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
“But why would I make baba ganoush if I could just eat hummus?” Mara asked when we set out to make the ultimate baba ganoush recipe. At that moment, I couldn’t 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 they’re often served together with pita bread and raw, crisp veggies. You can use baba ganoush like you would hummus—as 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. First up: do you grill the eggplant or roast it?
Roast your eggplant
I don’t have a grill, so I roasted my eggplant and it turned out great. So, you don’t 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 don’t risk an entire eggplant exploding inside your oven.) Using smoked paprika as a garnish adds some extra smokiness, too.
Roasting the eggplants until they’ve collapsed on themselves helps concentrate their flavor and ensure that your dip is silky-smooth. At that point, it’s 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 question—do you mix the dip by hand or whip it up in your food processor? I’m a big fan of my food processor, but it isn’t 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 generously—eggplant is inherently bitter, and salt reduces that bitterness. This dip isn’t truly epic until it’s properly seasoned with salt. Can I call my own recipe epic? Oh hell, I’m 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 diets—as 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 hummus 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 it’s your new favorite.
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, garlic and spices. Recipe yields about 1 ¾ 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
- ¼ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the eggplant and garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ¾ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ¼ 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. 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 it’s 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 ¼ teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if you’d 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. It’s also great on sandwiches!
Notes
Recipe roughly adapted from Serious Eats and Tori Avey.
*Eggplant selection: Large eggplants tend to contain more seeds, which can produce a bothersome texture. So, it’s 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: Leftover baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days (I think it’s 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 I’ll 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 won’t 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 nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Thank you so much for providing detailed nutrition information. Since the required labeling changed several years ago, usually only the most basic nutrients are included. I really enjoy seeing how good food provides more benefits than are required to be listed. (all those vitamins and minerals!) I remember these more detailed breakdowns from my youth. Not sure how the “simplified” labels were considered to be an improvement!
You’re welcome, Mary!
I love this recipe! I roasted my garlic while roasting the eggplant, so yummy!
Thanks for sharing, Mary Jane!
Wow! This recipe is spot on. Loved every bit of baba ganoush this recipe made. I halved the recipe because I had one tiny eggplant. I also ended up using my food processor to make the consistency less chunky. Loved it so much I have two eggplants roasting now! :D
I’m glad it worked so well halved. Thanks for your review!
Solid recipe, much better/easier if you use a food processor. Resulting texture is much creamier and lighter (and takes half the time).
I add a little cumin and za’atar to mine for spice and brightness.
Thanks for sharing, Tony!
This was a great recipe. I have never made this at home and it was super easy. I did end up using a food processor because my husband is picky about texture. Super delicious. No need to change a thing. I did add some liquid smoke because I wanted that classic smoky taste. I will absolutely be making this again!
Thank you for the review, Suzie!
This turned out inedibly bitter. I added plenty of salt and followed the recipe. I then spent an age trying to correct it. I ended up adding heaps of natural Greek yoghurt to it and it’s almost ok now. But it’s definitely not baba ganoush any more.
I’m sorry to hear that! I wonder if you had a bad egg plant as the roasting should really help take away any bitterness.
This was so good omg. I ate half the bowl myself. I had to put it in the blender because there was too many strings but it was still easy to make. I used zaatar instead of paprika. And served it with pita bread, peppers, and cucumbers.
Sounds delicious, Madi! Thanks for your review.
Made this but used dill instead of parsley (all I had) and 1/4 cup oil. Turned out awesome.
I’m happy you loved it, Sarah!
I love babaganoush and I find this recipe is great as a base. It’s very customizable to taste. I make a batch a week and start with the rough ingredients listed, and then adjust to what I’m feeling.
Typically, I double the lemon, cumin, and garlic because I like the pop.. but that’s me! I also prefer served cold the day after.
To make a lighter the version, replace the evoo with light sour cream. Adds a creamy smooth texture and takes away some calories. It’s a nice change to mix it up.
This recipe taught me to make babaganoush and encouraged me to be creative with it – Go for it!
Thank you for sharing, Gloria! I appreciate the review.
If you leave the skins behind in step 2, then why would you be discarding the skins in step 3?
You can discard the skins! No need for them anymore.
Yikes! Her recipes are usually a HUGE hit for me, so I followed everything exactly. Everything was good until I went in with the salt. 3/4 tsp is waaay too much and I thought it would be ok, since she said she usually adds more. I suggest going in 1/4 tsp at a time and gauge it from there. I’m also guessing that not all eggplants are that bitter, so keep tasting as you go.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. I appreciate the feedback, Nic.
This is another winner! Thanks for a great recipe- I’ve tried making bobby before and the consistency was all wrong – but your version was perfect! Thank you so much for this.
You’re welcome, Ashley!
Hi, just made it today.. taste great I love it . Thanks for the recipe and tips.
You’re welcome, Mayra!
This was so good! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Kailey!
I was at our Fresh Market this weekend and they had the most beautiful eggplant freshly picked. I knew immediately that I wanted to make Baba Ganoush. Your recipe was great but the tahini was over powering. I added additional cumin, lemon juice and a teaspoon of liquid smoke to level set the flavors. It was delicious!
