Epic Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is the best! It's easy to make, too (no food processor required). You'll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
โBut why would I make baba ganoush if I could just eat hummus?โ Mara asked when we set out to make the ultimate baba ganoush recipe. At that moment, I couldnโt help but shrug my shoulders.
Then we nailed the method and ingredients you see here, and neither of us could stop scooping up more. When you get it right, baba ganoush is irresistibly smooth and luxurious, smoky, and savory.
In its most basic form, baba ganoush is made with eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. I found that adding a tiny bit of ground cumin, smoked paprika and fresh parsley takes it to the next level.
Baba ganoush is similar to hummus, but it calls for grilled or roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas. Both dips originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and theyโre often served together with pita bread and raw, crisp veggies. You can use baba ganoush like you would hummusโas a dip or spread. Ready to make some?!
How to Make the Best Baba Ganoush
There are a few considerations when it comes to baba ganoush.ย First up: do you grill the eggplant or roast it?
Roast your eggplant
I donโt have a grill, so I roasted my eggplant and it turned out great. So, you donโt need a grill for this baba ganoush!
To make up for the grilled flavor, I halved the eggplants and roasted them cut-side down for caramelized deliciousness. (Roasting them halved also means that your eggplant cooks faster, and you donโt risk an entire eggplant exploding inside your oven.) Using smoked paprika as a garnish adds some extra smokiness, too.
Roasting the eggplants until theyโve collapsed on themselves helps concentrate their flavor and ensure that your dip is silky-smooth. At that point, itโs easy to flip over the eggplant and scoop out the insides. Peeling the skin off eggplant is not my idea of a good time!
Extract moisture
The next consideration is how to extract as much moisture from the eggplant as possible. Fortunately, our roasting method has already helped eliminate a lot of it. Just let the eggplant rest in a strainer for a few minutes and stir it to release even more.
Stir it up
The next questionโdo you mix the dip by hand or whip it up in your food processor? Iโm a big fan of my food processor, but it isnโt necessary for this recipe. Baba ganoush traditionally has some texture to it, and roasted eggplant readily falls apart when you stir it with a fork.
Add ample salt
My last tip is to salt the dip generouslyโeggplant is inherently bitter, and salt reduces that bitterness. This dip isnโt truly epic until itโs properly seasoned with salt. Can I call my own recipe epic? Oh hell, Iโm doing it! This baba ganoush is epic.
Watch How to Make Baba Ganoush
What to Serve with Baba Ganoush
Basic baba ganoush is always vegan, gluten free and nut free. That makes baba ganoush a great party appetizer for guests who are following special dietsโas long as your accompaniments fit the bill.
I like to serve my baba ganoush with sturdy raw veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber rounds and bell pepper sticks. Toasted pita wedges or pita chips are great, too.
For a full Mediterranean spread, serve this baba ganoush with herbed hummusย or tahini sauce and fresh salads. I recommend Mediterranean bean salad, my favorite quinoa salad, or tabbouleh. Here are even more Mediterranean recipes!
Please let me know how this baba ganoush recipe turns out for you in the comments! I hope itโs your new favorite.
Epic Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is the best! Itโs easy to make, too (no food processor required). Youโll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices. Recipe yields about 1 ยพ cups (enough to serve 4 to 6 as an appetizer).
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian eggplants (about 2 small-to-medium eggplants*)
- 2 medium cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, more if necessary
- ยผ cup tahini
- โ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the eggplant and garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ยพ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ยผ teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of smoked paprika, for garnish
- Serving suggestions: warmed or toasted pita wedges, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
- Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 35 to 40 minutes (this might take longer if you are using 1 large eggplant). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind.
- Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
- Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl.ย Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until itโs incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant.
- Stir in the parsley, salt and cumin. Season to taste with more salt (I usually add another ยผ teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if youโd like a more tart flavor.
- Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and smoked paprika on top. Serve with accompaniments of your choice. Itโs also great on sandwiches!
Notes
Recipe roughly adapted from Serious Eatsย and Tori Avey.
*Eggplant selection:ย Large eggplants tend to contain more seeds, which can produce a bothersome texture. So, itโs better to use 2 small eggplants that weigh about 2 pounds total, rather than 1 large. Choose eggplants that are shiny and smooth (no mushy parts), and feel heavy for their size. Turn your eggplant into baba ganoush promptly, since overripe eggplant tastes more bitter.
