This fresh and creamy homemade Baba Ganoush is made with just a few simple ingredients including roasted eggplant, garlic, and tahini resulting in a rich, smoky, irresistible Middle Eastern dip!
Give me a bowl of delicious dip and a charcuterie board of fresh veggies, pita, naan, and crackers and I call that dinner! Quick, easy, and healthy dips made simply from scratch are so much easier than you’d think! Avocado Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus are two other gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan dips I love!
Table of contents
Baked Eggplant Dip
Baba ghanoush is a great appetizer to make when I’ve got company coming over for dinner. It’s a Mediterranean dip laced with middle Eastern flavors very much like hummus (also made with sesame tahini), but instead of chickpeas, it’s made with roasted eggplant. If you’ve never tried it before, this versatile baba ghanouj is worth exploring!
The spices and eggplant puree make this creamy dip the quintessential vegan recipe that everyone loves. It’s an easy and delicious spread that can be used as a starter when enjoying a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern feast, or simply as a healthy snack. Simple ingredients make this accessible to everyone, and anytime I can make a homemade dip with authentic flavors, I call that a win!
Why we love this recipe
- Quick and easy – Once the eggplant is roasted (something you can do ahead of time, it’s a matter of blending the ingredients. That’s it. Way too easy!
- Flavorful – There is so much to love about this dip. The creamy eggplant, the earthy cumin, fresh lemon juice, and the sharp delicious garlic.
- Healthy – This vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free recipe has a ton of vitamins, nutrients, protein, and fiber. So, dig in!
- Versatile – Use it on everything! Serve it as a dip, of course, with a veggie platter, crackers, pita or pita chips, naan, crusty Italian bread, you name it. You can also spread it on a sandwich, add a dollop of it in a wrap, serve it with your main protein in place of your usual condiment. There are so many ways to enjoy it.
- Great for school. Pack this in your kids’ lunchboxes for a snack at school. It’s naturally nut-free, which makes it a great choice.
Ingredients/shopping list
- Eggplants – Although eggplants appear rather large, once cooked down it releases a ton of water which means you’ll need 2 medium eggplants to make one batch of this recipe.
- Fresh parsley – A vibrant herbaceous note to balance the deep earthiness of baba ganoush.
- Lemon juice – A pop of citrus always goes well with garlic and a good tahini.
- Garlic – Is there anything fresh garlic cloves can’t do to enhance a dish? Raw or roasted garlic adds a whole other dynamic.
- Olive oil – Needed to bring everything together into a creamy consistency.
- Ground cumin – A lovely warming spice very commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes.
- Tahini – Puréed sesame seeds are also found in hummus. Adds a nutty element.
- Salt – Needed for each ingredient to reach its full flavor potential.
How to Make this Delicious Eggplant Dip
Waiting for the eggplant to finish baking is the only thing that stands between you and this quick and easy dip. Once it’s done, it’s a matter of seconds!
Step 1: Place whole eggplants on a baking sheet and pierce holes in them with a fork. This is to allow the steam to escape. Bake eggplants in a preheated 425-degree oven until tender. About 40-50 minutes.
Step 2: Remove them from the oven and let the eggplant cool for about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Cut each of the charred eggplants lengthwise with a sharp knife and scoop out the flesh. Eggplant contains a lot of water, so you may find you need to dab any excess with a paper towel. Discard the skin.
Step 4: Blend the eggplant flesh along with the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides as you go.
Step 5: Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Variations/ Substitutions
- Try grilling the eggplant instead of roasting or baking. Those delicious char marks will only add to the smoky flavor.
- Garnish with chopped Kalamata olives or, seeded and diced cherry tomatoes.
- You could also garnish with pine nuts and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- For a little heat toss in some red pepper flakes.
- Plain yogurt (Greek or otherwise) will add a little extra richness and tang. Although, it will no longer be vegan!
- Substitute fresh coriander for the parsley if desired.
Tips
- If you’d prefer the dip a chunky dip, use a fork to mash the ingredients instead of a food processor.
- Cooking the eggplant will naturally eliminate much of the water it contains but it is important to get rid of as much as possible. Otherwise, the dip will end up runny.
- If you’d like your dip a bit thicker, pop it in the fridge for a few minutes. Chilling it will help it to thicken up.
- Season to taste. You may find you need a bit more salt. Eggplant is quite bitter on its own, and you may find your taste buds need just a bit more salt.
- If you’ve baked your eggplant but enjoy the smoky aspect of the grill, add a bit of paprika or smoked paprika to make up for it.
FAQ’s
Keep stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can be enjoyed cold or warmed up a bit.
They both use the same base ingredients, however, hummus uses chickpeas as its main component. Baba Ganoush uses cooked eggplant. They are both a creamy, thick dip, however, because the eggplant is either roasted or grilled ahead of time, it has a smoky flavor that hummus doesn’t have.
It means spoiled dad! Cute isn’t it? It refers to the fact that if dad eats it, he feels full, satisfied, and spoiled!
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Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Place eggplants on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and poke the exterior several times with a fork or knife
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until tender.
- Remove from oven and let cool for approximately 20 minutes until cool to touch.
- Then cut lengthwise and scoop out the fleshy insides. Remove any excess liquid out by dabbing with paper towels.
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
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