This Recipe for Baba Ganoush (aka chunky eggplant dip) is authentic, fresh, flavourful, and super easy to make. It’s incredibly delicious served up with anything from tortilla chips and crackers to veggie sticks and pita bread.
If ya haven’t noticed by the collection of tasty dip recipes I have on the blog, I’m a gal that just looooves her dips. Well, I guess you can point blanky say that I just loooove anything saucy. I’m the girl who will proudly have a pound of honey garlic chicken wings with ranch dressing annnnd chipotle mayo on the side for dipping.
Yeah, I said it. I have no shame. It is me. Heck, I’d even dip those chicken wings in this deliciously chunky baba ganoush cause it’s THAT dang good. And, afterall, there are no rules in my kitchen.
WHAT IS BABA GANOUSH?
Baba ganoush (also spelled baba ghanoush) is basically just a roasted chunky eggplant dip popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. The eggplant is normally roasted or charred, peeled, and then mixed with spices, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini. It has a smoky, subtle nutty taste and, like hummus, can be used as a delicious dip or a flavourful spread. The good news is that it’s quite easy to make from scratch at home and is sure to impress anyone who has it!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR BABA GANOUSH
This authentic baba ganoush recipe is packed with such flavour, you’d be shocked to find out it’s made with only 8 simple ingredients. Let’s discuss them in a little bit more detail down below:
- Eggplant: Why, of course! Eggplant is the base of this baba ganoush recipe and therefore, you’ll want to make sure you use a large one. When roasted, it adds an undeniably delicious smoky flavour to this simple and delicious dip.
- Tahini: Tahini is a creamy sesame paste popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. It adds an Earthy, toasted sesame seed flavour to the dip.
- Lemon Juice: Adds zing, acidity, and freshness to this recipe for baba ganoush. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best in this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Adds flavour and smoothness to the dip. Since it also works as a garnish, it makes the dip stand out and look more appealing. As always, good quality, extra virgin works best in this recipe. For extra flavour, try using an infused olive oil (I used harissa).
- Garlic: Adds a garlicky flavour to the baba ganoush and pairs extremely well with the rest of the ingredients. Fresh garlic is best in this recipe. However, if all you have on hand is garlic powder, use 1/4 of a teaspoon instead of the 1 fresh cloves.
- Parsley: Used as a garnish and doesn’t get mixed into the dip itself. Adds freshness, vibrancy and a pop of colour to the baba ganoush. Therefore, fresh chopped parsley is best in this recipe.
- Smoked Paprika: Adds a smoky, almost spicy taste to the dip. Also adds a pop of colour as it’s sprinkled on top of the final dip.
- Salt: Adds flavour and makes the rest of the ingredients pop.
HOW TO MAKE BABA GANOUSH FROM SCRATCH (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make this smoky roasted eggplant dip in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Use a large eggplant. You can almost consider this recipe for baba ganoush a small batch version as it only uses one eggplant. However, you want that one eggplant to be fairly large in order to ensure the flavours are well balanced and that the eggplant provides a good yield.
- Allow the eggplant to cool to the touch after roasting before handling. It gets super hot, so let it cool down before removing the peel. Once it’s cool, the peel should easily slip right off.
- Remove any big clumps of seeds you find once you cut the roasted eggplant open. Since we’re keeping the texture chunky instead of blending everything until smooth, biting into a mouthful of seeds in your dip won’t be enjoyable.
- Allow the sliced cooked eggplant flesh to sit in a colander for at least 20 minutes to drain the excess water/moisture. This step is super important to avoid a watery or runny dip. EXTRA TIP: After the 20 minutes is up, gently push the eggplant down into the colander with a fork to push out any remaining water.
- Pulse the ingredients together using a food processor instead of blend. Baba Ganoush is normally on the chunkier side. And believe me, the chunky pieces of eggplant hidden throughout really takes it over the top. However, if you don’t have a food processor, fear not. Just use a good ol’ fork and mash up the eggplant and mix the ingredients together by hand. EXTRA TIP: Mince the garlic before adding it to the food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Since we’re pulsing them and not blending, you’ll end up with big chunks of garlic in your dip if you don’t mince it beforehand.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Baba Ganoush is a delicious dip for so many things. Crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips, potato chips, veggie sticks, crusty bread, and focaccia to name a few. It’s also great as a spread on wraps, sandwiches, or burgers.
If stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge, this baba ganoush or smoky eggplant dip will last for up to 4 days. Simply give it a good stir and replenish the garnishes (olive oil, smoked paprika and fresh chopped parsley) when ready to eat/serve again.
The great news is yes, yes you can freeze this baba ganoush eggplant dip. Although bear in mind that the consistency might change slightly. Simply portion it out into desired portions in a freezer safe container or bag. It’ll be good for up to 3 months. Thaw completely and stir before use.
IF YOU’RE A DIP LOVER LIKE ME, THEN DON’T SLEEP ON THESE FLAVOURFUL FAVOURITES
3 INGREDIENT SPICY (SRIRACHA) MAYO
HEALTHY GREEK YOGURT TARTAR SAUCE
LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
RECIPE FOR BABA GANOUSH
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant
- 2 tbsp Tahini
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for serving
- ¼ tsp Salt
- Sprinkle of Smoked Paprika
- Fresh Parsley chopped, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap the eggplant in foil.
- Roast for 1 hour, flipping halfway through. I do this directly on the oven rack as there is no need for a sheet pan. Allow it to cool to the touch before handling.
- Once cooled, peel the skin of the eggplant.
- Slice it in half lengthwise.
- Remove any large clumps of seeds and discard.
- Slice the eggplant into thirds and place it in a colander over a bowl. Let it drain for 20 minutes.
- Once the 20 minutes is up, gently press the eggplant pieces down with a fork to release the last of the excess water/moisture.
- Add the eggplant flesh, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to the base of a food processor.
- PULSE (not blend) the ingredients a few time until you reach your desired consistency (it should be a bit chunky)*
- Transfer the dip to a serving dish and garnish with an extra splash of olive oil, a sprinkle of smoked paprika and some chopped fresh parsley. Serve with veggie sticks, tortilla chips, crackers, or pita bread or use as a spread.
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Notes
Nutrition
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