Baba Ganoush (Eggplant Dip)
Best Baba Ganoush (Ghanoush) Recipe – This savory Middle Eastern dip is easy to make with roasted eggplants and garlic, pureed to smooth, scoopable perfection. Customize it with add-ins and enjoy it as a spread, or serve it with any of your favorite dippers!
Why We Love This Baba Ganoush Recipe
If you are a fan of traditional hummus, chances are you will also love Baba Ghanoush! This savory and delicious Lebanese eggplant dip is popular all over the Middle East—and the world!
Authentic baba ganoush consists of roasted eggplants and garlic, tahini sesame paste, lemon juice, and spices. It can be prepared in a chunky fashion, but can also be puréed until it’s completely smooth and creamy, similar to hummus. (But not exactly… More on that below!)
Since eggplant can be polarizing for some people due to its slimy texture, I prefer to completely purée it until it’s smooth and silky. Therefore, this baba ghanoush recipe does make a dip with more of a hummus-like texture. However, if you prefer a little bit of chunky texture, you can simply pulse the baba ghanoush but not fully purée it. That will leave some eggplant clumps for you to enjoy!
Whether you prepare it chunky or smooth, this dip is delightful for scooping up with all kinds of crunchy dippers – or even to use as an eggless, dairy-free, gluten-free, and totally plant-based spread on sandwiches and more!
Baba Ganoush vs Hummus
Both are creamy, Mediterranean, plant-based dips… So, what exactly is the difference between baba ghanoush and hummus?
While they have several of the same ingredients, like garlic and tahini paste, it is the main ingredient that sets these two Middle Eastern dishes apart.
Baba ganoush is a dip primarily made of roasted eggplants, while hummus is primarily made of puréed chickpeas or even white beans.
Ingredients You Need
- Eggplant – 2 pounds, which is roughly 4 medium-sized eggplants
- Garlic – a whole head
- Olive oil – you *can* use another oil like avocado oil, but extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) really is the best way to go if you can
- Tahini – a thick paste made from sesame seeds
- Lemon juice – fresh squeezed is best, but bottled will work in a pinch
- Salt – just a bit to balance the flavors
- Ground cumin – an earthy, savory spice often used to add a smoky flavor to traditional Middle Eastern recipes
How to Make Baba Ghanoush
- Preheat the oven and drizzle olive oil over a large rimmed baking sheet. Cut the eggplants in half and place them on top of the olive oil, cut-side-down. Move them around to get the cut side covered in oil.
- Trim off the top of the head of garlic, place the head in a piece of foil. Drizzle oil over the top. Wrap the foil around the garlic head and place it on the baking sheet. Roast the eggplant and garlic together for 40 minutes.
- After roasting, allow the eggplant and garlic to cool a little. Then scoop all of the cooked eggplant flesh out of the purple skins and squeeze the head of garlic so the garlic cloves smoosh out. Place them in the food processor.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the food processor, followed by the remaining ingredients.
- For chunky baba ghanoush, pulse 3 to 5 times to combine the ingredients, leaving some clumps of eggplant intact. For creamy baba ghanoush, purée until completely smooth.
- Once you reach your desired consistency, taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, or transfer to a covered container and chill until ready to serve
Get the Complete (Printable) Baba Ganoush Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Roasted Eggplant Dip Add-Ins
Feel free to include all kinds of other extra savory or even spicy goodies in this easy eggplant dip recipe! Here are a few of our favorite add-ins and toppings:
- Smoked paprika
- Ground coriander
- Chili pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Harissa powder
- Fresh chopped herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme
- Ground sumac
- Fresh lemon zest
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Toasted sesame seeds
Suggestions for What to Eat with Baba Ganoush
This baba ghanoush recipe is terrific to make as a dip for parties and potlucks! Serve with crunchy pita chips, toasted soft pita bread, other flatbread, or communion bread. And you can’t go wrong with a plate of fresh cut vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumber slices, and bell pepper pieces. Also enjoy with low carb cauliflower crackers for a totally gluten-free snack or appetizer.
It’s delicious as a spread on sandwiches, wraps, gyros, and burgers! And you can even add a scoop to Middle Eastern-inspired salads, rice bowls or grain bowls.
Frequently Asked Questions
This eggplant dip recipe can be made several days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You could, but I wouldn’t… While it can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, the texture will likely become gritty when thawed. It’s best to enjoy freshly made or within a few days of preparing.
Looking for More Plant-Based Snack Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Roasted Poblano Avocado Dip
- Zesty Roasted Beet Hummus
- Best Homemade Bean Dip
- Creamy Avocado Edamame Hummus
- Magic All-Purpose Cashew Cream (Vegan!)
Baba Ganoush Recipe (Eggplant Dip)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant
- 1 whole head of garlic
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the baking sheet. Cut the eggplants in half. Place the eggplants on top of the olive oil, cut-side-down. Move them around to make sure they are well coated in oil.
- Trim off the top of the head of garlic so that each clove is slightly exposed. Place the head of garlic in a piece of foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Wrap the foil around the garlic head and place it on the baking sheet. Roast the eggplant and garlic together for 40 minutes.
- Allow the eggplant and garlic to cool a little. Then set out a food processor. Scoop all of the flesh out of the eggplant skins and place the flesh in the food processor. Discard the purple peel. Then squeeze the head of garlic clove out into the food processor. Discard the papery skins.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the food processor, followed by the tahini, lemon juice, salt, and cumin.
- For chunky baba ghanoush, pulse 3 to 5 times to combine the ingredients, leaving some clumps of eggplant intact. For creamy baba ghanoush, purée until completely smooth.
- Once you reach your desired consistency, taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Cover and chill until ready to serve