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 tabouli salad or 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 made of eggplants, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. It’s a typical item on a mezze platter served alongside hummus and other dips that are 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.
Baba ganoush vs hummus
Both hummus and baba ganoush are considered traditional Mediterranean dips, common to have as a mezze or appetizer at the start of a meal. Both items have a creamy texture and are usually served with warm and fresh pita bread or sometimes, pita chips. The main difference between the two Mediterranean dips is in the ingredients used to make them. While baba ganoush is mainly made of roasted eggplants, hummus is made of chickpeas. Both dips get their smoothness from tahini and olive oil. Hummus and baba ganoush pair very well with almost any middle eastern and Mediterranean dish.
Baba ganoush ingredients
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 easy as it’s one of the simplest eggplant recipes out there. Please make sure to watch our step-by-step video on how to make baba ganoush. 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, Turkish White Bean Salad and muhammara. 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. Baba ganoush stays fresh in the fridge if stored properly.
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.
Looking for more eggplant recipes?
- The best middle eastern eggplant recipe
- Eggplant caponata
- Eggplant soup
- Turkish stuffed eggplant recipe (Karniyarik)
- Persian eggplant and tomatoes (mirza ghasemi)
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.
The Best Baba Ganoush Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp sumac
- 1 lemon juice of
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and dry the eggplants. Pierce the skin with a fork and place them on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven 5 inches below the broiler and turn the broiler on.
- Broil for about 30 minutes, turn every 20 minutes so all sides are cooked and the skin is wrinkled.
- Once the eggplant is cooked, let it cool for about 10 minutes and then peel and discard the skin.
- Scoop out the flesh into a bowl and mash using a fork.
- Add in tahini, minced garlic, yogurt, salt, pepper, sumac, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well until fully combined.
- Serve cold with pita bread or pita chips.
Video
Notes
- You can use store bought roasted eggplant for this recipe.
- Baba ganoush is traditionally made with eggplant that's grilled on an open flame on barbecue or gas range. However, this recipe shows how to make baba ganoush with roasted eggplant.
Wilhelmina Wessel
I love that you roasted the eggplant, I can’t wait to give that a try!
Renee Goerger
Not only is this a delicious dip that’s easy to make and delicious to eat, but it’s also really, really fun to say!