Easy Baba Ganoush
Silky, smooth and smoky. This easy Baba Ganoush recipe is delicious with pita bread or crudité as a simple, healthy snack or appetizer.
What is Baba Ganoush
Baba Ganoush (Baba Ghanoush) is a thick, creamy Middle-Eastern dip, spread or sauce made from pureed or mashed eggplant (aubergine/brinjal) flavored with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and other seasonings. It’s the perfect addition to a mezze platter and makes a fantastic vegan and gluten-free appetizer served with veggies and pita bread.
Ingredients
Full recipe and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Eggplant / Aubergine.
- Tahini.
- Garlic.
- Olive oil.
- Lemon juice.
- Parsley.
- Smoked paprika.
How to make Baba Ganoush
- Cook the eggplant: The easiest and fuss-free way to cook the eggplant is straight on the grids of an outdoor grill. This way the eggplant becomes smoky and there’s minimal clean-up necessary. You could also roast the eggplant in the oven on a baking sheet lined with foil or directly on your gas stove’s burners. The only issue with this is that as the eggplant cooks, its juices will make a mess on the stove but it’s the best alternative to an outdoor grill. The oven works well but won’t give you that delicious smoky flavor. Cook the eggplant whole, directly on the grill’s grids until charred and soft. The softer the eggplant the smoother the final texture will be. The skin will most likely start to split open, this is completely normal. Once cooked, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Make the Baba Ganoush: Scoop the cooked eggplant flesh into a blender or food processor and discard the charred skin. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Taste and stir in more salt, pepper or lemon juice if necessary
- Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl then add a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of smoked paprika and some finely chopped parsley for garnish. Serve with pita bread (or pita chips), sliced cucumber or baby carrots.
Can I make this ahead?
Baba ganoush will last covered in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure to cover it well so that the surface doesn’t dry out.
Help! My Baba Ganoush is bitter!
Eggplant can be quite bitter and unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about a very bitter eggplant. Some people advise to let the softened eggplant sit in a sieve to allow the juices to drip off before blending. My advice is to use fresh eggplant (they tend to get more bitter as they sit) and add a teaspoon of honey to the Baba Ganoush if it’s very bitter. The sweetness counteracts the bitterness and should make a big difference.
Easy dip recipes
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants / Aubergines (approximately 1kg/2lbs)
- 2 tbsp tahini paste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil to serve
- smoked paprika to serve
- chopped parsley to serve
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill until hot.
- Cook the eggplant whole, directly on the grill's grids until charred and soft, approximately 20 minutes. Turn the eggplant often to ensure even cooking.
- Once cooked, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Scoop the cooked eggplant flesh into a blender or food processor and discard the charred skin.
- Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Transfer to a serving dish then add a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of smoked paprika and some finely chopped parsley for garnish. .
- Serve with pita bread, sliced cucumber or baby carrots
Nutrition