Baba Ganoush

A creamy & smokey roasted eggplant dip.

2-4 servings
50 minutes
Cook Well Official

Ingredients

Creamy base

  • Eggplant, roasted, skinned
    2 parts200 g
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    1 part100 g
  • Tahini
    1/4 part25 g
  • Garlic
    to taste

Flavor adjusters

  • Parsley, minced
    to taste
  • Lemon juice
    to taste
  • Cumin, or coriander
    to taste

For serving

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Pita Bread
  • Paprika

Method

Step 1: Prep the eggplant flesh

Prick the eggplant skins with a fork or knife to create steam vents and prevent them from exploding. Using a grill, smoker, or oven broiler, roast the eggplants until their skin is completely and the insides are soft (rotating often, about 30-45 minutes total cooking time).

Allow the eggplants to cool slightly. Peel the skin & stems from the flesh. Alternatively, use a spoon to scoop out the soft flesh, taking care to minimize bits of burnt skin.

Add the softened flesh to a strainer or clean tea towel. Press out as much water as you can.

Step 2: Emulsify the dip

Add the drained, roasted eggplant flesh to a bowl. Crush the garlic cloves into a paste using a mortar and pestle (or use a knife and cutting board). Add the crushed garlic and tahini to the eggplant, and mix together until the eggplant begins to break down.

Using a fork or whisk, vigorously stir the eggplant mixture while slowly drizzling in the olive oil to it into the dip.

  • Pause frequently and check that the oil is fully incorporated into the mixture — the dressing should be smooth and creamy and thicken as you add more oil, not greasy.

Keep adding oil until you’ve reached the amount or the dip is thickened to your liking.

Step 3: Adjust the flavors & serve

Add in a handful of minced parsley, a sprinkle of salt, spices, and fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust until the salt. Make sure the acid levels are balanced, and the dip is well seasoned and bright, but not overpowering to the subtle eggplant flavor.

Smooth out the finished dip in a serving bowl, and optionally float a layer of olive oil over top for garnish. Add a sprinkle of paprika and more minced parsley for presentation.

Serve with pita bread.

Nutritional Information

entire recipe
Calories1103
10g
116g
3g

Show macros split into…

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Recommended: 3 servings

FAQ

Is this an authentic recipe?

This recipe is based on the Egyptian style of baba ganoush, which is what is most commonly found in the U.S. If you see baba ganoush in the Western world, you’ll likely get a dip made with roasted eggplants, tahini, olive oil, garlic, and spices. Technically, many classify this dish as mutabbal and claim that baba ghanoush is made without tahini paste. Like many foods, this dish too has blurry ingredient boundaries as it diffused around the world.

Even locally in the Middle East, baba ganoush varies widely between countries. What Westerners think of as baba ganoush is closer to the creamy Egyptian preparation. In countries like Syria and Lebanon, baba ghanoush is chunkier and made with pomegranate molasses and diced aromatics. Added spices and herbs vary among recipes too; experiment to find your ideal aromatic profile.

How many eggplants should I use for the recipe?

The ratios in this recipe are based on the cooked, roasted flesh, not the raw eggplants. Once you have the roasted and drained flesh, use that amount to guide how much tahini and olive oil you emulsify into the dip.

900 g (~2 lb) or 3-4 large globe eggplants is a good starting point. These might only yield 200-300g of cooked, drained flesh. After all the additions, you’ll end up with a bowl of baba ganoush in the ballpark of 500 g (~1 lb).