Epic Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is the best! It's easy to make, too (no food processor required). You'll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
“But why would I make baba ganoush if I could just eat hummus?” Mara asked when we set out to make the ultimate baba ganoush recipe. At that moment, I couldn’t help but shrug my shoulders.
Then we nailed the method and ingredients you see here, and neither of us could stop scooping up more. When you get it right, baba ganoush is irresistibly smooth and luxurious, smoky, and savory.
In its most basic form, baba ganoush is made with eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. I found that adding a tiny bit of ground cumin, smoked paprika and fresh parsley takes it to the next level.
Baba ganoush is similar to hummus, but it calls for grilled or roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas. Both dips originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and they’re often served together with pita bread and raw, crisp veggies. You can use baba ganoush like you would hummus—as a dip or spread. Ready to make some?!
How to Make the Best Baba Ganoush
There are a few considerations when it comes to baba ganoush. First up: do you grill the eggplant or roast it?
Roast your eggplant
I don’t have a grill, so I roasted my eggplant and it turned out great. So, you don’t need a grill for this baba ganoush!
To make up for the grilled flavor, I halved the eggplants and roasted them cut-side down for caramelized deliciousness. (Roasting them halved also means that your eggplant cooks faster, and you don’t risk an entire eggplant exploding inside your oven.) Using smoked paprika as a garnish adds some extra smokiness, too.
Roasting the eggplants until they’ve collapsed on themselves helps concentrate their flavor and ensure that your dip is silky-smooth. At that point, it’s easy to flip over the eggplant and scoop out the insides. Peeling the skin off eggplant is not my idea of a good time!
Extract moisture
The next consideration is how to extract as much moisture from the eggplant as possible. Fortunately, our roasting method has already helped eliminate a lot of it. Just let the eggplant rest in a strainer for a few minutes and stir it to release even more.
Stir it up
The next question—do you mix the dip by hand or whip it up in your food processor? I’m a big fan of my food processor, but it isn’t necessary for this recipe. Baba ganoush traditionally has some texture to it, and roasted eggplant readily falls apart when you stir it with a fork.
Add ample salt
My last tip is to salt the dip generously—eggplant is inherently bitter, and salt reduces that bitterness. This dip isn’t truly epic until it’s properly seasoned with salt. Can I call my own recipe epic? Oh hell, I’m doing it! This baba ganoush is epic.
Watch How to Make Baba Ganoush
What to Serve with Baba Ganoush
Basic baba ganoush is always vegan, gluten free and nut free. That makes baba ganoush a great party appetizer for guests who are following special diets—as long as your accompaniments fit the bill.
I like to serve my baba ganoush with sturdy raw veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber rounds and bell pepper sticks. Toasted pita wedges or pita chips are great, too.
For a full Mediterranean spread, serve this baba ganoush with herbed hummus or tahini sauce and fresh salads. I recommend Mediterranean bean salad, my favorite quinoa salad, or tabbouleh. Here are even more Mediterranean recipes!
Please let me know how this baba ganoush recipe turns out for you in the comments! I hope it’s your new favorite.
Epic Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is the best! It’s easy to make, too (no food processor required). You’ll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices. Recipe yields about 1 ¾ cups (enough to serve 4 to 6 as an appetizer).
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian eggplants (about 2 small-to-medium eggplants*)
- 2 medium cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, more if necessary
- ¼ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the eggplant and garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ¾ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of smoked paprika, for garnish
- Serving suggestions: warmed or toasted pita wedges, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
- Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 35 to 40 minutes (this might take longer if you are using 1 large eggplant). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind.
- Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
- Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant.
- Stir in the parsley, salt and cumin. Season to taste with more salt (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if you’d like a more tart flavor.
- Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and smoked paprika on top. Serve with accompaniments of your choice. It’s also great on sandwiches!
Notes
Recipe roughly adapted from Serious Eats and Tori Avey.
*Eggplant selection: Large eggplants tend to contain more seeds, which can produce a bothersome texture. So, it’s better to use 2 small eggplants that weigh about 2 pounds total, rather than 1 large. Choose eggplants that are shiny and smooth (no mushy parts), and feel heavy for their size. Turn your eggplant into baba ganoush promptly, since overripe eggplant tastes more bitter.
Storage suggestions: Leftover baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days (I think it’s best served fresh, but some say it tastes better after a day or two). I like to let my leftover baba ganoush warm to room temperature before serving, but others prefer it chilled, so I’ll leave this up to you.
For a lighter dip: You can reduce the olive oil to as little as 2 to 3 tablespoons. Your dip won’t be as rich and creamy, but it will still be very good!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Hi there! I have an over abundance of japanese eggplant this summer. Do you think I could make this with several of my little skinnies? Thank you!
You could try it! Let me know what you think.
I made it with home grown Asian eggplant last night. Wow the taste was out of this world. Great recipe!
Made it, loved it!! (I did use a food processor though )
Thank you for sharing, Cassandra!
I ve this recipe and have shared it with other. Epic is right.
