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–+ servings

Best Baba Ganoush

Creamy, smoky baba ganoush made with roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, and garlic. Serve it as a classic Middle Eastern dip with warm pita, crunchy veggies, or as a sandwich spread.
Amanda
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rest 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Serving Size 32 tablespoon

Equipment

  • Oven (or grill/gas burner)
  • Baking sheet
  • Fork
  • Tongs
  • Knife
  • spoon
  • Food processor or blender
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • cutting board
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 large Italian eggplants about 2 lb total
  • 1/4 cup tahini paste stir well before measuring
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves minced (or roasted for milder flavor)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • sumac or Aleppo pepper optional garnish
  • pomegranate seeds optional garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Poke the eggplants all over with a fork to prevent bursting.
  • Place the eggplants directly on the oven rack and set a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Roast for 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the skins are deeply charred and the flesh is very soft.
  • Cool the eggplants until safe to handle, then split lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Discard the skins. (Optional: let the flesh drain in a strainer for 5–10 minutes for a thicker dip.)
  • Add the eggplant flesh to a food processor (or a bowl for hand-mashing). Add tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, cumin, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using).
  • Blend or mash until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides. Keep it slightly textured rather than perfectly smooth. Taste and adjust with more lemon or salt as needed.
  • Spoon into a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and top with parsley (and optional sumac, Aleppo pepper, or pomegranate seeds). Let rest about 30 minutes for best flavor, then serve with pita or veggies.

Notes

For extra smokiness, roast the eggplants over a grill or directly on a gas burner before finishing in the oven. Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days. The dip may thicken after chilling—stir and add a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon to loosen. Freezing is possible up to 3 months, but texture can turn slightly grainy; thaw in the fridge and re-blend if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 25kcal | Protein: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 55mg