Mirza Ghasemi is a Persian dip that’s so full of flavor, it will make your taste buds dance! It’s made with smoky eggplants that have been charred to perfection with a vibrant tomato sauce and silky eggs. It makes the ideal appetizer or meal 🙂
This Persian dish is more than just a dip! It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and everyone will be asking for seconds! The signature star of the dish are the eggplants, which have been cooked over an open fire or grill, creating a smoky flavor and aroma. It's paired with a rich tomato garlic sauce and creamy eggs, that you actually can't taste.
Mirza Ghasemi is traditionally served as an appetizer as part of a mezze table alongside Persian flatbread such as my favorite barbari bread or sangak bread. However, it's also commonly served as a main dish for a busy weeknight. I love to serve it over fluffy Persian rice with crispy tahdig, the perfect combo for a yummy dinner! Surprisingly it's actually an easy dish to whip up.
Another very popular Persian eggplant dip is kashke bademjan. Whilst it's also made with eggplants, the two recipes are very unique and different in their own ways. I can't choose which one I like more haha!
Mirza Ghasemi originated in the northern region of Iran, from a province named Gilan, along the Caspian Sea. It is enjoyed all throughout Iran with of course some little changes from different families and households. My Grandma, who was a master in Persian cooking and my inspiration, would fold through the eggs like I have done in my recipe. However it's also common to see the eggs visible and simply cooked on top to reveal a sunny side up egg with a runny yolk.
Some more recipes to try from Persian cuisine are my veggie kotlet and makaroni.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this recipe
- Delicious! With smoky charred eggplants and a rich tomato sauce, it's full of flavor
- Versatile: Serve as a starter on your mezze table or as a light meal or side dish. You can enjoy it for different occasions
- Authentic: Take your taste buds on a vacation and dish up this authentic Persian recipe
- Easy Steps: That anyone can follow and make this delicious dish
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Eggplants, also known as aubergines, are the star of the show! It’s best to use black Italian eggplants which have a nice meaty texture inside and perfect for charring
- Roma tomatoes are my favorite to use for their sweetness, they are also less watery than regular tomatoes. If fresh aren't available, you can substitute with canned tomatoes
- Garlic for all my fellow garlic girls! It's yummy aromatics and flavor works so well with the smoky eggplants. If you’re not a fan of garlic, you can use a small onion instead (but generally not included)
- Eggs, I always opt for free range pasture-raised eggs. I’ve always folded the eggs through for a creamy texture that you can’t actually taste, but you can also cook them on top of the dip as a sunny side up egg
- Tomato paste / concentrate adds depth and richness to the sauce. You can use tomato puree as a substitute, just triple the quantity
- Extra virgin olive oil is always my preferred oil to use for the sautéing of ingredients. You can use butter if you prefer
- Turmeric is a warm spice, very common in Persian cuisine. Always make sure to sauté it down well at the start and add black pepper for its added joint benefits
- Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley alongside fresh mint leaves and Persian flat-bread, namely barbari bread for the ultimate Persian combination!
How to make Mirza Ghasemi
Learn how to make the delicious and full of flavor Mirza Ghasemi. Follow the simple steps below.
