Baba Ganoush

This is the BEST authentic baba ganoush dip that you will ever have! Silky and smooth luxurious eggplant dip, that is savory, smokey, and irresistibly delicious! Enjoy it as a dip with freshly baked pita flatbread, freshly chopped vegetables, or as a part of the Middle Eastern mezze platter!

If you love Middle Eastern dips such as hummus, muhammara, and mutabbal, then you’re going to LOVE this!

Maybe you had Baba Ganoush at a Lebanese restaurant, and you’re not sure how it’s made. You probably think that it’s complicated, but honestly, it is SO easy! All you need is a handful of ingredients, and here’s a step-by-step tutorial that will show you exactly how this delicious eggplant dip is made.

What is Baba Ganoush?

I grew up in the Middle East, specifically in Jordan. In our Jordanian climate, eggplants are very easy to grow so they’re inexpensive and are available at all grocery stores. And that’s the reason why so many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes are made with eggplants.

Baba Ganoush or Baba Ganouj is a simple eggplant dip made with tahini. In Arabic, it’s called Mutabbal and often served within the mezze with fresh pita bread.

It might sound confusing to you, but what is called Baba Ganoush in the West is called Mutabbal in the Middle East. And what’s called Baba Ganoush in the Middle East, is a traditional eggplant dip that is made with more vegetables and no tahini. You can find the traditional Baba Ganoush recipe here, it’s also very delicious and quite unique.

So this version here is the popular Baba Ganoush that you all know (served in Lebanese restaurants in the West). It’s naturally vegan, low-carb, and gluten-free. And most importantly? It’s incredibly delicious!

The Ingredients

To make this eggplant dip, you will need 6 ingredients:

1. Eggplants – I use Italian or globe eggplants.
2. Tahini – made of ground sesame seeds and nothing else, this is what gives the baba ganoush its creaminess.
3. Garlic – because baba ganoush MUST be garlicky!
4. Lemon juice – go for fresh lemon juice if possible.
5. Salt – Make sure that you don’t under-season your Baba ganoush.
6. Olive oil – Most Middle Eastern dips are drizzled with extra virgin olive oil when serving.

How to Make Baba Ganoush

First, you need to cook the smoky eggplant! There are many ways to do this:

Roast or bake the eggplants in the oven

The easiest and not so messy way to cook the eggplants is by roasting/baking them in the oven. Super simple, all you have to do is place the eggplants on a sheet pan, and roast/bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes at 400°F (200°C) or until the eggplants collapse and become tender from the inside.

If you’re worried about the eggplants exploding in the oven, you can pierce them a few times with a fork.

Char the eggplants over the stovetop

Charring the eggplants over the stovetop on an open flame gives a better flavor. To learn more about this method and see some pictures, check out my Mutabbal recipe. Make sure that you use kitchen tongs to turn the eggplants from one side to another over the stovetop.

Use an outdoor grill

You can also grill the eggplants on an outdoor grill, or on a grill pan. On medium-high heat, grill the eggplants and rotate them occasionally using kitchen tongs to cook evenly. Keep doing this until the flesh is soft, and the skin of the eggplant is charred.

Peel and mash the eggplants

After you char/roast the eggplants, allow them to cool down so they’re cool enough to handle, then peel them using your hands or 2 forks.

Mash the flesh with a fork, and add the rest of the ingredients. I like to keep it simple, so I just add garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt.

Mix everything together until combined, and serve in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with sumac and chopped parsley.

Baba Ganoush Recipe Video Tutorial

What to Serve Baba Ganoush With?

Baba Ganoush is often served as a part of the mezze platter, serve it with homemade Falafel, Hummus, Tabbouleh salad, Muhammara (roasted red pepper dip), Foul Mudammas (broad bean dip), Batata Harra (spicy potatoes), Tahini salad, Galayet Bandora (Jordanian tomato stew), and of course, freshly baked pita bread!

Recipe Tips

• I recommend placing the Baba ganoush in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving, it’s best served a little bit cold and this will allow the flavors to develop better.
• To intensify the smoky flavor, you can leave some black burnt bits of the eggplant peel in the dip.
• Feel free to add more seasonings, I usually add pomegranate molasses to sweeten the dip, it adds a lovely Middle Eastern flavor. But feel free to add a little bit of cayenne for a spicy kick, or smoked paprika, ground black pepper, or cumin.
• The leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.