We love a warm, creamy, garlicky baba ganoush as a dip for pita chips or a spread for sandwiches. And we think you're going to love our baba ganoush recipe, too. The smoky eggplant is the star, but all the other flavors in this Mediterranean dip are pitch-perfect with just the right balance of smoky, salty, garlicky, and acidic.
Basic Recipe for Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip
You can make our baba ganoush and serve it right away if you can't wait (which we totally get). But it also benefits from making it a day or two ahead of time and refrigerating it, which allows the flavors to mingle beautifully.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Dash cayenne
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
- Prick the skin of the eggplants several times with a fork.
- Place the eggplant directly on the grill and allow the skin to char, turning the eggplant regularly so all skin chars.
- Move the eggplant to a cookie sheet and bake until it softens, about 20 minutes.
- Allow the eggplant to cool completely.
- Halve the cooled eggplant and scoop the flesh away from the charred skin. Discard the skin.
- Place the eggplant in a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients.
- Pulse the food processor for 10 one-second pulses, until it's roughly puréed but still slightly chunky.
- Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
- Serve drizzled with additional extra virgin olive oil and pita bread, flatbread, or pita chips. You can also serve it as a spread for sliced baguettes or crackers.
Variations
Sometimes, we like to mix it up and we bet you do, too. Don't worry — you've got options!
- Add three tablespoons of pine nuts to the purée.
- Replace the garlic with three tablespoons of prepared pesto.
- Make a smoother baba ganoush by puréeing it in the blender or food processor instead of pulsing.
- Add a chopped roasted red pepper to the mixture.
- Make it spicier by adding ¼ teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce or ¼ teaspoon of hot paprika to the purée.
- Roast the garlic before adding it to the spread for a sweeter, milder garlic flavor.
- For a stronger lemon flavor, add the zest of half a lemon.
- Replace the parsley with chopped fresh mint.
- Replace half of the tahini with plain Greek yogurt for a creamier dip.
- Add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika for a smokier flavor.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds as garnish.
- Garnish with chopped tomatoes or olives.
- Sprinkle with a little smoked salt to make a smokier spread.
Your New Favorite Condiment
Whether a dip, a spread, or a side, it's hard not to love baba ganoush. It's bright with flavor and super satisfying. You're going to want to serve it with everything.
