Forget everything you know about eggplant dips and say, “hello” to Salata de Vinete. Between popular options like Melitzanosalata and Baba Ganoush, I thought I understood what eggplant dips had to offer. Then, I was introduced to this variation as part of my latest series on how people from around the world eat eggplant. This is one recipe I really can’t wait to share with you.

The submission for Salata de Vinete comes to us from Andreea, who lives in the Transylvania area of Romania. For Andreea, Salata de Vinete is a dip that reminds her of home and her family. She shares that it’s a dip you’ll find all throughout Romania, especially as an appetizer or snack for fun gatherings and events. And Salata de Vinete is certainly a party. It’s a flavorful dip that’s then served with tons of other ingredients like feta, sliced tomatoes, bread, fresh cucumber slices, and cold cuts.

To make homemade Salata de Vinete, you’ll want to gather together some eggplant, white onion, and mayonnaise. However, Andreea strongly recommends making your own mayonnaise from scratch with eggs, lemon juice, mustard, and some olive oil. It’s definitely some extra work and requires a lot of elbow grease, but it makes all the difference in the final product. As far as the eggplant, you’ll want to char it using a grill or oven to get a smoky flavor and smooth texture. Once you remove the eggplant skin, you can mash it up and combine it with some finely chopped onions and homemade mayonnaise. Finally, mix everything until it’s nice and creamy and serve alongside all of the other ingredients.

Andreea acknowledges that Salata de Vinete feels like a cousin to Baba Ganoush, which shows the Turkish influence on Romanian food. But this dip is still distinctly all its own. It’s creamy from the mayonnaise, satisfying from the charred eggplant, and bright from the fresh lemon. Salata de Vinete is so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, while still being filling and fun. Salata de Vinete can certainly hold its own in the world of delicious eggplant dips.