This was a winner! I’m not a fan of outside babaganoush -texture is either winky or it’s too smoky. I followed this recipe entirely and am so glad I did. Def agree to use the smaller eggplant. Thank you for this recipe!
You’re welcome, Layla!
You mention that being dairy and nut free, this is great for those with allergies. But it should be noted that tahini is made with sesame seeds (if someone does not know) and sesame is actually one of the top food allergens. So just fair warning, if you have a sesame allergy, none for you! That being said I do not. So, more for me.
Thank you for mentioning this! I’m currently making this with almond butter instead of tahini. I hope it works out.
Mmmmmmarvelous!!!!!! Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Linda!
Turned out great! I used one large 2-lb (prior to roasting) garden eggplant, sliced lengthwise and roasted at 425 for about an hour. It wasn’t too seedy. I skipped the parsley, since I didn’t have it on hand.
Great to hear, Kathleen!
Awesome recipe. Followed it to aT, and it was great. I decided to add a touch of white wine vinegar and it gave it a little extra kick that I found to be an excellent addition (I’m a vinegar addict).
If you grow your own eggplant and choose the right varieties, plus pick them small, they aren’t bitter
The large tough bitter varieties were bred for “shipping quality” – tough skin – and to fill a crate quickly which saves labor costs.
Long Asian types are mildest, but for Baba ghanouj I prefer a type called Nadia, with a little “bite”
I’ve made this multiple times and Kate is right, the freshness of the eggplant makes a difference. Just made a batch with freshly picked garden eggplant someone gifted to me and it was my best yet even though it was the large variety, not italian. I added some kashmiri chili powder for subtle heat.
Thanks Kate for another delicious and well written recipe to make on repeat and share with others!
Kashmiri chili powder is the bomb! Glad I have a never-ending supply of that from my own garden)
Delicious! Your tweaks of cumin & smoked paprika really does make this epic. Thank you also for the detailed instructions on roasting eggplant. Used a food processor which made this very smooth & creamy.
Thank you for your review, Kathy!
I love this baba ghanoush! Straight forward, basic & user friendly with a result that explodes with flavor!
Great to hear! Thank you for your review.
ti maje it lighter, eggplats can be steamer or boiled.
Used 1 and 1/2 large eggplant. Shiny skin and green caps indicated they’re fresh. Baked in oven with convection setting of 425 for 40 minutes. Let rest until cool. Flesh was easily scooped out. Put flesh in strainer and strainer in bowl. I did remove a few clumps of seeds but overall the seeds are largely unnoticed in the final product
Excess water dripped in bowl while I gathered other ingredients. Used rubber spatula and dinner fork to incorporate ingredients. Half a lemon provided a little over 2 tbsp. I added more juice with 1/4 of a lemon since I probably started with more than 2lbs. Used dried parsley flakes, a few shakes of liquid smoke, smoked paprika,chili powder and a little more cumin. Put in 3 small canning jars for freezer with 2 more for use later in the week.
Have made this a few times now, always great results. This time used immersion blender and it turned light and fluffy. Added more spices as that’s what my crowd likes, dropped some of the evoo and was ready to eat it all before anyone else got any! Will definitely try it with a bit of liquid smoke though. Thanks Kate, it is epic!
This was delicious!
I love eggplant and can’t get enough of it, but so many recipes hide it under sauces and breadcrumbs, and all the preparation is enough to drive anyone away. This is such an easy recipe and let’s the eggplant flavor shine. I look forward to making it again!
Thank you for sharing, Sandra!
Love this Kate. Followed your recipe as written and will be making this again and again
I love that, Nina!
Delicous!
I liked this, but I think my eggplant was too big. After roasting, part of it was too stringy and the seeds were obvious in the texture. I used a hand blender to make it smooth, and it was good. I don’t think I’ll make this recipe again though. I was trying to duplicate the flavor of the baba ganoush that I had DishDash, a small chain in the San Francisco Bay area. This wasn’t as creamy and subtly delicious.
This truly is EPIC!!
I tried this recipe for the first time today. It is really my first experience with Baba Ganoush. It turned out great. The taste was amazing though I honestly have no previous experiences to compare it with. I have an abundance of eggplants and have learned to love Mediterranean foods more in the past year. It was easy to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome, Sholl!
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I used a smoking gun to smoke the scooped-out eggplant, and it was amazingly delicious. I had the long Japanese eggplant, and it didn’t soften as described so I had to use the food processor. I toasted baguette rounds with a brush of olive oil to eat with the baba ganoush. My taste buds are grateful!
Somehow mine tastes way too salty. I used more eggplant than required and added 3/4 t salt. I’m going to let it sit overnight and see if it gets more mellow. Or add a touch of sour cream.
I cooked my (medium) eggplants for an hour, as I didn’t see them collapsing on themselves like I did in the video. However, after testing for “doneness”, they were definitely cooked through. I’m not sure if I cooked them too long as I didn’t get as high a yield as in the video, but I adjusted the rest of the ingredients accordingly. Having the video to compare quantities was imperative. I also used whipped tahini (which I got from another hummus recipe). I’m not sure if it was even necessary, but it worked well. The theory is that it adds creaminess. Overall, this is a fantastic recipe. I would suggest, as with all recipes, taste test as you go along, but these are great guidelines!