I’m sorry you didn’t love it right away, but were able to adjust to your tastes, Angela!
Thank you for posting this great recipe. My daughter said “I could eat this everyday!”
Wonderful to hear, Claudia! Thanks for your review.
This truly is “epic.” I’ll be making it again tomorrow for a July 4th party – back by popular demand as I made it for the same crowd for a Memorial Day picnic.
Thanks for sharing, Bonnie!
I’ve never tried baba ganoush before so I don’t know what it is “supposed” to taste lo like, but this is EPIC! I found several Japanese eggplants and an Italian one at the farmers market, so made this with the blend. Otherwise, I followed exactly the way it was written. This was super easy, very creamy, and extremely tasty. The smokiness of the cumin was spot on! We will definitely need more eggplants next trip!
I’m glad to hear you loved it, Mary! Thanks for sharing.
Easy to make and was a crowd pleaser. Just came back to leave a comment and realize I didn’t even add the olive oil. (Yes, I was in a hurry and skimmed over the instructions. ) Anyway, I ate the leftovers so will need to make more…
I’m glad it still worked out!
Hi Kate, I made this with several long purple Chinese eggplants & it turned out great. I split them in half, brushed a bit of oil on cut side & baked them. Also used an entire head of roasted garlic for added smokiness. Thanks for another great twist on a classic.
Thank you for sharing, Paul!
Your recipe was my first experiment with any kind of Baba Ganoush, and I made it for a BBQ where one of my guests was from Lebanon. He said it would have made his grandmother proud.
That and it had almost disappeared before I got to try it. It was a big hit, thank you!!!
For what it’s worth, I hadn’t read the full article, and selected a single 2lb eggplant – and at least for my guests it still seems to have worked out pretty well.
Thanks again!
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing, Mike.
Delish and easy!!
I’ve been making this a few times this past month! I’ve added a bit of liquid smoke to really ramp up the smokeyness if the dish!
My wife likes things on the smooth side so I’ve also been using the food processor!
Thanks for the recipe and tips!
Thank you for sharing, Mark!
Thank you. I tried another BG recipe I found online and it was an epic fail due to how the eggplant was cooked. This one worked perfectly.
I’m glad this one worked for you, Adrienne!
Yum! Great recipe :) I’ve made your recipes before I think as your blog looked familiar. This week I made this plus your tzaziki recipe (also really wonderful!) to go with some homemade falafel.
I followed this recipe almost exactly, increased the garlic by a few cloves, I also left a little bit of the burnt eggplant skins in the babaganoush to get more of a smoky flavor, which I love, and I used a food processor to get it creamier. What a hit! DEFINITELY beats store bought. Thanks Kate!! :) , Alex
Thank you for sharing, Alex! I appreciate your comment and review.
Made this and was delicious, much better than commercially made. I left it to drain for several hours plus I added a bit of kosher salt to it. This increased the bitter fluid to extract.
Everyone enjoyed the mild taste and great texture. It really isn’t a difficult recipe.
Thank you for your review, Carol!
I have made this recipe twice, following the recipe to a tee, and this is truly “epic”. So good!
Thank you for your review, Ted!
We love middle eastern food. I haven’t had a great Baba ganoush in literally decades. Your recipe is a hit in our home. Absolutely delicious. I definitely didn’t make enough! Thanks for the recipe.
That’s great to hear, Patricia! Thank you for your review.
Your recipe was awesome. I also added a few drops of liquid smoke which make it taste like the Lebanese Restaurant I frequent in CT.
Thank you, Jenifer!
Simple recipe, complex, interesting taste and texture , its a winner !!
Thank you for sharing, Charmaine!
Is there a substitute for sesame/tahini? I’m allergic to sesame seeds and sesame oil, so it’s a no go for me. I want to make this, but I assume something will be missing if the tahini isn’t part of it…
Unfortunately, Tahini really makes this dish.
I actually substituted the tahineh with a little less than 1/4 cup of raw sunflower seed butter when making this recipe, and it turned out great!
Tried making baba ganoush in the past but it never came out right. This recipe was perfect!! I rubbed the skin with olive oil so mine collapsed when I cooked it. I didn’t measure anything … I just did to taste, let it sit in fridge for a few hours then adjusted flavoring. I normally dislike smoked paprika but it worked GREAT in this and I even added more at the end. Will be making again and again.
Hooray!! I’m happy you loved it.
Tried and true recommendations: don’t bother cutting the eggplant. Just drizzle a little olive oil on your pan and place the eggplant as is on it and bake as directed. Once finished, let cool. Cut in half and you will see the seeds in a pine cone like cluster. Because of this, you can easily pull it out, leaving your eggplant seedless!
Second: I know not using any electronics is one of the appealing aspects of this recipe. HOWEVER, if you have a food processor, blender, kitchen aid, or a hand blender, then, use it! It took quite a bit of arm power to whip this up to incorporate air. You need the air whipped in to get the consistency and color needed. If you DON’T have any of the above equipment, than the original fork technic is ok but why not turn ok into amazing?!
