Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Spread (Zacusca)

Name: Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Spread
Prep time: 180 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 390 min
Ingredients: 5 1/2 lbs eggplant (grilled until charred); 4 1/2 lbs capia peppers (or red bell peppers, grilled until charred); 4 1/2 lbs pimento peppers (grilled until charred); 2 lbs onions (chopped); 3 cups vegetable oil; 6 cups tomato sauce; 3 tbsp salt (or to taste); 2 tbsp black pepper (ground); 5 bay leaves

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by: Joanna Cismaru

09.17.20

Updated: 09.17.20

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Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Spread (Zacusca) – the most delicious vegetable spread. Worth the effort, this is the perfect snack or appetizer that’s extremely popular in Eastern Europe!

roasted eggplant and pepper spread in a jar with a wooden spoon inside surrounded by sliced of bread with zacusca

I am so excited to share this recipe with you – Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Spread, or as we call it in Romania, Zacusca! As a little girl, I grew up eating this vegetable spread and now it’s one of my favorite snacks. I do have to confess, as a child I used to hate it, because of course, like most children – I hated vegetables. However, as I got older, I definitely smartened up and realized what I was missing!

Although it may be a labor of love, every minute spent making this delicious recipe is worth it. Freshly roasted eggplant and a mix of capia and pimento peppers are blended together with tomato sauce and simple spices creating a boldly flavored, distinctive and exquisite vegetable spread. It truly is delicious!

a hand holding a slice of bread with roasted eggplant and pepper spread

What is Zacusca?

If you’ve never heard of this vegetable spread, let me tell you now – it’s unbelievable. Zacusca is the Romanian word, and this spread is pretty popular in Eastern Europe. There are two different types of peppers used here, capia peppers and pimento peppers! You can find these in abundance at farmers markets during the fall season.

This recipe is my mother’s, which I have modified just a tiny bit. My mom’s recipe calls for almost double the oil and double the salt I have listed. I wanted to make my recipe a bit healthier by reducing the oil and salt to see if there was a noticeable difference, and I’m proud to say there wasn’t any at all – still tastes just like my mom’s!

a few slices of baguette some with roasted eggplant and pepper spread on them on a cutting board

Get grilling

Most of the work involves roasting the veggies. You can either grill them, or use your oven. I have done both, and either works, the grilling does give them a bit of a smoky flavor, so if you like that, use your grill.

You want to grill all the eggplants and peppers until they are charred, then remove the skin and the seeds from the peppers. This is probably the most time consuming step, but once it’s done, you’re pretty much home free! All that’s left to do is to cook the spread and sterilize the jars (read the section below for a step by step how to!).

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for a list of FULL ingredients amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Eggplants – Grilled or baked until charred.
Capia Peppers – Red bell peppers work as well, grilled until charred.
Pimento Peppers – grilled until charred.
Onions – Chopped.
Vegetable Oil – You want a mild flavor oil so a vegetable oil is best, like canola or sunflower oil. I wouldn’t use olive oil because it’s too strong tasting.
Tomato Sauce – Use your preference.
Salt & Pepper – I have also cut down the salt in half from my mom’s original recipe but taste it and adjust to your taste.
Bay Leaves – For deep flavor.

detailed process shots showing 2 different options to peel roasted peppers

How to make roasted eggplant and red pepper spread (zacusca)

Prep Ingredients

Grill Eggplants: To grill the eggplants, make sure to poke holes in them with a knife, so they don’t explode! Grill them until soft and charred. They will take a good 30-45 minutes to get a nice char on them. Transfer them to a bowl and let them cool completely. Remove the peel, using a knife – if you’ve cooked them enough, the peel should come off easily. Try and get them as clean as possible with no char bits on them. Place them in a colander over a bowl and let them drain for a few minutes.
Grill the Peppers: Grill the peppers, or roast them in the oven until they are almost completely charred. Let them cool completely. There are a couple ways to remove the peel. You can either peel them under running water or place them in a bowl with about a tbsp of salt. Cover them with a lid and let them rest for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes the peel should come off quite easily. Peel them and remove all the seeds from them. Also place the peppers in a colander over a bowl and let them drain for a few minutes.
Chop: The next step you can do in small batches, depends how big your food processor is! Place some eggplant into the food processor and pulse a few times until the eggplant is finely chopped, but do not pulse it too much, you don’t want it to look like a paste. Repeat the same with the peppers.

detailed process shots showing how to peel roasted peppers and eggplants

Make the spread

Cook Onions: In a very large pot heat the oil and add the onions. Cook the onions until soft, make sure not to burn them. They should just start to change color.
Add Ingredients & Cook: Carefully add the eggplant and peppers and stir using a wooden spoon. Next, add tomato sauce, then add the salt, black pepper and bay leaves. This will require 3 hours of cooking over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally (I stirred every 10 minutes, just so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom).

In the meantime, sterilize your jars! (read below)

detailed process shots showing how to make roasted eggplant and pepper spread (zacusca)

Sterilizing your jars

The sterilizing technique here is my dad’s, so if you have another way you prefer – feel free to use it!

Wash the jars with soap in scalding water. Put jars in a water-bath canner or on a rack set in a deep pot and cover with hot water.Bring water to a boil and boil jars, covered, 15 minutes from time steam emerges from pot. Turn off the heat and let them stand in hot water.
Just before the spread is ready to be canned, place the jars (lids off) in the oven at 350F degrees for 10 minutes.
Take them out and carefully fill the jars with zacusca, leaving about an inch left from the top. Place the lid onto the rim and, using one finger to hold the lid securely, twist on the screw band until it’s tight.
Once this is done with all the jars, place them back in the oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes; after which you can turn off the oven, and let them cool in there for a few hours.

overhead shot of 9 jars filled with freshly made zacusca in a roasting pan

Double down

One thing I’d like to mention here is that the quantities listed in the recipe is what you need after the eggplants and peppers have been roasted and cleaned – not before! To get 5.5 lbs of roasted eggplant, you should double that when you purchase them, same with the peppers.

You can also cut down the recipe, the quantities provided will produce 12, 500ml jars of each. On the plus side, if you end up with more eggplant than needed, you can always use it to make my delicious eggplant salad or just simply add it all to this recipe, it is a very forgiving recipe! Also, if you have leftover roasted peppers, use them to make roasted peppers with garlic sauce, it’s to die for, or again just add it to this recipe.

overhead shot of a jar of zacusca on a cutting board surrounded by a few slices of baguette some with the spread on them

How to serve

In my house, we usually eat it on bread – just like you see in the pictures! It’s meant as a snack or an appetizer, but you can use it as a relish for meats, a sandwich spread, in pasta, or for whatever you see fit!

How to store

Zacusca is usually made in large batches – perfect for canning or jarring for preserving! You can store the spread in your pantry for your family to enjoy all year long.

Keep the jar refrigerated after opening.

3 slices of baguette on a cutting board with zacusca spread on them

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Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.