Storage suggestions:ย Leftover baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days (I think itโs best served fresh, but some say it tastes better after a day or two). I like to let my leftover baba ganoush warm to room temperature before serving, but others prefer it chilled, so Iโll leave this up to you.
For a lighter dip: You can reduce the olive oil to as little as 2 to 3 tablespoons. Your dip wonโt be as rich and creamy, but it will still be very good!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Loved this babaganush recipe, Kate. Maybe it was draining the eggplant that gave it a great texture. I thought the flavors and proportions were perfect!
Isnโt this is Mutabal? Baba Ganush doesnโt use Tahini, Mutabal does.
Incorrect. It does indeed use tahini.
One of my eggplant was rotten. Can I halve the recipe?
Hi Julie, yes you can scale the other ingredients and do a small batch.
I havenโt had baba ganoush many times before so I suppose I donโt really know what Iโm talking about. Still, to me, this recipe is to die for!! It turned out soooo delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this delightful recipe!
Ok, but not great. Not enough garlic, missing something spicy, and better with a food processor.
Then adapt it to your taste. I add garlic and Turkish red pepper flakes to mine. Itโs a recipe, itโs up to you to make it your own.
Made this today and it is delicious! Thank you for a great recipe.
Deliciousโฆ I used Japanese eggplant, grilled them on a hot grill until softโฆ I agree, while I have not made this before I feel it needs a little โ kickโ of some spice but was uncertain of what to add
We halved the eggplants and cooked them on the barbeque. Easy peasy! the smoked paprika really does add to the flavor. I will add more garlic and a bit of lemon next time. The flavors meld overnight into luciousness!
Hi Ann, thanks for sharing! Thanks for sharing that you were able to use the grill to cook the eggplants.
This is a tecipe for Mutabal, not Baba Ghanoush.
Baba Ghanoush is made without tahini but with chopped onion and roasted bell pepper.
Check wikipedia. Baba ghanoush does contain tahini. Wikipedia says that mutabbal โis sometimes said to be a spicier version of baba ghanoushโ.
I used to make baba ganoush for my deli and it most definitely has tahini in it.
Iโm middle eastern. Iโve made Baba ghanoush for decades, as my mom and relatives before me. It contains tahini. No onions, no peppers. Eggplant and tahini.
Thank you for sharing the recipeโฆ.I definitely will do it as soon as I get the products; I love to try all kinds of new foodsโฆdo the hummus thing for a very very long timeโฆspread it on sourdough bread or baguette for breakfast!merci beaucoup
Sooooo easy for a beginner and DELICIOUS I will be making it again โค๏ธ Thanks
Delicious! I made a half recipe. I did make it in the food processor and it was a snap. I didnโt have parsley so I substituted cilantro and it was excellent. I also used a little bit more lemon juice.
Excellent recipe! I did use my food processor since I prefer it smooth. I adjusted the lemon and salt to the size of my eggplant. It was delicious, thank you!!
Too bitter with the seeds in. Will omit next time. I also ended up blending the ingredients to get a better consistency. Not quite what I was hoping for, but still goodโฆ
Add a little honey to cut the bitterness.
Made this today. Came ou .perfectly! I was able to peel the outer skin off instead of scooping out the pulp . Added a pinch of cayenne pepper to spice it up a bit. Thanks for the great recipe, itโs a keeper.
Larry
For the epic baba ganosh, can I sub apple cider vinegar for lemon juice? My guest is allergic to citrus
Hi Sara, yes in that instance I think that would be a good substitution.
Is brushing the sides of the eggplant really necessary? I usually skip that step and wondering if itโs important!
Hi Jessie, I recommend brushing the cut sides of eggplant and placing them on the ban to help with the cooking process.
This is my favorite way to use eggplant from the garden. Lemon juice to eggplant ratio is great, I add a little bit more smoked paprika and itโs perfect for us. Thanks for the great recipe!
Has anyone tried this with FARINATA?
I bet that would be exponentially โepicโ! T-U
It turns out great and is easy to make. This will be a go-to for me.
I always love your recipes. I guess I messed this one up. I didnโt see that I needed to salt the eggplant before roasting it. So, my eggplant was verrrry bitter. (I did select firm eggplants). I added a little extra salt, lemon juice and tahini and that helped some. Iโll be sure to read all of your tips, next time!
Hi, Iโm so sorry your eggplant turned out bitter! The salting is important.
Well I went back and salted it after the fact, a little more and it became less bitter by the next day. So it turned out fine. I love your recipes, yours is one of my favorite channels in Pinterest! I know your recipes will always be good!
