slits into the flesh, making sure not to cut all the way through. Optional, salt the insides of the eggplant and let them stand for 15-20 minutes to allow them to sweat. Then dry them well with a paper towel
    • Drizzle with olive oil and face downwards on a baking tray with baking paper
      Cook for 45 minutes or until they have fully cooked. Remove from oven and scoop out all of the flesh with a spoon and set aside
    • In a pan, sauté the onion in olive oil and once translucent add the garlic. Add turmeric, dried mint with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes
    • Add the eggplant flesh, vegetable stock and chopped walnuts and mix through together. Simmer over low heat with the lid on for 15 minutes
    • Add the kashk mixture (refer to notes) or use sour cream or Greek yoghurt. Stir through, it should be nice and creamy
    • Allow to slightly cool and serve in a bowl. Garnish with some extra kashk and additional garnish (optional). Serve with fresh Persian or pita bread and enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • If you’re using liquid kashk which comes in a jar, it might still be quite thick like in the picture shown. Add 1-2 tablespoons of boiling water and whisk to create a thick sauce consistency
    • If you're using dry kashk, dissolve with boiling water and whisk together to create a thick sauce consistency

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sheri

      March 16, 2022 at 6:00 am

      5 stars
      So yummy! To make it vegan I used plain coconut yogurt at the end 🙂

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        March 17, 2022 at 10:22 am

        Oh lovely to hear!!!

        Reply
    2. Chetan Pangam

      March 17, 2022 at 10:15 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you loved the recipe kids enjoyed it too.. delicious

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        March 18, 2022 at 11:18 am

        Your dish looked amazing Chetan, so glad you all loved it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Shefali

      March 23, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      This eggplant dip was delicious. I added pomegranates and feta. Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        March 28, 2022 at 5:31 pm

        Oh yum love these additions! Yours looked so good 🙂

        Reply
        • Didi

          January 25, 2023 at 2:50 am

          5 stars
          Easy and delicious!
          thanks

          Reply
          • Ayeh Manfre

            January 26, 2023 at 8:49 am

            You're most welcome Didi 🙂

            Reply
    4. Sneha

      April 05, 2022 at 9:56 pm

      Delicious!!
      That was the first thing I said when I had my first bite of this dip. It turned out so well and yummy. I am happy I came across ayeh's page ♥️.Very easy to do recipes and healthy too.

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        April 07, 2022 at 10:32 am

        Yay so happy you tried this recipe and loved it Sneha 🙂 xxxx

        Reply
    5. Denissa

      May 25, 2022 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      Amazing flavors and the walnuts add the best texture. THANK YOU!!

      Reply
      • Ayeh

        May 25, 2022 at 4:37 pm

        I love the little crunch from the walnuts too! So happy you liked it dear xxx

        Reply
    6. Theresa

      August 07, 2022 at 9:59 am

      Would love to make this- can fresh mint be substituted for the dry mint?

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre

        August 12, 2022 at 9:52 pm

        Yes you can dear, you can also dry out the fresh mint leaves in the oven which will give it a better taste 🙂

        Reply

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