Other than those tried and true tips, the recipe and flow of the recipe is delicious!
Thank you fo sharing, Angela!
I made this out of eggplants from my garden and HOLY COW it is truly EPIC! I actually roasted my eggplants with the seasoning on it, and it didn’t take much salt after that, but that was the only adjustment I made to this recipe. I will 110% make this again!
Fresh garden egg plants sound perfect!
After embarking on this recipe with some eggplant that badly needed to be used, I realized that my sesame allergy prohibits me from using any tahineh. So, I substituted a little less than 1/4 cup of raw sunflower seed butter and it was as far as I know the absolute best baba ganoush I have ever tasted; the coloring, texture and subtle seedy flavor were all there. At the time, I also didn’t have lemon juice required, so I substituted half the amount of white vinegar plus a few drops of lemon oil. I made the recipe again with lemon juice afterwards, so I can say that the former has a little less of a bite, without much loss of lemon flavor. Either way it comes out great, amazing work. Five out of five stars, this recipe is a new family favorite!!
I’m happy you were able to find a good alternative! I appreciate your review.
Just made this. It was great! Also it was easy.
Is there anything I can do with the juice which I have strained out. I don’t like throwing flavour out
I don’t have a use at this time, sorry! Let me know if you come up with something. Thank you for your review!
I made this with Saturday lunch and it was amazing. I went ahead and grilled the eggplant on the gas grill and it turned out far beyond expectations! Thanks so much! Next time I’m making twice as much.
You’re welcome! I love that you grilled your eggplant. Thanks for your review, Tish.
DEEEEEELICIOUS!!!! Wow I thought I only liked wegmans. Nope. This is phenomenal! Love love love.
Thank you, Lisa!
This is seriously the beat baba I’ve ever eaten! ❤
Wonderful! Thanks for your review, Kylie.
Fantastic! Felt like trying someone else’s recipe for a change (pregnancy brain makes everything fuzzy) and determined yours looked the best. I think I was right. Took barely any time at all to whip together and my husband loved it. Definite 5/5 stars.
I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for your review.
OMG! My babaghanouj turned out fabulous! It was not as creamy as yours, but the chunky eggplantiness was truly delicious. Maybe I didn’t roast long enough, as I had to use a hand mixer to break up the chunks of eggplant and stringiness. Your recipe is easy and wonderful! Day 34 of veganism and loving it!
It could have been the roasting or the processing. I’m happy you still enjoyed it!
I used a large eggplant instead of 2 small ones, and you were right, the seeds made the texture off and were bitter. No worries, I whipped out my food processor and after adding the olive oil it turned into a creamy delicious dream. Thanks for the great recipe.
3/4 tsp salt? Where does it go in? Don’t see it in the recipe after list of ingredients, just a mention to possibly add more later
3/4 or to taste. See step 5 :)
Living in the middle of Idaho it’s hard to find packaged baba, so I’ve been experimenting for years w/ different recipes. This is, hands down, the easiest and best. Thank you for making our Middle Eastern dinner nights even better!
Had almond butter and sesame oil – worked out GREAT. Also, split in half and grilled over medium heat to 300 degrees for 35 minutes, turning over for last 10 minutes – cooked through and perfectly. Added a bit of cayenne for some punch. Best ever! Family raved about a nutritious and healthful treat! How often do you get that? Jim
Easy and tasty! My only complaint is it didn’t make enough. I halved the recipe to try it out. Next time I might double it!
This was my first time making baba Ganoush.
Made it according to the recipe more or less. Adjusted measurements to my taste but still sticking to the bones of the ingredients listed.
It was fantastic! Will definitely make this again.
Thanks for sharing!!!
I made this and used 1/2 the lemon juice (so 1 tablespoon), because I’m not a big fan of overly lemony hummus or dips. I also added some extra smoked paprika during the mixing (pulsed in my Vitamix because I like extra creamy dips) and a few dashes of liquid smoke. I like it smoky! It. Was. Epic. I’ve been vegan for about 7 years, and never really liked eggplant until I had this one woman’s baba…then her restaurant closed. This is the closest rendition that I’ve had to hers!
My husband said he could just eat it with a spoon! The only real work was cleaning up things.
I just copied your recipe and can’t wait to try it! I had to laugh when I see you live in KC, so do we! I’m not so lucky in the kitchen, so I’m hoping it turns out for me. We have a little cafe just around the corner, Queen Sweets, and I love the food. But I could buy this every day so I thought maybe I could find a recipe!
This truly is epic. I’ve made Baba Ganoush many times and always liked it but this recipe has an extra oomph. Very tasty. I trust my husband’s taste and ask for his thoughts. He comments if he thinks something is missing. His first taste of this recipe was, “Wow. That is really good! I’ll be making baba ganoush more often now that I have this recipe. Thanks You! Deb
I’m so glad you love it, Deborah!
Fantastic!!! Doubled the recipe bc I had a lot of eggplant. Didn’t have parsley so skipped that ingredient. This recipe tastes better than the restaurant! Delicious and easy to make.