Prepare Eggplants
- Cook eggplants whole over a stove top burner, open grill or fire. Turn occasionally until the skin is charred and they’ve softened
- Steam eggplants in a bowl covered with cling wrap for 5 minutes
- Carefully peel off the charred skin and disregard it
- Roughly chop up eggplants and set aside
Make Mirza Ghasemi
- Saute diced garlic cloves in a pan with olive oil over a low heat. Once lightly golden, add turmeric powder, tomato paste, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes
- Add diced tomatoes to the pan. Season and cook down until they've softened over low - medium heat (approx 5 minutes)
- Add the eggplant flesh and stir to combine. Place on the lid and cook for 15 minutes
- Crack in the eggs and fold them through the mixture. Slowly stir, as you don't want it to scramble. When soft and creamy, it's ready to serve!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a charcoal barbecue, open flame, burner or grill for the best smoky char on the eggplants
- If using a stove top burner, add aluminum foil around the burner for an easy clean up from the eggplant juice and burnt skin
- Keep an eye on the eggplants and turn occasionally so they don't burn from the flames
- Ensure to remove all of the charred skin so the dish tastes smoky not burnt
- Don't over cook the eggs, they should be soft and creamy and not dry or scrambled
Storage, Reheating and Freezing
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- To reheat, gently warm it up in a pan over low heat, with a splash of water to help it steam. You can also reheat in a microwave
- You can also freeze for up to 3 months. I would suggest not adding the eggs until the day you will be eating it. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat and cook the eggs when ready
FAQs
Smoky charred eggplants, sautéed garlic in a rich tomato sauce, and eggs for the final step. The eggs can be folded through for a creamy texture, or cooked on top as sunny side up eggs
Whilst mirza ghasemi and kashke bademjan are both Persian eggplant dips, they are very different in taste
Mirza ghasemi uses charred eggplants which have a unique smoky flavor in a tomato sauce with eggs. Kashke bademjan uses roasted eggplants, caramelised onions, dried mint, and kashke which is liquid whey from fermented yogurt
You can still cook the eggplants in the oven or air fryer, please refer to the recipe card below for more information
Yes indeed! Mirza ghasemi can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best result, I would suggest not adding the eggs until you are ready to serve, so it still has a creamy texture
Yes of course! You can make vegan mirza ghasemi by simply leaving out the eggs. You can also add a vegan egg mixture or try it with silken tofu
More Easy Dips
- Bread Dipping Oil
- Olivier Salad
- Hummus
- Persian Eggplant Dip
- Cacik - Turkish Cucumber Yogurt Dip
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Gyoza Dipping Sauce
- White Bean Dip
- Greek Spicy Feta Dip
More Persian Recipes
- Persian Omelette
- Kashke Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Dip)
- Shirazi Salad
- Persian Ice Cream
- Barbari Bread (Persian Flatbread)
- Khoresh Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)
- Persian Rice with Crispy Tahdig
- Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)
- Makaroni (Persian Spaghetti)
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Mirza Ghasemi photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Mirza Ghasemi (Persian Smoky Eggplant Tomato Dip)
Ingredients
- 25oz / 700g Italian eggplants - approx 2
- 12oz / 350g medium roma tomatoes - approx 3
- 3 large eggs
- 4 garlic cloves diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Persian flatbread or rice to serve
Instructions
- Cook the eggplants whole over an open grill or fire, I've used my stove top burner. *Tip is to add aluminum foil around the burner base for easy clean upIf you don’t have a gas burner or open flame, refer to notes below for another cooking method
- Continue to turn the eggplants occasionally until the skin is charred and they’ve softened. The skin should be wrinkled and about to collapse, approximately takes 15-20 minutes
- Place the eggplants in a bowl and cover with cling wrap to allow them to steam for 5 minutesRemove the cling wrap and carefully peel off the charred skin and disregard it
- Roughly chop up the eggplant flesh and set it aside
- Whilst the eggplants are charring, saute the diced garlic cloves in a saucepan with the olive oil over a low heatOnce lightly golden, add the turmeric powder, tomato paste, a pinch of salt and black pepper and saute together for 5 minutes
- Dice the tomatoes into small cubes, and add to the pan. Season and cook down the tomatoes until they've softened, approximately 5 minutes
- Add the eggplant flesh and stir it through, then place on the lid and cook all together for 15 minutes. If it has dried out too much, you can add a splash of water if needed. It should be a thick sauce consistency
- Crack in the eggs and gently fold them in the eggplant mixture to cook through. Don’t scramble the eggs, slowly stir them, it should have a soft and creamy texture. (If you prefer, you can leave the eggs whole and serve as sunny side eggs)When the eggs have cooked to your liking, serve your delicious Mirza Ghasemi with a side of Persian flatbread or Persian rice with crispy tahdig!
Notes
- If you don't have an open flame or bbq, you can also cook the eggplants in the oven or air fryer. Leave them whole, and using a fork, poke a few holes in the eggplants
- Cook in the oven or air fryer at 180C/360F for approximately 30-40 minutes, turning them half way through. You’ll know they’re cooked when the skin is all wrinkled and about to collapse. Then repeat to the next steps
Lisa says
Does this freeze well?
Ayeh Manfre says
If freezing, I would leave the eggs out as the texture wont be the same when thawed. When ready, thaw and heat in a saucepan and crack in the eggs xxx
LENNIE GRIEGO says
I love this recipe it came out perfect.
Ayeh Manfre says
Thrilled to hear Lennie 🙂