Baba Ganoush is a popular classic Middle Eastern eggplant dip that, I’m happy to report, is easy to cook at home in your oven. The key to making great baba ganoush is to burn the skin of the eggplant, which brings out the most extraordinary flavors in the underlying flesh: smokiness with subtle caramelized sweetness. The burnt eggplant is mixed with fresh lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and garlic and whipped up into the most creamy, smoky, irresistible dip.
I’ve always loved Baba ganoush (also spelled baba ghanouj and baba ghanoush). I’m not sure where I got the idea that it was impossible to cook at home, that it would require roasting eggplants over an open wood fire. I’m so happy that this delicious Middle Eastern classic is so easy to make in a plain old kitchen oven.
I admit that I haven’t tried roasting eggplants over an open flame. Maybe they’re even better that way. But honestly I couldn’t ask for a more delicious outcome than this!
Charring the eggplant under the intense heat of the broiler completely transforms the texture and flavor of the underlying flesh. When the eggplant comes out of the oven and you cut it open, you’ll find the insides are creamy, smoky and utterly delicious. It’s similar to the transformation of red bell peppers when you roast them.
HOW TO MAKE BABA GANOUSH
Set your oven to Broil and burn the daylights out of some eggplants for about an hour, rotating them a quarter turn every fifteen minutes. And DON’T FORGET to puncture the eggplants a few times with a skewer or knife before you broil them. Otherwise they have a tendency to explode.
When the the eggplants come out of the oven, they’ll be mostly black, and tender to the point of collapsing. Let them cool for ten minutes or so, so you can handle them. Then slice them in half and scoop the flesh out, into a colander to drain for a few minutes, then into a bowl.
Add tahini, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic and salt.
Whip the ingredients with a fork until the mixture is creamy and light in color.
Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon to make some swirls. Drizzle olive oil into the swirls and top with chopped parsley, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.
Baba Ganoush is delicious for dipping crudités or warm pita.
I especially love separating the long skinny leaves of endive or chicory and dipping those in baba ganoush. They’re so easy to prepare and they’re light, crisp and the perfect shape for dipping.
Only one word of warning: you may want to double this recipe. This recipe makes enough for four or five people as a light starter – appetizer – meze. If you’re expecting a crowd or if you want the luxury of indulging to your heart’s content, double it. The flavors are incredible!
Here’s the Baba Ganoush recipe. As always, I’m hoping that if you try this recipe, you’ll come back to leave a rating and comment. I’d love to know what you think.
Baba Ganoush
Creamy, smoky, healthy, delicious Baba Ganoush – an easy home cooking recipe for this Middle Eastern classic!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-5
- Category: Appetizer, side dish
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds of eggplant (3 medium or 2 large)
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely minced garlic (2 medium cloves)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, plus a bit more, to taste (1 juicy lemon should do)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or more, to taste
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Garnishes:
- 1-2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1-2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Set the oven to broil. Puncture each eggplant 5 or 6 times with a skewer or a knife. (this prevents them from exploding) Place the eggplants on a heavy rimmed baking sheet and set them near the top of the oven, close to the heating element. Broil the eggplants for 45 minutes to an hour, rotating them one quarter turn every fifteen minutes, until their skins are charred and they are tender to the point of collapsing. Smaller eggplants will be ready in 45 minutes. Larger ones will need an hour. Let them rest for ten minutes or so, until they’re cool enough to handle.
- Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon, scraping the skins to get every bit. Place eggplant flesh into a colander and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, to release any excess liquids. Toss it a few times in the strainer to strain out the liquids. Transfer it to a bowl. Add garlic, lemon juice, tahini, ¼ teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Whisk the ingredients vigorously with a fork for a minute or so, until the mixture gets light and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and lemon juice, if needed.
- Transfer baba ganoush to a serving bowl. Use the back of a spoon in a circular motion to smooth it out and make a few swirls. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into the swirls. Sprinkle on some parsley, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.
Keywords: eggplant, salad, dip, meze
This looks wonderful; I love Baba Ganoush! I will have to try this!
Lisa, with temperatures in the 100s here in the Chihuahuan desert of southern New Mexico and the air-conditioning working overtime, the prospect of broiling for an hour is a bit daunting (except maybe first thing in the morning). Have you or any of your friends tried baking/charring the eggplants on a gas or charcoal barbecue, just to get the heat out of the house? We’ll be doing a lot of this down here in a few weeks when the green chiles from Hatch hit the market.
You definitely don’t want to turn on your oven with those temperatures! Yes, you can absolutely use your barbecue grill. Preheat the grill to high (around 500ºF). Puncture the eggplants and set them on the grates of the grill. It will probably go a bit quicker on the grill than in the oven. I suggest 40 minutes total, turning the eggplants every ten minutes. If they don’t look charred and starting to collapse after 40 minutes, go for another 10 or 15 minutes. Let me know how it goes.
YUUUMMMM!!! Always so excited for the vegan recipes. Thank you! can’t wait to make!!
Nicely done, Lisa. Wish I’d known you didn’t know this technique. I’d have passed it on.
Fact is, cooking over a live fire is the only way to get that authentic, smoky flavor. But your method comes close.
Two points further, fwiw: First, you need to stress using a fork. Do not use a food processor or blender. This will liquefy the eggplant, and eliminate the texture you’re looking for. Second, a small splash of liquid smoke helps push the puree in the right direction.
First, yes, grill them over charcoal- add a few hickory chunks if you can – for an even more wonderful smoky flavor. Second, try gently heating the garlic in a little of the oil rather than using it raw. You get a subtle, sweet garlic flavor without a bite that way.
★★★★★