The Best Baba Ganoush Recipe [Video]

This is the best Baba Ganoush recipe ever! A delicious Middle Eastern eggplant dip that’s so easy to make and is perfect to serve as an appetizer.

You can easily have a feast with just a few Mediterranean recipes. Make some homemade falafel, Mujadara or Moussaka and serve with some tahini sauce and fresh Mediterranean salad and you’ll be super happy! But whatever you do, don’t forget Baba Ganoush; it’s the best!

What is Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush, also known as Baba ghanoush or baba Ghanouj is a middle eastern dip make of eggplants, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. It’s a typical mezze that’s common in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. Baba Ganoush is typically made with eggplant that’s cooked and roasted over open flames which will give it a nice smokey flavor. However, in this Baba Ganoush recipe I’m going to show you how to make Baba Ganoush using roasted eggplants since grilling eggplant isn’t always a possibility.

If you’ve never tried this amazing middle eastern eggplant dip, now it’s the time! I know we all love hummus and want to have it all the time, but hummus and Baba Ganoush go hand in hand, like salt and pepper. You haven’t had the full deal unless you have both.

What are the ingredients of Baba Ganoush?

A typical and basic baba ganoush recipe is made of the following ingredients:

• Eggplant
• Tahini
• Lemon juice
• Salt

Babab Ganoush is naturally a gluten free dip. I’ve added sumac and paprika to the recipe for more flavor and to make a super creamy Baba Ganoush, I also added a little bit of yogurt and olive oil.

How to make Baba Ganoush

Making baba ganoush is very simple. Start with roasting the eggplant in the oven for about 40 minutes. Here is a complete guide on how to roast eggplant. Once it’s cooked, peel and discard the skins and scoop out the flesh.

Add the eggplant to a bowl and mash using a fork. You can also use a food processor in this step.

Once the eggplant is mashed, add in tahini, sumac, paprika, salt, yogurt, olive oil, garlic and lemon. Blend until creamy and transfer it to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle sumac on top right before serving. You can serve Baba Ganoush cold or at room temperature.

Can I make Baba Ganoush without tahini?

Yes you can. Once the eggplants are roasted, scoop out the flesh and add it to a food processor. Add in garlic, yogurt, salt, pepper, sumac, lemon juice and olive oil. If you would like to make vegan Baba Ganoush, leave out the yogurt.

What to serve Baba Ganoush with

Baba Ganoush is a typical middle eastern appetizer which can be serve with homemade pita bread or pita chips alongside hummus, tzatziki sauce, muhammara, tabbouleh and fattoush salad. We love a good middle eastern spread of mezzes and appetizers for parties and gatherings – there is a little something for everyone.

How long does Baba Ganoush last in the fridge?

You can store this middle eastern eggplant dip in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to four days.

Can I freeze Baba Ganoush?

You can freeze this eggplant tahini dip since it contains lemon juice and that helps with the texture. To serve, once Baba Ganoush is thawed, blend it in the food processor for a few minutes so it achieves perfect consistency.

You can also roast eggplants in advance, scoop the flesh out and mash it in the food processor and freeze it. To make Baba Ganoush, let the eggplant thaw and then proceed with the recipe.

More Recipes:

• Turkish White Bean Salad

Notes and tips for making the best Baba Ganoush

• The secret to a delicious Baba Ganoush is to make it one to two days ahead of time. This will help the flavors combine better and gives this delicious Middle Eastern appetizer a better texture.
• You can find roasted eggplant in Turkish and Middle Eastern supermarkets as well. Store bought roasted eggplant will make the process of making Baba Ganoush quicker.
• For more flavor, you can add a tablespoon chopped parsley to Baba Ganoush.
• As mentioned before, Baba Ganoush is typically made with eggplant that’s cooked over open flame so it gets that nice smoky flavor. However, if you don’t have access to open flame and gas, you can simply roast the eggplant in the oven using the broiler.
• Make sure to use good quality tahini for this eggplant dip recipe. Stir the tahini well before adding it to the eggplant.