Made with simple ingredients, this Lebanese Baba Ganoush dip is so creamy, delicious, and bursting with flavor. It’s similar to hummus and goes well as a side dip with so many dishes, grilled meat and pita bread. It can also be served with healthy veggies as a snack dip.
What is Baba Ganoush?
Baba Ganoush, also known as Baba Ghanouj, is a traditional Lebanese appetizer dip that is similar to hummus but is made with roasted eggplants, lemon juice, tahini, salt and garlic. Baba Ganoush is also very popular all over the world, not just Lebanon.
If you’d like to try more Lebanese recipes, here are a few that my family loves to make: Lebanese Spinach Pies, Lebanese Lentil Soup, and my Easy Lebanese Hummus Recipe. They’re super easy to make and are so delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Baba Ganoush Recipe
- So flavorful. You wouldn’t guess that a dip could be this tasty. Roasting the eggplant brings out so much flavor that you wouldn’t expect from an eggplant!
- It is perfect for everyone. It’s vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and dairy-free meaning that if you’ve got a crowd to feed, this eggplant dip is going to be a crowd pleaser.
- No fancy equipment needed. You don’t need a grill, a wood-burning fire, or anything too fancy to make your baba ghanouj dip. We use an oven to make it accessible to everyone.
- It’s healthy. This dip is made with no added sugar and eggplants are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being low in calories.
Baba Ganoush Ingredients
- Eggplants — When purchasing an eggplant, you want them to have a smooth and shiny skin that is free of blemishes. The color should also be uniformed and when you pick up the eggplant, it should feel heavy for their size.
- Tahini— tahini is sesame paste. It’s used to add a rich creaminess to the dip.
- Lemon — Use fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice pops out the flavor of this dip.
- Garlic— I love adding fresh garlic to this dip.
- Salt — A little bit goes a long way for salt.
- Liquid Smoke-optional for a smoky flavor since the eggplants are baked and not roasted on a grill.
How To Make Baba Ganoush
- Roasting the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 425° F degrees. Place on a non stick sheet pan and roast in the oven for up to 40-45 minutes until the eggplant is fork-tender. The cook time will vary depending on the size of your eggplants.
- Cool the eggplants: Once the eggplants are cooked, remove from the oven and slice in the center to as shown to allow eggplant to cool down.
- Scoop the flesh: Once the eggplant is completely cool, scoop out the flesh.
- Blend everything together: In a food processor, add all the ingredients and pulse only 3-4 times. Do not blend for too long. Baba Ganoush is not supposed to be super smooth like hummus.
- Transfer to a shallow dish and create deep grooves with a spoon. Top with some olive oil and other garnishing ingredients like toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds.
Baba Ganoush recipe without blending
Traditionally, a lot of people do not blend their Baba Ganoush because it’s supposed to be a bit chunky. Here is how to do that.
- Chop or mash with fork: After the Baba Ghanouj has cooled down, scoop out the flesh and place it on a cutting board. Using your knife, finely process by continuously chopping the eggplants. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add other ingredients: Add in the remainder of the other ingredients listed in the recipe. Mix to incorporate well and adjust ingredients to taste.
- Transfer to a shallow dish and create deep grooves with a spoon. Top with some olive oil and other garnishing ingredients like toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds.
Tips to Make Homemade Baba Ganoush Dip
- It is important that you use fresh lemon juice and not bottled lemon juice.
- Strain the roasted eggplant to remove any excess moisture.
- Fresh garlic is also an important ingredient as well. Some brands of bottled minced garlic are preserved in an acidic tasting liquid that again, will over power your baba ghanoush.
- If you’d like for the eggplant dip to be a little creamier, you can stir in more tahini or a tablespoon or so of full fat yogurt.
- If you have a grill, you can grill your eggplant instead of roasting them in the oven. You can leave it whole if you’re grilling it and wont need to add any liquid smoke.
- Don’t over blend and allow the dip to chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
This eggplant dip lasts for up to a week. Once the baba ganoush is at room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge.
You can absolutely freeze your baba ganoush! You can double the recipe and freeze half for later! I suggest freezing them in individual portions so you can pull it out to thaw as needed. Be sure to use a freezer safe bag or container to store it for up to 3 months.
This goes with everything! Use it as a spread for sandwiches, wraps, or roast, use it as a dip for vegetables, pita chips, regular chips, serve it as a side for grilled meats, and more.
Tahini is a paste made from ground toasted sesame seeds. It is nutty and creamy and often used in hummus, salad dressing, baked goods, and more. You can find this in any major grocery store.
More Easy Lebanese Recipes
- Maamoul Date Cookies
- Maghmour (Lebanese Moussaka)
- Lebanese Spicy Potatoes (Batata Harra)
- Easy Beef Shawarma Bowl
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Lebanese Baba Ganoush recipe. Skip the store-bought version and make this recipe at home instead. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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Lebanese Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 3 large Eggplants
- ½ cup Tahini
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 whole Lemon squeezed
- 2 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- 3-4 drops liquid smoke adjust to preference, optional
- Salt to taste
Toppings
- Toasted Pine nuts
- Chopped Parsley
- Pomegranate Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F degrees.
- Poke the eggplants in a few places with a knife or fork and place onto a non stick sheet pan.
- Bake the eggplants for 40-45 minutes until fork tender. Remove them from the oven and cut them in half, as shown in the photos. Allow to completely cool.
- Once cool, scoop out the flesh of the eggplants and transfer them to a food processor. Add in the remainder of the ingredients listed. Pulse the mixture 3-4 pulses at the most. Do not over process.
- Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Using your spoon shape the baba ghanouj and create deep grooves to hold the olive oil. Drizzle some olive oil and garnish with suggested toppings. Serve with some pita bread or as a side along with your favorite dish.
Notes
- It is important that you use fresh lemon juice and not bottled lemon juice.
- Strain the roasted eggplant to remove any excess moisture.
- Fresh garlic is also an important ingredient as well. Some brands of bottled minced garlic are preserved in an acidic tasting liquid that again, will over power your baba ghanoush.
- If you’d like for the eggplant dip to be a little creamier, you can stir in more tahini or a tablespoon or so of full fat yogurt.
- If you have a grill, you can grill your eggplant instead of roasting them in the oven. You can leave it whole if you’re grilling it and wont need to add any liquid smoke.
- Don’t over blend and allow the dip to chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.
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