If you’ve been looking for the perfect baba ganoush recipe, your search ends here. This popular Mediterranean dip is made by mashing eggplant with simple seasonings like lemon juice, tahini and garlic. For my version I’ve amped up the flavors with a few simple tweaks.
If you are all about creamy Mediterranean meze dips like vegan labneh and black bean hummus, this savory and creamy baba ganoush recipe will make you fall in love!
It’s the perfect appetizer to serve to your guests, and the perfect snack to cozy up with on the couch and your favorite TV show. It’s also immensely healthy, as so many Mediterranean recipes are, and it’s very easy to make.
What is baba ganoush?
Baba ganoush or baba ghanouj is a creamy, savory, roasted eggplant dip from Middle Eastern cuisine. Versions of it across the region, with small variations, are called mutabbal, babaganuş, melitzanosalata, salata de vinete and salat ḥatzilim.
The most basic version of baba ganoush is made by smashing eggplant, which turns miraculously creamy in texture when roasted, with lemon, garlic, tahini and salt.
Baba ganoush is naturally vegan (some versions do include yogurt) and it is the perfect appetizer to scoop up with a wedge of pita bread or a crispy pita chip, or with vegetable crudités.
Why you will love this recipe
- Simple recipe with bold flavors. Eggplant has wonderful flavor of its own, so you don’t need a whole lot of ingredients to dress it up. In my baba ganoush recipe, in addition to the lemon, tahini and garlic, I add oregano, paprika and jalapeno pepper for more smoky flavor.
- Easy to make. The only step in a baba ghanouj recipe that can take a bit of skill is roasting the eggplant over an open flame so it’s charred on the outside and perfectly cooked through. You can do this on the gas stove or over a hot grill if you want to, but it requires more hands-on time and may not be so easy for an inexperienced cook. For my recipe you just place the halved eggplants in a hot oven where they roast to tender, velvet perfection.
- Meal-prep friendly. You can make baba ghanoush up to six days ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to two months. If the liquid separates a bit after freezing, give it a quick turn in the food processor to return it to the correct consistency.
- Versatile. Baba ganoush works great as an appetizer or snack dip, but you can also use it as a spread for sandwiches and wraps, and you can serve it as a side dish with any main dish.
- Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan. This is a recipe for all diets, and everyone will love it too.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Italian eggplants or globe eggplants. Eggplants are the star ingredient in this recipe, so be sure to carefully pick eggplants with a shiny, purple skin and no brown spots. The eggplant should feel heavy for its size when you hold it in your hand.
- Herbs: garlic, dried oregano and fresh parsley. Garlic and oregano add a pop of flavor, and the fresh parsley makes for a great garnish.
- Spices: Jalapeno peppers, paprika and sumac (optional). The peppers and paprika add smokiness, and the sumac, a deep pink spice, adds wonderful citrusy flavor. You can skip it if you don’t have it.
- Lemon. You can also use a lime instead to add some lovely tang.
- Tahini. Tahini, a paste of sesame seeds often used in Mediterranean cuisine, adds wonderful creaminess to this baba ganoush recipe.
How to make baba ganoush
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and then brushing it with olive oil. Halve each eggplant lengthwise.
Use a sharp knife to score each eggplant. Don’t go all the way through–the cut needs to be no more than ½ an inch deep.
Place the eggplant halves on the oiled, foil-lined baking sheet and roast in a preheated 425-degree Fahrenheit/220-degree Celsius oven for 35-40 minutes or until the skins are wrinkly and a knife through the thickest part of the eggplant goes cleanly through.
Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the eggplants. It should come out cleanly and should be butter-soft.
Place the eggplant flesh in the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. You can also do this in a bowl, without a food processor. Just use a fork to mash all ingredients together. Roasted eggplant mashes very easily and becomes very creamy.
Process until fairly smooth and creamy but still somewhat textured. You don’t want a paste. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and parsley. You can also top the baba ganoush with chopped olives, pomegranate seeds, paprika, sumac or za’atar before serving.
