This easy baba ganoush recipe is smoky, savory, and creamy. Made with eggplant, tahini, garlic, and lemon, it’s a delicious dip for pita and veggies.
Have you tried baba ganoush? If you like hummus, I have a feeling you’ll love this Mediterranean eggplant dip too. Made with grilled or roasted eggplant, tahini, garlic, and lemon, it’s creamy, smoky, nutty, and bright.
I’m sharing my easy baba ganoush recipe below. It pairs perfectly with crisp veggies and pita bread, but I love it so much that I’ve also been known to eat it straight off a spoon. I hope you enjoy it too!
What is baba ganoush?
Baba ganoush is a Middle Eastern dip made from roasted or grilled eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.
Grilling or roasting the eggplant imparts the dip with rich, smoky flavor, and the tender eggplant flesh gives it a silky, creamy texture.
It’s a must-try dish. Learn how to make it with this recipe!
How to Make Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is simple to make. It starts with 6 basic ingredients:
Baba Ganoush Ingredients
- Eggplant – You’ll roast or grill it to create the dip’s smoky base. I recommend using 2 medium eggplants to make this recipe. They’ll cook more quickly than 1 large eggplant would.
- Tahini – This sesame seed paste makes the dip rich and creamy. Be sure to use good-quality tahini in this recipe. Because it has so few ingredients, the tahini’s flavor really comes through. I like Cedar’s, Soom, and Seed + Mill. Each of these brands has an ultra-smooth texture and nutty—not bitter—flavor.
- Lemon juice – For brightness.
- Olive oil – It makes the baba ganoush rich and smooth.
- Garlic – It adds sharp, savory flavor.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Grill or Bake the Eggplant
The first step in this recipe is grilling or roasting the eggplant.
- To roast the eggplant, pierce each one a few times with a knife or fork and wrap it in foil. Roast at 400°F until very soft and collapsing, 50 to 60 minutes.
- To grill the eggplant, pierce each one a few times with a knife or fork. Place directly on a grill over high heat. Cook, rotating the eggplants as they char, until they’re very soft and charred all over.
Remove from the oven or grill and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Tip: You can cook the eggplant up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
Drain the Eggplant
The eggplant will be very watery after roasting, so the next step is draining its excess liquid.
When it’s cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skin. As you work, remove any large clumps of seeds.
Place the eggplant flesh in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and let it stand for 20 minutes.
Discard any liquid that pools in the bowl, and transfer the eggplant flesh to a food processor.
Blend and Season to Taste
Next, blend up the dip. Traditionally, baba ganoush is mixed together without a food processor. However, I like mine silky smooth. I find that the easiest way to achieve this texture is with a few quick pulses in the food processor.
Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt to the food processor with the eggplant. Pulse until smooth and season to taste with more lemon and salt as desired.
- Tip: Add a pinch of smoked paprika for smokier baba ganoush.
Chill until you’re ready to serve. Then, devour with pita and fresh veggies!
What to Serve with Baba Ganoush
I love to serve baba ganoush as an appetizer or snack. I garnish it with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of smoked paprika. Then, I set it out with pita bread (or pita chips) and crisp veggies like peppers and cucumber slices for dipping.
For a larger appetizer spread, add it to a mezze platter. It would go well with other dips like hummus or tzatziki, small bites like olives or feta, tabbouleh or Greek salad, and/or falafel.
How to Store
Store baba ganoush in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I love to keep it on hand for snacking or make it ahead for parties and gatherings.
More Favorite Dip Recipes
If you love this recipe, try one of these dips or spreads next:
Baba Ganoush
Serves 4
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and wrap the eggplants in foil. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, or until they are soft and collapse to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside.
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Once cool to the touch, peel the skin from the eggplants, removing any big clumps of seeds. Place the flesh in a strainer set over a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
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Place the eggplant flesh, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
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Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving dish and sprinkle with parsley, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve with pita and veggies.
Note: For a more traditional, smokier baba ganoush, cook the eggplant on the grill (no foil), until the eggplant is very soft and charred all over. Remove the charred skin and continue with the recipe instructions.