Recipes like this are my last chance to appreciate an eggplant as anything but disgusting. And this is all rightโฆ I mean, my wife likes eggplant and I wonโt be fighting her for last bite, but so far itโs the only way Iโve suffered eggplant as an adult.
Over the past 5 years I have made this a lot. Itโs great. The creamy texture, the flavors are spot on. Itโs easy to tweak to oneโs own taste. C&K thank you
Some people run the eggplant over a fire to give a distinct flavor.
Easy to make but a little too heavy on the tahini for my taste. Would try again and cut the tahini in half.
Epic? More misuse of our beautiful language. Very good, yes.
Using a fork will not give you a smooth consistency. I donโt have a food processor so I used my blender which took a little start and stop with a spatula because of the thickness.
Tasty enough without the smoked paprika, but adding it made it better.
Last night I made both the baba ghanoush and hummus recipes. Both were great! Thanks Kate!
Hi, just curious if anybody has this information, and I will be trying this recipe anyway, but, it does specify in the recipe Italian eggplant. Another commentator said that they used Japanese eggplant, and in my garden is growing Calliope eggplant which says it is Indian eggplant. Are the โoriginsโ that different from each other? This is my first year with Calliope and Iโm excited to try it in many different dishes.
I know that Japanese eggplant is not bitter like Italian eggplant. You donโt have to salt Japanese eggplant before cooking it, ever. I suspect that the Indian eggplant is also not bitter. I think you can use them interchangeably without a problem.
Amazing. This is the best Baba Ganoosh I have ever had! The creaminess was perfect and just enough lemon juice.
Using garden fresh picked eggplants made the taste so good. I did find that there wasnโt much liquid when using the mesh screen, so I dumped the eggplant into the bowl and used an immersion blender for a super creamy texture. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Baba Ganoush is of Lebanes origin and does not contain Tahini in contrast to Mutabal that does contain Tahini.
Some versions of Baba Ganoush (Egypt e.g.) do contain Tahini but this is a local addition, not the original version.
Baba Ghanoush does also contain other vegetables. Sometimes onion, tomato and cucumber.
How do i know : i have been in Lebanon and other Middle east countries many times and often eat in a authentic Lebanese restaurant.
Check chatgpt and google โdifference between Baba Ghanoush and Mutabalโ
Chat gpt is not a reliable source.
Yum!
A delicious option is to make slits in your eggplant skin and insert whole garlic cloves before roasting- better on the grill with whole eggplant/more garlic.
Hi Shari, thanks for sharing the idea about hte garlic!
This is a spectacular recipe! Simple and delicious as is, but also easy play around with to get it just the way you like it. I recently blended it bc I had larger seeds and the consensus was that we prefer it smooth. Do add a little smoked paprika and robust olive oil drizzle when you serve it! It looks nice and adds that extra bit of smokiness and flavor.
I absolutely love this recipe , but I have a question..U said that traditionally this recipe is vegan and nut free , but is tahini considered a nut source since itโs sesame seed based? I have 3 friends with nut allergies and 2/3 canโt have sesame seeds (I feel kind of bad-they donโt know what theyโre missing!)
Hi Seema, Iโm glad you enjoy the recipe! Tahini made from sesame seeds is nut freeย While seeds are not nuts, sesame seed proteins can resemble nut proteins, potentially triggering a reaction in some individuals. So it will depend on the person if they have a reaction to it and this is why I tend to share full ingredient lists when cooking for other people so they can evaluate for themselves. I hope this helps!
I โcookedโ the egg plants in my wood fire amongst the coals. This gave the Baba a nice smoked flavour. The rest l did as prescribed and it turned out well. We even added it as a veggie to the stuffed capsicum and rice. Really nice with brown rice.
Hi Anne Marie, I bet that wood fired eggplant really takes this the next level! Thanks for sharing.
Truly epic!!!! Can this be frozen?
Hi Deb, I donโt recommend freezing this. The ice crystals melting would impact the texture when it defrosted.
Very awesome. Especially for someone who has not traditionally been a fan of eggplant
This was amazing. Only sad I didnโt triple the recipe!
I used bigger eggplants from my friendโs garden so they were very fresh. But as you said, the big ones have a lot of seeds. So I tasted the seeds and found they were fine, not at all bitter. Since there were so many, I decided to use the food processor. It came out greatโsmooth, creamy and delicious.