Smoky, savory & creamy, this easy baba ganoush recipe is a must-try summer dip! Enjoy it with crunchy veggies & pita as a yummy healthy snack.
Baba ganoush is one of those things that I eat pretty darn often, but I rarely make at home. Well, that’s about to change because 1) it’s eggplant season, and 2) it’s way too easy and delicious not to have on hand at all times! Seriously, every time I’ve made baba ganoush lately, I haven’t been able to resist eating it by the spoonful standing at the kitchen counter. It’s creamy, it’s lemony, and it has a nice nuttiness thanks to the tahini. If I don’t eat it all in one go, it’s best served on a platter with warm pita and crisp summer veggies.
What is baba ganoush?
If you’re asking, “what the heck is baba ganoush?”, don’t worry – it’s a lot simpler than it sounds. Baba ganoush is a Mediterranean eggplant dip made from roasted or grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Like hummus, it’s delicious with pita or fresh veggies, but its silky texture and irresistible smoky flavor set it apart. This baba ganoush recipe is a must-try summer dip!
Baba Ganoush Ingredients
My baba ganoush recipe calls for 6 basic ingredients:
- Eggplant, to make the smooth, smoky base
- Tahini, to add creaminess and nutty flavor
- Lemon juice, to brighten it up
- Olive oil, to make it rich and smooth
- And sea salt, to sharpen the nutty, smoky flavor
I list it as optional, but I like to add a small pinch of smoked paprika to amp up the smokiness of the dip. This is still a great recipe without it, but the extra smoky kick really takes it over the top.
Another note – be sure to use good tahini in this recipe. Because there are so few ingredients here, you really taste it, and bitter tahini will make for a bitter dip. My favorite brands are Cedar’s and Seed + Mill.
How to Make Baba Ganoush
Making baba ganoush isn’t difficult, but it does take some time, as the first step is cooking the eggplant. While many traditional recipes ask you to grill the eggplant, I find it easier to roast it in the oven. I wrap 2 medium eggplant in foil so that the eggplant steams inside its skin without the risk of exploding in the oven. Then, I place them on a baking sheet and roast them in a 400-degree oven until very soft, about 1 hour. Grilling instructions are also included in the recipe card below.
Once the cooked eggplant is cool, peel and discard the skin. Then, transfer the eggplant flesh to a strainer over a large bowl or your sink. Let it drain for 20 minutes – this step is essential for creating a thick, creamy dip that won’t become watery.
After that, it’s easy! Blend the eggplant in a food processor with the other ingredients until smooth. Traditionally, baba ganoush is mixed together without a food processor, but I personally like my final dip silky smooth, and the easiest way to achieve that is with a few quick pulses of the food processor.
Last – Garnish it up! Drizzle the dip with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley, a pinch of smoked paprika, and a few red pepper flakes. Sesame seeds would be a good choice too. Warm your pita and serve!
What to Serve with Baba Ganoush
My favorite way to serve baba ganoush is as an appetizer or snack with crisp veggies and pita bread. You could also serve it as the creamy dip in a summer crudité platter or make an epic Mediterranean appetizer board with pita chips, tzatziki, hummus, and fresh or grilled veggies.
Alternatively, load it into pita sandwiches (I especially like it with falafel) or serve it alongside a simple salad like my Greek salad, couscous salad, or tabbouleh.
If you love this baba ganoush recipe…
Try my pesto, chipotle sauce, cilantro lime dressing, or guacamole next!
For more appetizer ideas, check out this post with 50 easy appetizers.
Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplant
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Finely chopped parsley, for garnish
- Pinch of smoked paprika
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- Pita and veggies, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and wrap the eggplant in foil. Roast the eggplant for 50 to 60 minutes, or until it is soft and collapses to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Once cool to the touch, peel the skin from the eggplant, removing any big clumps of seeds. Place the flesh in a strainer over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
- Place the eggplant flesh, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve with pita and veggies.
Notes
Love this recipe! Now making it for the second time. Glad to know it can be frozen!
Hi Lois, I’m so glad you loved it! I haven’t tried freezing it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Just made this recipe!!! It was a breeze. I used one large eggplant, 3 T tahini and the rest was according to the recipe.
I can’t wait to try this on a slice of sourdough!
This is the second recipe I’ve tried from your site and am excited to try more!!! Thank you!
I have made the falafel many times, delicious.
Best recipe for Baba Ganoush, absolutely delicious. We also ate it straight out of the food processor!!!
I have to say that every single recipe I have tried has been outstanding. I’m a big fan! Thank you for all the great recipes.
I’m so glad you’ve been loving the recipes!
