Easy Baba Ganoush recipe (also Eggplant Dip) that is perfectly creamy, tasty and healthy.
Baba Ganoush is a wonderful eggplant dip, that stands close to hummus. However, hummus’s main ingredient is chickpeas, not aubergines. Baba Ganoush dip can be made several different ways, depending on your preferences. The main difference in taste, in my opinion, comes from the cooking method for the eggplant. This wonderful appetizer/salad dip taste best when the eggplant is grilled or baked in the oven.
BABA GANOUSH RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Eggplant – the main ingredient in Baba Ganoush Dip is the eggplant. There are several ways to prepare it (grilling or baking in the oven)
- Tahini Paste – tahini paste is made of sesame seeds and adds extra creaminess and edge to the dip. If you prefer, Baba Ganoush can be made with cashew or other nut butter instead of tahini.
- Garlic – another wonderful, edgy ingredient that contributes to Baba Ganoush specific taste. Garlic powder can be used for milder garlic taste.
- Olive oil – preferably, extra virgin – adds lovely creamy note to the dip.
- Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed lemon juice creates a refreshing feeling that goes well with the other ingredients.
- Cumin powder – another lovely tasting herb that contributes to this eggplant dip’s specific taste.
- Parsley, fresh – if you do not have fresh parsley, feel free to add dried or frozen parsley leaves.
- Greek Yogurt – adding Greek Yogurt to Baba Ganoush is totally optional, however contributes towards getting a creamier and lighter consistency of the dip.
- Salt – added to taste.
HOW TO MAKE EPIC BABA GANOUSH DIP – TIPS
EGGPLANT TIPS & TRICKS
I’ve tried several versions of the baba ganoush recipe – quite a few to be exact- one with boiled eggplant, the others using grilled and finally oven baked eggplant. If you boil the eggplant, it will absorb too much water, resulting in liquid-y and tasteless eggplant meat (that’s why I do not recommend boiling the eggplant).
Another method we frequently used in the past is grilling. If you wish to grill the eggplant, make sure you slice it and coat it with salt. Then leave sit for at least 30 min to allow bitter-ish juices to escape the eggplant. The only downside to grilling for me is the extra time I have to spend preparing + actually grilling it. If however time is no issue, I do wholeheartedly recommend it. When using grilled eggplant, I always add some plain Greek yogurt (optional for the oven-baked version) to the recipe – as it gives extra moisture and creaminess to the somewhat ‘dry’ grilled eggplant. Mmm, delicious!
Another great way to prepare the eggplant is to bake it in the oven. This method is not only straightforward (In my humble opinion), but also wonderfully effective. It preserves the right amount of moisture + does not require much preparation (and babysitting). We simply pierce the washed eggplant with fork (approx. 10 times to cover all sides of the eggplant) =>place it on baking paper => bake until tender. Then peel and blend with the other ingredients.
MEAL PREP IDEAS
If you do not have time to bake the eggplant during the work week for dinner, I recommend preparing it the night before. Then store in the fridge, pop out when needed and blend with the rest of the ingredients. It stores well in air-tight container for up to 72 h. However, I make sure to let it sit for no more than 24 hours, if possible.
KID FRIENDLY
To make this recipe kid friendly, I simply omit the garlic and cumin powder when blending, then pour some of the baba ganoush on your kid’s plate (we like these ones from IKEA), then add the garlic and blend until combined. Voila, everyone is happy (hopefully).
MORE EUROPEAN RECIPES:
- Homemade sausage patties (basic recipe)
- Oven Roasted Eggplant Wedges (with olives and tomatoes)
- Easy Braised Beef Recipe (VIDEO)
- Baked Lemon Mustard Steelhead Trout (VIDEO)
- Simple Brown Rice with leeks, tomatoes and olives
Easy Baba Ganoush recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants (aubergines)
- 3 tbsp tahini paste , preferably organic
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp heaping Greek Yogurt, plain (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
How to make eggplant for Baba Ganoush (the easy way)
- Wash the eggplants under cold water, pierce (approx. 10-15 times) on each side with fork and place on baking paper. Bake in the oven until tender (I usually press with fork to check) on 200C/400F.
- Once cooked (and cooled down) peel the skin off with your hands, remove the bottom and use for Baba Ganoush below. Alternatively, refrigerate in air tight container for up to 48 hours (perfect meal-prep for the week ahead).
How to make creamy Baba Ganoush
- In food processor of choice, add peeled eggplants, tahini paste, peeled garlic, olive oil, cumin, lemon juice, parsley leaves and Greek Yogurt (optional) and pulse until smooth. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
This post may contain affiliate links. See full disclosure here.
