Classic Baba Ganoush recipe: a creamy and smoky eggplant dip!
Hello my fellow wanderlusty eaters!
Today I’m sharing both an eggplant (also called aubergine) recipe AND announcing my next big trip.
GUYS.
I’m going to Egypt!
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve wanted to explore the ancient ruins throughout Egypt. I imagine I inherited this fascination from my parents. My father, a famous explorer, married my mother, an Egyptian woman, and now I work as a librarian in Cairo.
Just kidding, that’s from The Mummy.
But seriously, who DIDN’T want to go treasure hunting in Egypt after watching that movie? Between The Mummy and Indiana Jones, there’s enough fantasy material to pique the interest of just about anyone.
I’m going to tell you more about my trip and show you my itinerary in a few days, but right now I need to tell you all about this Baba Ghannouj recipe or Baba Ganoush recipe or Baba Ghanouj recipe. Or any of the other eighty different ways people spell it.
Okay, remember the melitzanosalata recipe I shared a few months back? You might be asking what is the difference between melizanosalata vs. baba ganoush. It’s pretty similar to that in terms of preparation, but with the addition of tahini and yogurt.
Plus, I like it pureed until it’s silky smooth.
Let’s talk garnishes. You guys know I’m always all about toppings.
Here I’ve drizzled in some high-quality olive oil, then sprinkled it with sumac, parsley, and lemon zest. Some people also like toasted pine nuts, and I’ve also seen pomegranate seeds, feta, and fresh mint.
The choice is yours, but please know that the olive oil is NOT optional.
The best way to get lots of smoky flavor from the eggplant is to char it over an open flame. If you have gas burners in your house, feel free to char the eggplant.
In order to accommodate all of you lovely people who might want to make this recipe, I’ve provided instructions for how to make this by roasting the eggplant in the oven.
Sometimes I even turn the broiler on for a minute after they are done roasting, just to char the skin and fill my kitchen with plenty of smoke.
Oh, and one other note: it’s okay if the eggplant meat is discolored or a bit bruised after roasting it. It tastes just fine and you won’t notice it once it’s all blended together.
Make this and eat it with lots of pita bread. If you have leftovers, which I doubt you will, it’s lovely as a spread on sandwiches!
Here’s the Baba Ganoush Recipe!
Baba Ganoush Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoons raw tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon plan full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil - plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For serving:
- Zest of one small lemon
- ¼ teaspoon sumac
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Pierce the eggplants a few times with a knife (to prevent explosions). Roast for 60 minutes, turning the eggplant every 15 minutes to promote even cooking.
- When cool enough to handle, slice each eggplant in half and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Place the eggplant in a food processor or blender along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and salt. Puree until smooth; taste and add salt as desired.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature garnished with olive oil and toppings of choice.
Nutrition
Please note that other spellings include: Baba ghanoush recipe, baba ghannouj recipe or baba ghanouj recipe.
Some misspell this as babaghanous recipe.
Love this recipe. I had some Meyer Lemon Preserves which I drained rinsed and then blended to a paste. I added one teaspoon of the pr preserved Meyer Lemon paste to the mix and this turned out to be the best I have ever had. I also did not have any yogurt so I put sour cream in instead. Had no tahini which seams to not make much of a difference. Loved it.
Just made this. Soooooo good! I didn’t have to make one single adjustment, the end product was literally perfect! Thank you for posting! I just found your blog and I’m loving it 🙂 :)!
I love hearing this! So glad you like it as much as I do 🙂
I’m all over this. I can’t wait to make it! And, so happy for you and the upcoming trip! And, you crack me up like your humor is so hilarious I actually NEED your blog to survive!