This was fairly easy to make and was so delicious! It was better than I thought it would be!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Will this work the same in a Vitamix? I don’t have a processor anymore.
i changed this a wee bit leaving the olive oil out by accident so i didn’t rate it a 5 because of that…however, i loved it without the oil! i used white eggplant instead of purple bc the gal at the farm stand said it was creamer so that could be a difference, too. beside the olive oil i followed the recipe and will continue to do so when i made this again. oh, and i used Whole Foods brand tahini as it was the only one i could find. definitely going to investigate finding a toasted option as i know it would be better!
We don’t use tin foil is it possible to wrap in parchment paper?
Hi Allie, if you wrap it well in parchment, it should be fine. The reason for the foil is to make sure it doesn’t burst in the oven.
Allie, i used parchment paper – i cut the eggplants in half and roasted with the cut side down. it was perfect!
When roasting whole you can also prick the eggplant with a fork a few times around the exterior, this prevents it from exploding.
Yum, so good! Super easy and delicious. I have a bunch of eggplants growing in my garden, can’t wait to make this recipe again.
Can this be frozen?
Hmm… I haven’t tried, I think it should be fine. It might be a little watery as it thaws.
Yes, it freezes very well. I put a piece of parchment on the top after filling the container and pulled it off before thawing to remove the ice crystals that had collected on top. There was no water separation and it was just as good as when fresh. I froze it right after I made it because I made a big batch and I had it frozen for about 2 months before eating it.
It is not often that I can make something that my wife truly loves. This recipe made that happen. I’m keeping it secret.
I’m so glad she loved it!
Delicious!!
Excellent!! Used 3 cloves of garlic to put zing in this great recipe. Ate with onion pita, scrumptious
this is my favorite BG recipe so far. funny because it’s a simple thing to make, but small changes can make a big difference in the end product. i used just a wee bit more garlic for my personal taste, but not much. Using the FP and adhering to your conservative amt of olive oil gave me the ideal consistency. my only suggestion is that if you decide to make this…do a double recipe and thank me later!
Hi what weight is considered 2 medium eggplant. I’ve got one I’d consider medium at 19oz, should I half the recipe?
Hi Madeline, I’d say about 1 pound each (you need 2 here). If you’re making this with your 1 eggplant, I would roast the 1 whole eggplant, half the recipe, and adjust the seasonings to taste after it’s processed. It’s a flexible recipe, a slightly large eggplant will be fine. Hope that helps!
Hi, we make your hummmus and love it. I always thought baba ganoush was eggplant added to hummus…have you ever tried just adding the eggplant to the hummus since they are practically all the same ingredients of flavoring? Would love to know your thoughts. Getting ready to roast an eggplant later today.
You could – but the eggplant makes a creamy dip all on its own here.
the garbanzos in hummus would make this a distinct dish, not BG. Having both authentic dishes on a snack table would make a much better statement imo.
In my country, we don’t have these medium sized eggplant. There are only small ones available.
How many grams of small eggplant should I use for this recipe?
Hi Althea, you could use 2 small eggplant.
If you crave the classic smoky flavor of a roasted/grilled eggplant like I do, I have found that about 1/4 tsp (or more) of Liquid Smoke to the finished product really enhances the flavor.
Omg amazing suggestion!!!
This sounds great, although I’m not sure my husband would eat it. I’m curious to know if you use raw tahini or the stuff made from toasted sesame seeds. I’ve been using the Joyva brand of toasted sesame tahini, which I was introduced to by a Lebanese friend, for 50 years or more, and I recommend that one, too.
I would also like to know if you use raw or roasted tahini. Thanks!
I use raw tahini – I like Cedars brand or Seed + Mill (of the ones that I’ve tried). The most important thing is that you use a tahini that you like the taste of because it’ll really shine though in this simple recipe. I find some types of tahini to be a bit bitter. If you have a great roasted tahini that you love, it’ll work here!
I love eggplant but every time I make it at home, it’s bitter. How do I pick out a fresh one as t the market?
Hi Laurie,
In this recipe, I use 2 medium sized eggplant instead of 1 large globe eggplant. Small/medium eggplants have less seeds and tend to be less bitter. You’ll also notice in step 2, I scoop out any visible big clumps of seeds, this helps since the bitter flavor comes from the seeds.
My other best recommendation is to just get fresh ones from the market while they’re in season. Although, in this recipe, once the eggplant is cooked super soft, blended with a good tahini and seasoned well, I don’t find it to be bitter. I hope this helps!
One trick to de-bitter your eggplant is to season it with plenty of salt (once you’ve cut it in half) and leave it on the counter for 20ish minutes. Salt will bring some of the bitterness out together with water. You should see your eggplant sweat, pat it with kitchen towel and continue with any recipe you are making.