Pro tips
- If you decide to roast the eggplant over an open stovetop flame, keep the eggplant whole and don’t apply any oil. Use a pair of tongs to turn the eggplant until the skin has charred on all sides (a process similar to roasting the eggplants for baingan bharta, an Indian mashed eggplant dish). Be sure to keep your vent fan or hood turned on when you do this. Let the roasted eggplant rest a few minutes in a covered bowl before cutting in half and scooping out the flesh.
- My friend Margo, an Armenian who was born in Lebanon, gave me this valuable tip: she mashes up the skins of the roasted eggplants as well for baba ghanoush if the eggplants happen to be young and fresh, with tender skin. It’s a great idea because eggplant skins contain a valuable pigment called anthocyanin, with antidiabetic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-obesity properties. Anthocyanins are not present in the white eggplant flesh so when one discards the skins one throws away one of the most nutritious parts of the vegetable. If you only have larger eggplants with tougher skins, you will, unfortunately, have to discard the skins after roasting.
- The oregano adds amazing flavor, so use it for best results. You can use dried oregano or fresh oregano. You can also substitute the oregano with basil or cilantro.
- The jalapenos add a touch of heat to the baba ganoush, which I love. You can skip them or use more if you like your food spicier. You can also substitute with red pepper flakes. Or use ground black pepper and add some ground cumin for smoky flavor.
- Some cooks strain the liquid out of the eggplant after roasting because this, apparently, gets the bitterness out. I don’t do that because you are also draining out valuable, water-soluble nutrients from the eggplant, and I find it makes no discernible difference in taste. If you absolutely want to, place the scooped eggplant flesh in a colander or strainer over a bowl for 5 minutes to let the juices drain out, then add it to the food processor.
Serving suggestions
- Serve the baba ganouj at room temperature or slightly chilled in a mezze platter with pita bread, pita chips, lettuce leaves or vegetable crudites.
- Use it as a spread for sandwiches or wraps.
- Serve it as a side dish with a hearty vegetarian steak, like this vegan lentil and quinoa steak.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The baba ghanouj will last in the fridge for up to six days. Store in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Freeze the baba ganoush in a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Thaw and give it a quick turn in the food processor before serving to blend in any juices that may have separated.
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Baba Ganoush Recipe
If you’ve been looking for the perfect baba ganoush recipe, your search ends here. This popular Mediterranean dip is made by mashing eggplant with simple seasonings like lemon juice, tahini and garlic. For my version I’ve amped up the flavors with a few simple tweaks.
Print Recipe
Review Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 94kcal
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Instructions
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Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and then brushing it with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 degrees Celsius.
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Halve each eggplant lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to score the white surface of each eggplant half. Don’t go all the way through–the cut needs to be no more than ¼ to ½ an inch deep.
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Place the scored eggplant halves, white side down, on the oiled, foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the skins are wrinkly and a knife through the thickest part of the eggplant goes cleanly through. (See pro tips above for roasting the eggplant on an open flame).
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Use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the eggplants. It should come out cleanly and should be butter-soft.
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Place the eggplant flesh in the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients. (See noted below for doing this without a food processor).
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Process the eggplant dip until fairly smooth and creamy but still somewhat textured. You don’t want a paste. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and parsley. You can also top the baba ganoush with chopped olives, pomegranate seeds, paprika, sumac or za’atar before serving.
Recipe notes
- To make the baba ghanouj without a food processor, place the roasted eggplant in a bowl and mash with a fork. It should become creamy very easily. Add the remaining ingredients (be sure to finely mince the jalapenos and garlic) and mix everything together.Â
- If you decide to roast the eggplant over an open stovetop flame, keep the eggplant whole and don’t apply any oil. Use a pair of tongs to turn the eggplant until the skin has charred on all sides. Keep the vent fan or hood turned on when you do this. Let the roasted eggplant rest a few minutes in a covered bowl before cutting in half and scooping out the flesh.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The baba ghanouj will last in the fridge for up to six days. Store in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Freeze the baba ganoush in a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Thaw and give it a quick turn in the food processor before serving to blend in any juices that may have separated.
Nutrition
Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
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