Creamy Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)
This easy roasted Eggplant Dip is one for eggplant lovers everywhere. It has a deliciously smoky flavor and is the perfect dip on a mezze platter, as part of a Middle Eastern spread or just as a snack. Best of all, it’s easy to make and contains plenty of wholesome ingredients.
In This Article
What Makes This Recipe So Good
This scrumptious, healthy dip goes by many names across a variety of cultures – baba ghanoush, baba ghanouj, or baba ghannouj. There are also similar-style recipes called Mutabal, which is found in many Middle Eastern countries, and Melitzanosalata in Greece. The latter two are more like eggplant salads though share a similar texture to an eggplant dip.
What we find in all variations of this recipe are deeply nourishing ingredients. Like all our veg, eggplants are an excellent source of fibre, which is great for gut health and helps keep you feeling full for longer. They also contain an abundance of antioxidants including vitamin C, which is great for immune health as well as protecting cells from oxidative damage.
Additionally, eggplant’s contain vitamin K, a nutrient essential for blood clotting and bone health as well as vitamin B6 – important for brain development, nervous system health and immune function. This is all before we even get to the olive oil and tahini in this recipe! Both of which also offer an abundance of nutrients and health benefits.
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
This delicious smoky eggplant dip makes the perfect appetizer or side dish to add to a Mediterranean spread. It uses fresh, simple ingredients and a couple of pantry staples. Nothing special needed!
- Large eggplant – The star ingredient that gives the dip a smoky and creamy texture once roasted.
- Tahini – Also adds creaminess but brings a nutty richness to the dish overall. I’ve mentioned in several other recipes that my choice is always hulled tahini. The unhulled variety is very bitter, which affects the final taste of a dish. It also affects nutrient absorption because the hull remains intact and contains oxalic and phytic acid. These bind to minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc and we don’t want that given tahini is a good source of calcium.
- Garlic cloves – impart a pungent and slightly spicy flavor that brings a robust, savory kick to the dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – adds a slightly fruity undertone, complementing the smokiness of the roasted eggplant.
- Fresh lemon juice – adds a bit of zing, balancing the richness of the other ingredients.
- Salt – enhances the overall taste.
- Fresh parsley, olive oil, and smoked paprika – these are for garnish and are optional.
Globe eggplants (large, deep purple variety) are the best choice for this recipe because they’re nice and fleshy. The long thin eggplants won’t give you enough to work with.
How To Make This Eggplant Dip
This is by far one of my favorite eggplant recipes. The taste and texture both highlight the best that eggplant has to offer. It also serves as an excellent introduction for those who might be unsure about this veggie. That rich, smokey taste is certain to get them over the line.
- Cut the green leaves from the top of the eggplant.
- Set the eggplant on a gas burner on your stove over medium-high heat. Turn it with a pair of tongs every 3-4 minutes until the skin is completely charred and the eggplant is soft. See the Substitutions And Variations section for oven instructions.
- Take the eggplant off the flame, place it in a large bowl and cover it with a clean tea towel. Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes. Once rested, peel off the charred skin and stem and discard them.
- Place the eggplant flesh into a food processor. Add in all the remaining ingredients and blend on high for 10 – 15 seconds.
- Pour the finished dip into a serving bowl drizzle generously with olive oil then sprinkle with chopped parsley and smoked paprika.
- Serve at room temperature with warm pita bread, pita chips, carrot sticks, or crusty bread.
Roasting the eggplant over a naked flame will give you the best results however if this isn’t an option in your kitchen it can certainly be made in the oven too. See the Substitutions And Variations section below for a how-to on that.
Substitutions And Variations
If you don’t have a gas stove or bbq to roast the eggplant over an open flame it can also be roasted in the oven.
- Heat oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
- Remove the green leaves from the top of the eggplant and pierce the skin with a fork at least 10 times. This will stop it exploding in the oven.
- Place the eggplant on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (baking paper) and put it in the oven. Roast for 45-60 minutes or until the eggplant is soft when pressed with a fork.
- Follow the remainder of the recipe from step 4 in the recipe card to complete.
Expert Hints And Tips
Let this dip sit and come to room temperature before you taste it. I find the flavors don’t meld together when blended with the other ingredients if your eggplant is still very warm or hot. At this point you may think it needs more garlic, salt etc. Once everything settles though, it will be perfect.
Choose a good eggplant! Picking the right eggplant for this dip is key. Look for one that’s firm (but not rock hard) with a nice, vibrant and glossy skin. It should also be free of blemishes, discolouration, and soft spots and have a green stem and leaves. These features mean it’s fresh, likely to be less bitter, and ready to bring all the good flavors to your dip.
Take your time when cooking the eggplant. If it’s not completely charred and falling in on itself the dip won’t have that delicious smokey taste.
Storing/Freezing/Make Ahead
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
This dip can be made a day or two in advance, which will actually help the flavours intensify. If doing this, take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to allow it to get to room temperature. This is when it’s at its best.
While eggplant dip/baba ganoush can be frozen I don’t recommend it because once thawed the taste and texture change.
FAQ
Generally yes, but it’s not needed for this recipe as charring helps to remove the bitterness.
Yes – but I don’t recommend it. Tahini adds important flavor and texture to the dish. It will be much less creamy if left out and will have a different flavor profile.
Mutabal is more like an eggplant salad. There is no tahini in this dish and it contains onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables. In contrast, baba ganoush does contain tahini, does not use other vegetables and is used as a dip or spread.
This is likely due to your choice of tahini (hulled is always best!), not cooking the eggplant enough or using an old eggplant. Check the expert hints and tips above for how to choose a good eggplant.
More Middle Eastern Inspired Recipes
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Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1 large globe (purple) eggplant
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- A handful of parsley, chopped, optional
- Olive oil for drizzling, optional
- Smoked paprika to sprinkle over, optional
Instructions
- Cut the green top off the eggplant. Do this by carefully cutting it from underneath the leaves so you don't chop off too much eggplant or the stem in the process.
- Set the eggplant on a gas stove-top burner over medium-high heat (see note 1). Turn it with a pair of tongs every 3-4 minutes until the skin is completely charred and the eggplant is soft.
- Take the eggplant off the flame, place it in a large bowl and cover it with a clean tea towel. Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Peel off the charred skin and stem and discard them. Place the eggplant flesh into a food processor.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients and blend on high for 10 – 15 seconds.
- Pour the finished dip into a serving bowl, drizzle generously with olive oil then sprinkle with chopped parsley and smoked paprika.
- Serve at room temperature with warm pita bread, pita chips, carrot sticks, or crusty bread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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