Fried Eggplant with Pistachio & Hemp Butter

15 Aug, 2026

A rich, flavour-packed dish with golden fried eggplant, creamy pistachio and hemp yoghurt, and a bright, herby salsa verde. The hulled hemp seeds blend beautifully into the pistachio butter, adding a lovely nutty depth and extra texture.

Serve it warm or at room temperature as a shared starter, veggie side, or part of a Mediterranean-style spread.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

📌 Ingredients

Eggplant & Pistachio Hemp Butter

2 cups shelled pistachios
2 tbsp hulled hemp seeds
½ cup Greek yoghurt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, for frying
2 large eggplants
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Salsa Verde

1 bunch mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
½ red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

📌 Directions

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spread the pistachios onto a baking tray and toast for 8–10 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
Transfer the toasted pistachios to a food processor and add the hulled hemp seeds. Blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture moves from crumbs to a paste, then into a smooth, creamy butter. This can take a little patience, but the silky result is worth it.
To make the salsa verde, combine the chopped mint, parsley, red onion, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust with extra lemon juice if you’d like more brightness. Set aside.
To make the pistachio yoghurt, whisk 2 heaped tablespoons of the pistachio hemp butter into the Greek yoghurt with a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy.
Peel strips of skin from the eggplants to create a “zebra” pattern, then slice into thick rounds, about 2cm thick.
Sprinkle the eggplant slices lightly with salt and leave for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry with paper towel.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, or until deeply golden and tender.
Transfer the fried eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt while hot.
Arrange the eggplant on a serving platter. Spoon over the pistachio yoghurt, then finish with a generous scattering of salsa verde.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving Tip

You’ll likely have extra pistachio hemp butter left over. Keep it in a clean jar in the fridge and use it on toast, stirred through yoghurt, drizzled over roasted vegetables, or added to dressings for a nutty boost.

Organic Hemp Seeds

All of our Hemp seed was grown, processed, and packaged right here in Australia.

Check Out Our Hemp Seeds