Easy Baba Ganoush Recipe

While the eggplant may be a popular emoji, it's not everyone's favorite vegetable. When eggplant is served straight up, it tends to have a texture that many people do not care for. However, it's truly delicious when blended into a dip with other flavorings to make the Middle Eastern dish called baba ganoush. Baba ganoush may be one of the few recipes where the "secret ingredient" is also the main ingredient. While this vegetable, which is technically a type of fruit, is the main body of the dish, the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice add plenty of flavor (via Reader's Digest).

"This baba ganoush tastes so fresh, creamy, and wholesome," says recipe developer Catherine Brookes. She tells us that it's quite simple to make, and doesn't require too many different ingredients. Even though it's easy to make, though, Brookes assures us that her baba ganoush "feels like a fancy addition to a meal or platter."

Assemble the ingredients for the baba ganoush

To make this baba ganoush, you'll start with a couple of eggplants. You will also need some tahini. The other ingredients are standard household staples: lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper. If you're a fan of garnishing your culinary creations, you can optionally add parsley, or a sprinkle of paprika. 

Cook the eggplant

Preheat the oven to 400 F, then cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Put the eggplant halves on a sheet pan with their cut sides up, then drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub the seasonings into the eggplant halves, but don't bother seasoning the skin, as this will be discarded in the next step. Bake the eggplants for 40 minutes, until brown and tender. 

Cool and peel the eggplant

Put the cooked eggplant halves in a sieve in the sink or over a bowl with the skins facing up. Then, use a spoon to press out the moisture, and let drain for 20 minutes. Once the eggplant halves have cooled, peel and discard the skin from the eggplant. Brookes explains that "It's much easier to remove the skins, and scoop out the flesh once everything is tender."

Blend the eggplant and serve

Put the eggplant flesh into a food processor along with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and remaining oil. Purée the ingredients until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Add the parsley and paprika on top, if desired. 

Baba ganoush is typically eaten as a dip, and Brookes tells us "I like to serve [it] with slice toasted pita bread, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, or tortilla chips." If you want to think outside the bowl, though, it can also be used as a sandwich spread or pasta sauce.

Easy Baba Ganoush Recipe
5 (34 ratings)
Eggplant may not be everyone's favorite food, but this easy baba ganoush recipe will have you kicking your hummus to the curb.
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
40
minutes
Servings
24
tablespoons
baba ganoush in white bowl
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 large eggplants
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Optional Ingredients
  • fresh chopped parsley
  • paprika
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice the eggplants into halves lengthwise.
  2. Put the eggplant halves on a sheet pan skin-side down, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and use your hands to rub the seasonings in. Bake the eggplant for 40 minutes, or until tender and brown.
  3. Drain the eggplants skin-side up in a sieve or colander, pressing them with a spoon to squeeze out excess moisture. Let the eggplants drain for 20 minutes. Scoop the eggplant flesh out of the skin.
  4. Purèe the eggplant flesh in a food processor along with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and remaining olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with parsley and paprika, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories per Serving 42
Total Fat 2.8 g
Saturated Fat 0.4 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrates 4.2 g
Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
Total Sugars 2.1 g
Sodium 147.6 mg
Protein 0.9 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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