This easy baba ganoush recipe can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes after your eggplant (also called aubergine) is roasted. Talk about great auber-genes.
What is baba ganoush?
Baba ganoush is a Middle Eastern eggplant dip, originally from Lebanon.
The name baba ganoush comes from the Arabic phrase baba gannuj. “Baba” means daddy, and “gannuj” means spoiled, so the direct translation is “spoiled daddy”.
Cause the next time you make this baba ganoush, that’s exactly how you’ll feel from something so delightfully delicious and simple.
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What’s the twist?
To make it extra creamy, rather than using yogurt, you can make it dairy-free with cashew butter.
Cashew butter is subtle, neutral-flavored, packed with healthy fats (oleic acid), and a great source of magnesium, protein, and iron – all the while keeping the baba ganoush rich and flavorful.
What’s in baba ganoush?
Just 7 simple ingredients:
- Eggplant (any type works – Italian, Japanese, etc.)
- Tahini
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Cumin
- Salt
Plus a bonus: cashew butter (optional) for an extra creamy dairy-free kick!
How To Make Baba Ganoush
Step 1: Wash 2 medium to large eggplants and cut the tops off.
Then, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise.
Pro tip: If your eggplants have a lot of seeds, salt them for 20 mins until you see some beads of “eggplant sweat” on the flesh to draw out any bitterness.
Step 2: Liberally drizzle the eggplants with olive oil.
Place them skin side up on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Guzzle your eggplants with more olive oil, then roast them at 400°F for 1 hour (more or less depending on your oven heat).
Step 3: When the skin has collapsed and easy to break down with a fork, you’re ready to go!
The innards should be a nice golden brown and quite mushy. Take them out of the oven and get a bowl to start your baba ganoush.
Step 4: Use a spoon to scoop the eggplant flesh from their skin into a bowl. It’ll be super easy to remove at this point. Drain any excess liquid. Then, mash with a fork.
Step 5: Mix in tahini, minced garlic, lemon, cumin, salt, olive oil, and cashew butter. Then, devour!
Serve with raw vegetables or your favorite accompaniments.
What to eat with baba ganoush
Baba ganoush is vegan, paleo, pegan, keto, and gluten-free. But far from taste-free!
You can dress it up, down, or any which way you’d like. Our favorites include:
- With raw vegetables
- With any paleo pita bread or sandwich
- With tortilla chips
- As a soup thickener
- As a pasta sauce
- As a pizza sauce
Baba ganoush tips
- Roast a whole garlic bulb or a few cloves by drizzling it with olive oil and covering it with aluminum foil to roast alongside your eggplant.
- Try cashew butter altogether instead of tahini (if you’re not a fan of the tahini taste) OR a blend of tahini and cashew.
- Puree your skins in a food processor with your baba ganoush for a nutritional boost.
- You can also roast your entire eggplant without cutting it in half. Be sure to puncture your eggplant all around with a fork, to let air out while in the oven. Ain’t nobody got time for messy eggplant explosions.
- Once roasted, mash your roasted eggplant with a fork. It’ll be less mushy than a food processor and you’ll have less cleaning to do. Double win.
- Mix half your baba ganoush with homemade hummus for a hybrid eggplant hummus dip (for pegan, vegan, and keto only). Because two is always better than one.
FAQ
How long can baba ganoush last?
Baba ganoush can be placed in your refrigerator for up to 4 days covered (if it lasts til then!).
What should I do with the eggplant skins?
Blend ’em in with your baba ganoush! We usually use the parts of the skin that have remained soft. If you prefer a sweeter and creamier version, you can use the insides only.
Can you freeze baba ganoush?
Yes! While it’s not recommended to freeze whole eggplant, when it’s been churned into creamy baba ganoush, it can handle the freezing.
How do you pick Italian eggplants with less seeds (since seeds cause bitterness)?
Look for a male eggplant – they typically have less seeds. At the bottom of the eggplant, the button of a male eggplant should be round and shallow vs. the button of a female eggplant will be deeper with a thick dash-like shape.
On the left is the female with the indented dash, and on the right is the male with the round circle. Go with the males – you want baba ganoush not mama ganoush!
Easy Baba Ganoush with a Twist
Ingredients
- 2 Italian eggplants (medium, 1.5 pounds) or 4 Japanese/Chinese eggplants
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp lemon juice or 1 whole lemon
- 1-2 tbsp cashew butter or 1-2T plain full-fat yogurt (keto only)
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling when roasting and serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Farenheit (205 degrees Celsius). Cut your eggplants in half lengthwise, and salt them for 20 minutes to sweat out any bitterness.
- Using a baking sheet or Pyrex pan, line it with parchment paper and spray lightly with oil to prevent the eggplant from sticking.
- Place your eggplants on the pan, and liberally douse in olive oil on both the skin and flesh. Then, put them skin side up on the pan.
- Roast for 1 hour, or until your eggplant skins collapse and you can easily poke through the eggplant skin and flesh with a fork.
- Take your eggplants out of the oven, flip them over, and let them cool for 5 minutes. Then, scoop out the insides with a spoon into a medium sized bowl. It should be super easy to scoop.
- Mash the eggplant while it’s warm with a fork until you get a dip-like consistency. Then, add your tahini, garlic, lemon, cumin, salt, cashew butter (optional), and olive oil, and combine until creamy. Add more salt and olive oil to taste.
- Season with parsley, a dash of paprika, and a big drizzle of olive oil on top. Serve and devour with your favorite sides!
Notes
- Garnish with: Olive oil, fresh parsley, smoked paprika, fried shallot bits.
- When roasting your eggplant, use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil to prevent the glazed savory flesh from sticking to the pan.
- You can also use the entire eggplant with skins for a healthier baba ganoush. It'll require mixing in a food processor and will add some texture and make your dip slightly less sweet.
Did you try this recipe?
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