The smoked paprika makes this dish really special. I add a bit of powdered chipotle for an extra little something.
I loved this recipe. Sooo good that I have a new sandwich. To carry where ever I go.
I made this once and loved it but now I can’t remember if I cooked the garlic. Do you leave it raw? I think I want to cook it.
My vegetarian son is a foodie and he says this is the best baba ganoush he’s ever had.
Delicious !!! Thanks so much for sharing.
OUTSTANDING! I roasted a roughly chopped red onion and a red bell pepper (drizzled in olive oil) and added them to the recipe. EVEN MORE EPIC!
A great recipe that’s fairly simple and quite straightforward. I hope I can be forgiven for using a food processor – I wanted that treat quickly! Thank you for your time and efforts.
Hello. In my grocery store I can buy tahini paste and tahini that says it’s ready to use. Which do I use? And do I alter the amount based on which tahini I use? Thank you!
I use the “ready made” tahini in any recipe that calls for tahini and it always works for the amounts given. Personally, I wouldn’t want to mess around with the paste when I don’t have to, lol.
I hadn’t found this recipe before I went and bought regular globe eggplants (the usual purple/ black ones) and I didn’t feel like going back to the store, so I just used what I had and it turned out fine! Good tip about larger ones having more seeds…I never thought about that before and will keep it in mind for the next time I need eggplant!
Thank you!
You’re welcome! One tip about ready made tahini… make sure to stir it well before using, same as you would for natural peanut butter where the oil has separated. You also don’t have to refrigerate it, just keep in you cabinet or pantry where it’s cool and dark.
I also used a touch of liquid smoke for this recipe instead of paprika. So yummy! Enjoy!
I absolutely LOVED this recipe, I can’t stop eating it!!!
I am confused about the nutritional content however. How on earth can 1/4 of a cup be 250 calories? I calculated manually as well as with chat gpt and 1/4 cup sits at around 100 calories. Maybe I’m using a much lighter olive oil (mine is 40 cals per tbsp)
Turns out I just needed to wear my glasses when checking the calories on a few things (mainly my olive oil!).
Nutritional info definitely makes sense now!
Delicious – super easy and really tasty
Cut eggplant into for vertically, roasted, through it right into my Vita Mix With everything else and blended until it was smooth and creamy. Delicious! Would have liked the texture better following the recipe , But was in a hurry.
Perfection! But there will not be 6 servings by the time it gets to the table :)
Love your recipes!
I am looking forward to trying this! My daughter raves about it. Question_ nutritional information? I am wondering about it for a main dish.
This recipe is so good. I think it’s better than anything I have ever eaten in a restaurant.
While the recipe is easy to follow and gives you a delicious, creamy result, it was a little heavy on the tahini flavor for me personally. Because eggplants don’t have the strongest flavor, I think a little less tahini would produce a more eggplant-forward baba ganoush.
Soooooo good! The second time I made it I increased lemon juice annd cumin just a touch, and cut back just a tiny bit of tahini. My kids warm up naan and eat it almost faster than I can keep up!
Easy and delicious. Thanks
This recipe was so easy to follow and turned out amazing. I loved that it used so few ingredients. I skipped the cumin and was glad I did bc the flavour of the eggplant and tang of the lemon juice really came out.
So easy and yum! I will be making this heaps!
I got an eggplant in my Odd Bunch delivery last week and really didn’t know what to do with it. I am not a huge eggplant fan. I did make this recipe and actually enjoyed it. I even sent the link to my son who didn’t know what to do with his eggplant either. I hope he likes it too. I put less oil and would cut it even more next time.
Can you freeze Baba ganoush?
If not which ingredients don’t freeze well
Hi Dena, yes, you should be able to freeze baba ganoush in an airtight container. Just defrost in the refrigerator overnight, and it should be ready to go! Just don’t add the drizzle of oil and spices until it’s ready to be served.
I’m unsure what happened with roasting the divided halves. After 120 minutes at 450 degrees, the halves had not yet collapsed. I removed from oven & surface of each half was black & hard. I persevered by removing the black crust, but the pulp had shrunk & was almost dry. Should I try again? I’m a pretty good cook, but this was my 1st attempt at babaganouch
Delicious! I blitzed it in a food processor very briefly to eliminate the eggplant strings. Agree on using the extra salt and lemon!
It will be nice to roast a medium size onion along with the eggplants without the garlic.
Try to use white vinegar with or instead of the lemon juice.
Hi Kate,
The recipe came out great!. I did add a little Greek yogurt to it based off a previous recipe I used to use (but can’t find since my last computer died). It did come out great though and I’ll be making it again :-)
Loved this babaganush recipe, Kate. Maybe it was draining the eggplant that gave it a great texture. I thought the flavors and proportions were perfect!
Isn’t this is Mutabal? Baba Ganush doesn’t use Tahini, Mutabal does.