Creamy Oven-Roasted Baba Ganoush
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You don’t need to fire up the grill to make rich, smoky-tasting baba ganoush! One of the classic eggplant recipes in the world. My version of this ultra-creamy eggplant dip tastes a little spicy, and perfectly tangy. Puree the flesh of a whole, baked eggplant with olive oil, tahini paste, toasted garlic, and aromatic spices, then scoop it up with warm pita or crunchy fresh vegetables.
With this baba ganoush recipe, I riffed on the classic eggplant dip. I was going for a rich, savory flavor and a luscious creamy texture, while keeping it 100 percent dairy-free. Baba ganoush keeps for days for your snacking and dipping enjoyment, Mediterranean mezze-style.
It doesn’t get Any better than This baba ganoush:
- Can I say — eggplant dip might be even better than homemade hummus?!
- The secret ingredient: Balsamic vinegar. This pantry staple adds a special tangy sweetness to the purée.
- The other secret ingredient: Olive oil-toasted garlic tastes sweeter and more complex than raw garlic, without the sharp edge.
- Roast the eggplant in your oven — there’s no need to fire up the grill, but I give you the option.
A staple Mediterranean recipe, baba ganoush is essentially an eggplant puree. Unlike it’s cousin hummus, it does not contain chickpeas. Middle Eastern and Levantine people enjoy it in so many variations — Turkish, Syrian, Moroccan, Palestinian, and Israeli recipes each add their own specific ingredients like yogurt, pomegranate molasses, and herbs.
Visual prep and cooking steps
1. Start by poking holes in a large fresh eggplant. This prevents it from exploding in the oven (too messy!). 2. Roast the whole eggplant for about 30 minutes at 475F, until it looks charred and deflated. 3. Let it cool slightly, then separate the skin from the soft flesh.
4. Drain off any excess water, which can taste bitter. 5. Transfer the eggplant to a mixing bowl. 6. Sizzle thin-sliced garlic in olive oil — this mellows its raw taste. 7. Add the garlic and oil to the eggplant, along with tahini, salt and spices.
8. Mash everything together by hand for a slightly coarse consistency or use an immersion blender for the creamiest texture. 9. Garnish it! This is the fun part. Swirl olive oil over the top, sprinkle with chopped herbs and toasted sesame seeds. 10. Serve baba ganoush with plenty of toasted bread or pita, and/or crisp fresh veggies for dipping.
Creative ways to serve baba ganoush
- Of course, serve it as a dip! Set out an assortment of raw veggies, with your favorite chips, or warm toasted bread wedges on a plate on the side.
- I often dab a big spoonful of the puree on pasta as a sauce. Try it!
- Schmear baba ganoush over the bottom of a shallow bowl or a plate and top with roasted ratatouille vegetables or a cooked protein.
- Lather it on a sandwich instead of mayo.
Creamy Oven-Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)
Ingredients
- 1 large globe eggplant, or 2 medium-size eggplants, total weight 1½-2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, mint or cilantro
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Extra virgin olive oil
Serve with:
- Crisp raw vegetables, such as cucumber spears, bell peppers, radishes or zucchini
- Toasted pita or sourdough bread, cut into wedges
Instructions
Yield: about 2 cups
- Preheat the oven to 475 F (245C).
- Poke about a dozen holes into the eggplant skin, using the tip of a small, sharp knife or a fork. This step allow steam to escape evenly, which will keep the eggplant from exploding as it roasts. Put the whole eggplant on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast the eggplant 25-30 minutes, until it looks softened, shriveled and deflated. Set it aside until it's cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
- While the eggplant is roasting, heat the olive oil and garlic in a small skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic smells fragrant and starts to sizzle — try not to let it brown, or it will taste bitter. Set aside.
- Set a strainer or colander over a mixing bowl. Pull or slice off the stem end of the eggplant, and cut into the skin with the the tip of a knife to open the eggplant like a book. Pull out the soft flesh using your hands, a fork or spoon, and place into the colander (you can throw out the blackened skin). Allow it to drain for a few minutes, then pour out and discard the juices in the bowl that exuded from the eggplant.
- Put the drained eggplant flesh back into the bowl. Add the reserved toasted garlic and olive oil, tahini paste, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne. Mash everything together to make a coarse puree — you can use a pestle, potato masher or wooden spoon. For an ultra-smooth texture, pulse an immersion blender into the mixture until it's light and airy, or puree in a food processor.
- Taste for seasoning, and add more salt, lemon or vinegar as needed to make your taste buds happy.
- Serve the dip at room temperature, in small bowls or swirled onto a platter or shallow bowl. Sprinkle the herbs and sesame seeds over the top and drizzle with olive oil.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- If possible, choose one large, plump eggplant with smooth, shiny skin. It will give you more flesh than 2 smaller ones and cook more evenly.
- To roast the eggplant on a grill: Place the poked eggplant over direct heat on a hot charcoal or gas grill. Cover the grill and bake until it the skin is charred, soft and looks like a deflated football.
- Eggplant dip keeps up to 3 days, refrigerated.
Inspired by:
The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Mediterranean cooking authority Claudia Roden, and a recipe in Around Our Table by Sara Forte.Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.