Baba ganoush, also spelled baba ghanoush or baba ghanouj, is a delightful appetizer or dip originating from the Levant region, encompassing countries like Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Palestine. It’s also popular in Turkey. Baba ganoush is a creamy, smoky masterpiece made with roasted or grilled eggplants, mashed to a smooth consistency and blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and spices.

Middle Eastern Baba Ganoush

Baba ganoush dip can be found throughout the Middle East. The slightly smoky and soft eggplant makes this dip a fan favorite and a wonderful meze. Serve it with raw vegetables and pita triangles or chips

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Course: Appetizer, Dip, Meze

Cuisine: Lebanon, Middle Eastern, Syria, Turkey

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Resting: 30

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Baking pan
Tongs
Colander
Wooden spoon
Medium bowl

Ingredients

2 large Eggplants
1 tbsp Mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
1 tbsp Lemon, juiced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ cup Tahini
2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Parsley
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp Sumac (optional)
1 tsp Aleppo pepper (Sub: crushed red pepper flakes)
1 drizzle Extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
1 tbsp Each: chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Prepare Eggplant (Smoke, Grill or Roast)

Prick each eggplant 4 times with a fork. Grill or Bake:
To Grill – Over a medium-hot grill, cook eggplants until they get soft and skin is charred. About 30 minutes total. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water.
To Bake – Preheat oven to 375°F (177°C). Put eggplants in oven on a baking pan for about 50 minutes. They will look deflated and soft when ready. Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water.
Peel – Once eggplant has cooled enough to handle, peel the charred skin off (a few bits of skin remaining is fine). Discard skin and stem. Chop eggplant roughly with a knife and transfer to a small bowl.
Make Baba Ganoush – Add chopped garlic, salt, and lemon juice in a medium bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to mellow out the garlic. To the same bowl, add tahini, parsley, mayonnaise or yogurt, black and red pepper, and sumac (if using). Mix gently with a wooden spoon until well combined. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
Serve – Transfer baba ganoush to a serving dish and adjust seasonings and lemon. Top with a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle pine nuts over and serve with pita chips and raw vegetables.

Notes

Use a fork or wooden spoon to mix the baba ganoush rather than a food processor.
Baba ganoush can be refrigerated for up-to 4 days in an airtight container.

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