Baba Ghanoush is a creamy, delicious Mediterranean dip perfect as an appetizer, a spread, or on top of a fresh pita. The beautifully smoky and naturally creamy dip is easier to put together than you think and is sure to be loved by all!
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Baba Ganoush may look intimidating at first glance, mostly because it contains eggplant, which can sometimes come out bitter or soupy if prepared incorrectly.
But when you master cooking with eggplant, this dish, which stars roasted or grilled eggplant, comes out creamy, smokey, and oh-so-delicious!
This Lebanese eggplant dip is often confused with hummus. They look similar and are often used similarly, but they are entirely different dishes. Once you’ve tried this Baba Ganoush, I think you’ll agree it is worth the effort.
The cooked eggplant gives this flavorful dip a natural, subtle smoky taste that it is known for, while tahini makes it creamy and slightly nutty. Fresh lemon juice and other spices add interest to each bite.
Like hummus, you can alter this recipe to fit your preferences. A little more fresh garlic here, a little less lemon or more tahini there. Maybe throw some pomegranate seeds on top. The versatility is why I’m confident you will want to make this Baba Ganoush recipe any chance you get and it’s sure to be a hit at any party.
Serve it with fresh veggies and sliced-up naan/pita bread. Or drizzle some Baba Ganoush on top of a warm pita! This dish will elevate the flavor of whatever it is added to.
If you’re making this Baba Ganoush recipe, you should also try making this Toum Recipe, a Lebanese Garlic Sauce that will be delicious with your Lebanese feast, or this 7 Spice Recipe, a great spice blend popular in Lebanon!
Cooking With Eggplant
Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first. If you have not worked much with eggplant before, that may be the most intimidating part of this recipe. Luckily, it’s not difficult.
The eggplant skin, if not cooked correctly, may add a bitter flavor to your dish, which we want to avoid. Once you remove the skin, the flesh inside is so creamy and amazing, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll want to try it again!
One way to get rid of the bitter flavor is to slice and cube your eggplant and then salt it. The salt removes moisture but it also removes the bitterness.
Allow the salted eggplant to sit for a half hour to give this process time to work.
Your second option is to remove the skin altogether. This is common for Baba Ganoush because we want to grill or roast the eggplant anyway. When you grill it or roast it, it becomes easy to separate the skin from the fleshy interior.
My other favorite eggplant recipes include Moussaka from Greece, Mangal Salad from Azerbaijan, Ratatouille from France, and this Afghan Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce.
Recipe Origins
Baba Ganoush is one of many recipes whose origin isn’t exact, but the name does give us some hints. The name in Arabic translates to “pampered daddy.” This may refer to the creamy, dreaminess of the dip that makes you feel pampered just eating it, or it may refer to a spoiled sultan who was the first to be served this dish.
Either way, it has grown in popularity. In some parts of the Middle East it is called moutabel or mutabal, the difference being the original Baba Ganoush recipes will not have tahini, whereas moutabel does. In other countries, yogurt is used instead of tahini. Honestly, all of these eggplant dip recipes are so similar they have all become synonymous.
I’ve tried it several ways and the addition of tahini is my preference, but feel free to try some alternatives.
Why Make This Recipe
- Easier Than You Think: Baba Ganoush has such a rich and creamy flavor and texture that honestly makes it feel like it was meant for royalty. But follow this easy Baba Ganoush recipe, and you’ll see you can enjoy this delicious dish from the comfort of home any time!
- Versatile Use: You can serve Baba Ganoush as a dip, as a spread or as a sauce on top of a dish. No matter how you use it it adds just the right touch of flavor.
- Taste of Bahrain: You don’t have to travel to the Middle East to enjoy the flavor of its cuisine.
What do You Need to Make This Dish
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Eggplants: You will need 2 lbs of eggplants. This was about 2 eggplants total for me.
- Tahini: Most modern recipes for Baba Ganoush use tahini, but you can also omit this for a more traditional dish.
- Garlic: Freshly chopped makes all the difference!
- Lemon Juice: I recommend freshly squeezed!
Tools
- Knife
- Baking Sheet
- Colander
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: Roast the Eggplant
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and brush each half with olive oil.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then place the eggplant on the parchment paper with the oiled side down. Roast the eggplants for about 35-40 minutes or until the skin begins to wrinkle and turn black but is not burning.
Step Two: Remove Skins and Moisture
Remove the eggplants from the oven and allow them to cool. Peel the skin away from the eggplant and discard. Drain the eggplant in a colander for a few minutes to remove all extra moisture.
Step Three: Mix
Place the eggplant in a large bowl and use a fork to mix the eggplant until it breaks down. Then add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Mix again until well combined.
