Lebanese Baba Ganoush
Creamy and smoky, this homemade Lebanese baba ganoush is a classic in Middle Eastern cuisine! Smoky charred eggplant is roasted until incredibly soft and tender and gently mixes with sweet roasted garlic, creamy tahini and rich olive oil.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Cooling10 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Mezze, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: authentic baba ganoush, baba ganoush recipe, Lebanese baba ganoush
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 212kcal
- 2 medium-large eggplants
- 1 garlic head roasted, about 5-6 roasted garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika + more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for garnish
- parsley leaves finely chopped, for garnish
Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and cut the top off the garlic bulb. Drizzle the garlic with a little olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
Roast the garlic in the oven for 40 minutes until softened. Once done, let cool and squeeze out the softened garlic cloves.
Grill the eggplant. Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high and place the eggplant on the grill. Use tongs to turn the eggplant a quarter turn every 5-10 minutes until eggplant is evenly charred on all sides and the flesh has softened and "collapsed". This can take up to 40-50 minutes.
Remove the eggplant from the grill and let cool enough to touch, about 10 minutes. Peel away the charred eggplant peel, which should come off easily and cut the eggplant in half. Scoop out the soft eggplant and give it a rough chop.
Blend the tahini. To a small food processor, add the tahini, roasted garlic cloves, lemon juice, spices and olive oil and pulse to combine.
Add the chopped eggplant and pulse a few more times until the eggplant mixture is just combined and still have some texture to it. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Transfer the baba ganoush to a wide bowl and use the back of a spoon to make a well in the center. Drizzle with more olive oil and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and chopped parsley.
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- Roast the eggplant instead of grilling. Cut the eggplant in half, wrap in aluminum foil and roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes until softened and "collapsed".
- Make it creamier. To make the baba ganoush extra creamier, add 1-2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt.
- Drain the eggplant. If the eggplant is too watery, place it in a strainer and drain the excess liquid.
- Don't over mix. Baba ganoush has some texture to it so give it a few pulses in the food processor until the dip is just combined.
Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 641mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg