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Baba Ghanoush | Mediterranean Smokey Creamy Eggplant Dip

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Baba Ghanoush, say that three times. It’s such a fun word. The name has a delightful sound to it but what’s even better is the taste of this creamy eggplant dip. It’s rich, smokey, nutty, with a touch of garlic. It’s the type of appetizer dish you’ll want to dig into with a spoon. 

Baba Ghanoush Mediterranean eggplant dip with a smokey, garlic, nutty taste
Table Of Contents

All it took was one bite

Eggplant, aubergine, or melanzana, as I know the vegetable, is the main ingredient of this dip. The dish is of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean origin, and we tasted it for the first time when our son took us to a restaurant that featured Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine. 

One bite was all it took. I think we heard angels singing on high. 

Believe me; we had to implement a lot of self-control, not to go back to the buffet and ladle the baba ghanoush onto our plate. Oh, and also grab the pile of warm flatbread that was next to the dip. 

Baba Ghanoush is a Mediterranean eggplant dip that tastes smokey, garlicky, nutty, and is irresistible.

Simple ingredients yield complex taste

For baba ghanoush, you only need five ingredients more: tahini ( a sesame paste), olive oil, fresh lemon, smoked paprika, and parsley. 

I don’t count kosher salt as an ingredient, even though it’s included because I figure you usually have that in your kitchen. 

Those six ingredients in combination produce a magical substance that you’ll want to slather on a delicious piece of yeast bread like pocketless pitas.  

Baba Ghanoush is an eggplant dip that is delicious on homemade flatbread.

The best baba ghanoush

I want to fill you in on the secrets to making a superior eggplant dip.

  •  You roast the eggplants on a grill. You can check doneness by piercing either end of the globe with a skewer.  If there’s resistance, just keep them on a little longer. 
  • When done, wrap the eggplant tightly in foil and let them rest for 15 minutes.
  • Now, this is important ?, scoop the flesh from the skin and put the meat in a salad spinner. Yes! A salad spinner! Crank it gently. Spinning removes the additional moisture from the eggplant and concentrates the flavor. 
Baba Ganoush is a Mediterranean eggplant dip that gets part of it's smokey flavor from roasting it on the grill.

Quick to put together

We like our dips creamy, so we put the eggplant, garlic, and lemon juice in our food processor.  Pulse until it comes together into a smooth paste. We add the tahini and pulse again. Now, we turn on the processor and pour the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. 

Baba Ghanoush a Mediterranean eggplant dip gets its creamy texture from the food processor.

Next, comes the parsley, salt, and smoked paprika and we mix that in by hand. Taste.  Hmmm, does it need more lemon? More salt? Here is where you season to taste.

Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve with warm flatbread or veggies.

Baba Ghanoush is a creamy Mediterranean eggplant dip that tastes smokey, garlicky, nutty and irresistible.

Ecco!! You’ve made baba ghanoush!! Now, for the best part! Mangia!! 

Here are more appetizer recipes you’ll enjoy…

Smokin Hot Avocado Italian Salsa — A spicy guacamole dip with an Italian flavor. 

Fried Polenta Appetizers — Take your leftover polenta, fry it, and let it act like crostini. 

Fried Green Tomatoes — This is a family favorite and delicious as appetizers or in a sandwich.

You can’t go wrong with any of these recipes, they are tried and true. 

Tutti a tavola è pronto. 

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

YOU MAY NEED…

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This is the Food Processor we have in our kitchen. We use it so much we’ve gone through three in the last fifteen years. We make pasta dough in it as well as bread dough. Grinding and mincing meat is so easy. This is one kitchen tool that really helps out the cooking enthusiast. 

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Baba Ghanoush is a Mediterranean eggplant dip that has a smokey, garlicky, nutty flavor that is delicious slathered on flatbread.

 

Baba Ghanoush | Mediterranean Smokey Creamy Eggplant Dip

A Mediterranean eggplant dip that is smoky, creamy, garlicky, with a nutty sesame flavor. It’s delicious served as an appetizer with flatbread or vegetables.
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: dip, low-calorie appetizer, mediterranean
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 15 Bowl
Calories: 1277kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 3 medium eggplants about 2 pound total
  • 3 medium cloves of garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice more if desired
  • 3 Tablespoons tahini sesame paste
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium heat and place eggplants directly over heat source. Our heat is between 350-400 F. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until tender and charred on all sides, between 30 to 40 minutes.
  • The eggplants should be very tender. Test the eggplants by sticking a skewer near the stem and bottom ends. If the skewer meets resistance, continue cooking.
  • When it’s done wrap the eggplants in foil and crimp the top to seal. Let the eggplants rest for 15 minutes.
  • Open the foil package, using a sharp knife slit open the eggplants and with a large spoon scoop out the soft flesh and transfer to a strainer set in a large bowl. Pick out any bits of skin and blackened flesh.
  • Transfer eggplant to a salad spinner, and put the meat evenly around the bowl. Crank the spinner gently until all the excess moisture is extracted.
  • Put the eggplant in a food processor and add garlic, lemon juice and pulse until it is smooth and creamy. Add the tahini and pulse again until it’s combined. With the processor turned-on, slowly add the olive oil in a thin steady stream. The mixture will be pale and creamy. By hand, stir in parsley, smoked paprika, and salt. Taste to see if you’d like additional salt and lemon juice.
  • Put the baba ghanoush into a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with warm flatbread or vegetables (do the flatbread — it’s fantastic).
  • Baba ghanoush can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Let the eggplant dip warm to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Adapted from The Best Baba Ganoush by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt at Serious Eats

Nutrition

Calories: 1277kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 98g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 3517mg | Fiber: 44g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 2565IU | Vitamin C: 66.5mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 6.9mg

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Comments

  2. Dana says

    5 stars
    This looks so creamy and delicious! I’m all about from-scratch condiments. Hummus and tzatziki especially. But this is being added to the list. There’s so much more flavor in homemade spreads!

    Reply

  3. Debra says

    5 stars
    Nice tip to put it all in the food processor. I don’t know why I never thought of that. I usually just mash with a fork, but it’s usually lumpy! Oh, and that flatbread is a must to right away. I pinned so I can make it next week.

    Reply

  4. Tina says

    5 stars
    I’ve been wanting to try this out, and your instructions really make it simple to do. I love the trick with the salad spinner! Mind blown, what an incredible ingenious idea!

    Reply

  5. Donna says

    5 stars
    We have been eating baba ghanoush for years but for some reason I have never thought to make my own. So glad I have now, such delicious flavours and surprisingly easy!

    Reply

  6. Sarah says

    We recently tried this dip (spread?) at a Mediterranean restaurant and it was AMAZING! So many flavors! But it never occurred to me to make it at home. I love this idea!

    Reply

  7. Tina says

    5 stars
    You make this look so easy. I love the idea of the salad spinner. I never thought of that. I was making something yesterday that could have use a salad spinner. Maybe I’ll get one. I have such a small kitchen it’s hard to make new purchases. Thanks for this!

    Reply

  8. Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says

    5 stars
    We just grilled some eggplant on the weekend. I could eat this by the spoonful. Homemade dips are so good. My family would love this. Ther perfect appetizer for my next bbq party.

    Reply

  9. Gloria says

    5 stars
    YES…this is my kind of dip. There was a time I never liked eggplant. Probably because my mom NEVER cooked it…not once. I have experimented with it over the years, and have grown to like it. This is my favourite way to enjoy it. Perfect for parties too.

    Reply

  11. Ashima says

    5 stars
    babaganoush, babaganoush, babaganoush! I love it.. totally 🙂 and while I do experiments with hummus by adding roasted bell peppers or beetroot to it, I like baba gnash just the way it was originally intended. Just like your recipe!

    And reading through it, I feel like I need to go buy some big eggplants to roast right away and some of this amazing dip 🙂

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  13. Tamara Andersen says

    I do mine on the grill too! Great minds think alike… This is a fabulous recipe, and your baba ghanoush looks so creamy. I’d love some with fresh pita for lunch today!

    Reply

  14. Molly Kumar says

    I wish I could literally grab that bowl out of the screen!! Your recipe looks amazing and you explained it so well Marissa. I’m such a HUGE fan of Baba-Ghanoush and I can literally eat it just like that 😉

    Reply

  15. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

    What else do you need with those amazing flatbreads. I still can’t get over how wonderful your flatbreads and this Baba ghanoush is a perfect dip to serve with it. I use eggplants a lot, but have not baba ghanoush yet. Time to make some 🙂

    Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      I was the same as you, Val. I’d heard of baba ghanoush many times but had never tasted it. Boy, was I ever missing a real treat!! Are you going to make it for your brother?

      Reply

  20. Noel Lizotte says

    I’ve only had eggplant once in my life … this was not the way it was prepared that time. I’m quite tempted to try this recipe, but will have to find some eggplant…

    Reply

  21. Traditionallymodernfood says

    We make something similar in Indian cuisine called sutta kathirikai chutney. I should try this version sometime.

    Reply

  22. Jennifer A Stewart says

    I have never roasted them on the grill! Great tip! I am like you in that I want to stop and thank the higher power when I taste something authentic and yummy like that! I felt the same about tzatziki the first time I tasted it! Love this and I’m going to be trying that pocketless pita too! This might be my dinner for a week so no judgment.

    Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Hi, Jennifer! I know you’re going to love the roasted eggplant. It’s easy and so good. Try them on the flatbread and I never judge food preferences — I have some of my own. ?

      Reply

  29. Veena Azmanov says

    Oh wow. Marisa. This is such a co-incidence.. I made Eggplant with Tahini today!
    This looks so good. I love that you pulsed it in the food processor. Looks so smooth. I leave mine chunky.
    Next time I’m making your recipe. Love the parsley!! Yum.

    Reply

    • Marisa Franca says

      Hey, Veena! Great minds think alike ?. Try it smooth and see how you like it. Let me know — we’ve never had it chunky although, hearing the oohs and aahs from the family I don’t know how it could improve.

      Reply

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