Pour Baba Ganoush into a serving bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil. Top with parsley and paprika.
Serve as a dip or a spread with vegetables, sandwiches, etc. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- If you have a salad spinner, you can place your eggplant flesh in there and spin it gently. This will have the same effect of having it rest in the colander.
- Some people prefer their Baba Ganoush to be a little chunky, which mashing with a fork is great for! Your roasted eggplant should be soft enough to mush by hand. If you prefer a smoother Baba Ganoush, you can also blend it in a food processor for a few seconds. Be aware that mixing it too long in a food processor may leave you with a very thin consistency so start off with just a pulse or two.
- If you want a thicker dip, you need to extract as much moisture as possible from the eggplant. Give it time in the colander to really release moisture.
- Don’t be afraid to add plenty of salt to your eggplant. If there is any bitterness left in your eggplant the salt will help balance it out.
- My directions are for roasted eggplant, but grilled eggplant is also delicious in this recipe. Roast over an open flame until the flesh inside becomes soft (slightly shriveled) and you can see charred skin.
- Cool before serving. This is traditionally served cold or at room temperature.
- Store this delicious dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
What to Serve With Baba Ganoush
This dip, like many Middle Eastern dips, can be served in so many ways. I like to serve it as an appetizer with raw vegetables like carrot sticks and cucumbers, or with pita chips and pita wedges.
Spread it on a sandwich or a piece of crusty bread.
Mix it with a little extra creamy tahini or extra virgin olive oil and use it as a dressing for a Greek salad.
You could also top this smoked eggplant dip with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, sesame seeds, or red pepper flakes for even more flavor.
Did you enjoy this Authentic Baba Ganoush Recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
Baba Ganoush Recipe
Equipment
- Knife
- Baking Sheet
- Colander
Ingredients
- 2 lbs eggplants, about 2 eggplants total
- 2 tbsp olive oil , + more for final touches
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp parsley
- ¼ Paprika
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and brush each half with olive oil.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then place the eggplant on the parchment paper with the oiled side down. Roast the eggplants for about 35-40 minutes or until the skin begins to wrinkle and turn black but is not burning.
- Remove the eggplants from the oven and allow them to cool. Peel the skin away from the eggplant and discard. Drain the eggplant in a colander for a few minutes to remove all extra moisture.
- Place the eggplant in a large bowl and use a fork to mix the eggplant until it breaks down. Then add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Mix again until well combined.
- Pour baba ganoush into a serving bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil. Top with parsley and paprika.
- Serve as a dip or a spread with vegetables, sandwiches, etc. Enjoy!
Notes
- Eggplants: You will need 2 lbs of eggplants. This was about 2 eggplants total for me.
- Tahini: Most modern recipes for Baba Ganoush use tahini, but you can also omit this for a more traditional dish.
- Garlic: Freshly chopped makes all the difference!
- Lemon Juice: I recommend freshly squeezed!
- If you have a salad spinner, you can place your eggplant flesh in there and spin it gently. This will have the same effect of having it rest in the colander.
- Some people prefer their Baba Ganoush to be a little chunky, which mashing with a fork is great for! Your roasted eggplant should be soft enough to mush by hand.
- If you prefer a smoother Baba Ganoush, you can also blend it in a food processor for a few seconds. Be aware that mixing it too long in a food processor may leave you with a very thin consistency so start off with just a pulse or two. If you want a thicker dip, you need to extract as much moisture as possible from the eggplant. Give it time in the colander to really release moisture.
- Don’t be afraid to add plenty of salt to your eggplant. If there is any bitterness left in your eggplant the salt will help balance it out.
- My directions are for roasted eggplant, but grilled eggplant is also delicious in this recipe. Roast over an open flame until the flesh inside becomes soft (slightly shriveled) and you can see charred skin.
- Cool before serving. This is traditionally served cold or at room temperature.
- Store this delicious dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Gina says
Hi there,
I’d like to try this recipe.
Last night, we had a restaurant’s version of babaganoush. Instead of the subtly smokey taste I expected, it tasted more like Liquid Smoke!
Now, I see so many recipes online using that as an ingredient.
Is babaganoush supposed to have a smokey flavor? Perhaps from roasting the eggplant? I don’t see this element in your recipe, so I wonder.
thanks,
Lisa says
This is the best recipe I’ve found for baba ganouj yet! Thanks for sharing!
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Well this comment just made my day, Lisa! I’m so glad that you loved the recipe. Thanks for trying it out. Let me know if you cook any other dishes from the blog, I’d love to hear what you think!