Baba Ganoush Recipe

Creamy, savory, smoky eggplant dip with tahini, garlic and citrus, this authentic baba ganoush recipe is a must-try! Expert tips + video.

People of the Mediterranean sure love their dips! From Greek tztaziki to hummus, muhammara, and, of course, baba ganoush! I mean, what better way to kick-start your dinner than a creamy, dreamy dip and some homemade pita to go with it?!

Im excited to share with you my familys baba ganoush recipe (smoky eggplant dip), complete with a few secrets that make all the difference!

Epic Baba Ganoush

This baba ganoush recipe is the best! It’s easy to make, too (no food processor required). You’ll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices. Recipe yields about 1 3/4 cups (enough to serve 4 to 6 as an appetizer).

Prep: 20min

Total: 55min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: Generous 1/4 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize Generous 1/4 cup, calories 248 calories, Sugar 5.6 g, Sodium 306.7 mg, Fat 22.8 g, Saturated Fat 3.3 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 11.9 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 3.3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Italian eggplants (about 2 small-to-medium eggplants*)
• 2 medium cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, more if necessary
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the eggplant and garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of smoked paprika, for garnish
• Serving suggestions: warmed or toasted pita wedges, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, etc.

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
2. Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 35 to 40 minutes (this might take longer if you are using 1 large eggplant). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind.
3. Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
4. Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant.
5. Stir in the parsley, salt and cumin. Season to taste with more salt (I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if you’d like a more tart flavor.
6. Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and smoked paprika on top. Serve with accompaniments of your choice. It’s also great on sandwiches!

Baba Ganoush Recipe

Here is how to make the best baba ganoush, the smoky, rich, and extra creamy eggplant dip, packed with flavor thanks to tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Grilling the eggplant over open flame will give you the deepest flavor. And if you have the time, allow the dip to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour. It will thicken and the flavors will meld. Be sure to watch the video and read the notes for additional tips!

Prep: 15min

Total: 35min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 86.6 kcal, Sodium 204.4 mg, Fat 5.6 g, Saturated Fat 0.8 g, Carbohydrate 8.6 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 3 g, Cholesterol 0.1 mg, unSaturated Fat 2 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 Italian eggplants or small globe eggplants
• 1/4 cup tahini paste (I used Soom tahini)
• 1 lemon, (juice of)
• 1 garlic clove, (minced)
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt, (optional)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Toasted pine nuts for garnish, (optional)

Instruction:

1. First, smoke or grill the eggplant. Turn one gas burner on medium-high. Place the eggplant directly over the flame. Using a pair of tongs, turn the eggplant every 5 minutes or so until it is tender and the skin is charred and crispy on all sides (20 minutes.) The eggplant should deflate and become super tender. supposed to. If you don’t have a gas burner you can use a grill. You can also roast the eggplant in the oven (see notes).
2. Remove the eggplant from the heat and transfer it to a large colander over a bowl. Allow it to sit and drain for a few minutes until fully cooled and all excess water has been drained (it helps if you open the eggplant up a bit and push on it with a knife or a spoon to help it release its juices).
3. Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch, peel the charred crispy skin off (it should come right off). Discard the skin and the stem (don’t worry if a few bits of the skin remain, that is just added flavor).
4. Transfer the cooked and fully drained eggplant to a bowl. Use a fork to break it down into smaller pieces. Add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, Greek yogurt (if using) salt, pepper, sumac, Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or a fork until well-combined.
5. Cover the baba ganoush and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
6. To serve, transfer the baba ganoush to a rimmed serving dish or a bowl. Top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and toasted pine nuts, if you like. Serve with pita wedges or pita chips and veggies of your choice!

Baba Ganoush

This easy baba ganoush recipe is one of my favorite healthy snacks! If I don’t eat all of it straight out of the food processor, I love to serve it with pita and veggies.

Prep: 10min

Total: 70min

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplant
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (more for serving)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Finely chopped parsley (for garnish)
• Pinch of smoked paprika
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• Pita and veggies (for serving)

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and wrap the eggplant in foil. Roast the eggplant for 50 to 60 minutes, or until it is soft and collapses to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Once cool to the touch, peel the skin from the eggplant, removing any big clumps of seeds. Place the flesh in a strainer over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
3. Place the eggplant flesh, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve with pita and veggies.

Our Favorite Baba Ganoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)

Baba ganoush is best left rustic with some texture. Because of this, simply mashing and stirring with a fork is all that’s needed. You can make this in a food processor or blender. Be careful, though. It will become much smoother. This gets even better after a day or two in the refrigerator, so this is perfect for making ahead!

Prep: 25min

Total: 1h5min

Yield: Makes approximately 6 servings

Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1/6 of the recipe, calories 116, Protein 4 g, Carbohydrate 14 g, Fiber 6 g, Sugar 7 g, Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds or 900 grams)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini, see our homemade tahini recipe
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, optional

Instruction:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and turn broiler on (high heat). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place eggplants onto the baking sheet and prick in several places using a fork. This helps steam escape while the eggplants roast. Broil eggplants 2 minutes on all sides. The skin will darken a little and begin to smell smoky, adding lots of flavor to the dip.
2. Turn broiler off, but do not remove eggplants from the oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F, and then roast eggplants until very soft; 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 10 to 15 minutes until easily handled.
3. While the eggplants roast, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and the salt in a medium bowl. Set aside so the flavors meld.
4. Split the roasted eggplants, drain excess liquid, scrape out the flesh, and add to the tahini mixture. (Discard excess liquid and skins). Mash the roasted eggplant into the tahini mixture with a fork until somewhat smooth with some texture remaining.
5. Cool to room temperature then stir in parsley and drizzle the top with olive oil. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.

Baba Ghanoush – How to Make Roasted Eggplant Dip & Spread

FAQ

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