Traditional Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush is a Middle Eastern vegan eggplant dip that not only tastes great but also has a lovely texture that you will fall in love with! It’s made with roasted smoky eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and salt. You will love this recipe!

If you’re looking for a creamy tahini eggplant dip recipe, then you must be looking for Mutabbal, not baba ganoush.

People often confuse Baba Ganoush with Mutabbal, and it drives me crazy! If I go on Google and type “Baba Ganoush” I get Mutabbal recipes instead. The original Baba Ganoush recipe DOES NOT contain any tahini. I wonder who started this and introduced Mutabbal as Baba Ganoush? So today I’m here answering all of your questions about Baba Ganoush, how is it different to Mutabbal, how to make it, how to enjoy it, etc. So please keep reading!

Middle Eastern Mezze

One of my favorite things about Middle Eastern cuisine is the Mezze. Mezza means a collection of different great tasting little dishes, that you would normally eat with pita bread and are served as appetizers before the main course arrives. Of course, there is cold mezze and warm mezze, some dishes are vegan or vegetarian but others are meaty. In general, mezze contains a lot of vegetables which is always a win!

I post Middle Eastern mezze recipes quite often on the blog, so here’s baba ghanoush recipe to be added to the list. But make sure to check out my Middle Eastern recipe collection for more great recipes!

Baba Ganoush dip originated from the Middle East, and it’s popular in the Arab countries (you can find it on the menu at any Arab restaurant).

What is the difference between Baba Ganoush and Mutabbal?

Baba Ghanoush is often confused with Mutabbal, and I really feel the need to explain the difference between these two Middle Eastern appetizers. Mutabbal is made with eggplant, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini (ground sesame sauce). And Baba Ghanoush is made with eggplant, onion, tomato, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and no tahini! They look very different, the texture is different, and the taste is also very different. If you ask me which one is my favorite, I’d say both!

What ingredients do you need to make Baba Ganoush?

To make Baba Ganoush dip, you will need:

• Eggplant and tomato.
• Onion and garlic.
• Fresh parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and salt.
• Sumac and fresh mint leaves for garnish.

How to make Baba Ganoush?

How to roast an eggplant?

1. Roast it by placing it directly over the stovetop and turn it side to side until the skin is burnt and pulp or flesh is soft and tender.
2. Roast it in the oven. Score the eggplant using a knife, then wrap with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes. Turn it around twice while cooking.
3. Grill the eggplant.
4. Slice your eggplant in half then place it on a baking tray and bake at 355°F (180°C) for 50 minutes.

The easiest and most traditional way to roast the eggplant is by placing it directly over the stovetop as it only takes 15 minutes (but then you’ll have to clean the stove! Totally worth it though). You will get that lovely smoky taste if you roast it over direct flame on the stovetop.

How to roast an eggplant over the stovetop on direct flame

My favorite and easiest way to roast an eggplant is by placing it directly over the flame on the stovetop (you can also do this on induction, just don’t forget to wrap it in foil first so that the liquids don’t drip all over the induction hob). It takes just 15 minutes to roast and gives a very lovely smoky taste to the eggplant.

Start by placing the eggplant directly over the flame. If roasting 2 eggplants, then roast each on a separate flame.

The eggplant will start to cook, so use metal tongs to turn it over occasionally so it’s cooked evenly from all sides. If you have an induction hob, it works exactly the same way.

When the eggplant becomes flaky from the outside, but the flesh is soft, it means that the eggplant is ready. The skin will be burnt, and the juices will start coming out and that’s okay.

Remove the eggplant from the stove, and set aside on a metal tray and let it cool down slightly. You will have to peel the burnt skin off while the eggplant is still warm, as it becomes a bit too difficult to peel once the eggplant cools down completely. I like to use a fork to remove the burnt skin.

How to make Baba Ganoush from scratch (step by step tutorial)

As your eggplant is roasted and ready, you will need to put it in a medium bowl and see if any burnt skin is left and discard it out. The small bits are okay and give a great flavour, but if you find any large ones you will need to get rid of them.

Using a knife or a potato masher, mash the cooked eggplant flesh. Don’t use a food processor or blender for this as you will lose that lovely texture that you want.

I like to keep mine a little chunky and I never use a blender to reach completely smoothness as that’s not how it should be. However, if you prefer your dip to be smooth and without any stringy bits then use a blender.

Dice a tomato, an onion, chop some parsley and crush some garlic cloves.

Add the vegetables to the eggplant and give it a good mix.

Add some olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Mix again, and your baba ganoush is ready to be served!

Serve in a bowl, or in an Arabic mezze dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with sumac if desired. I like to serve it with pita bread or pita chips on the side since Baba Ganoush is basically a dip.

Do you eat Baba Ganoush hot or cold?

The answer is cold! Or at room temperature. Baba Ganoush is never reheated, and it’s not meant to be served warm.

What does Baba Ganoush taste like?

When you eat Baba Ganoush, the main taste and texture will come from the smoky eggplant. I’d say that it tastes fresh and smoky. The texture is creamy and fluffy, really fun to eat!

How long does Baba Ganoush last?

Preferably consumed on the same day, but you can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days

More great eggplant recipes

• Middle Eastern stuffed eggplants
• Vegan eggplant sandwich
• Eggplant and chickpea curry
• Mutabbal eggplant dip
• Eggplant cinnamon jam

This recipe was first posted on July 29, 2014, the images and the text were updated on August 23, 2018. The recipe remained the same.