This authentic Baba Ganoush recipe is smoky, silky, and made with just 5 simple ingredients. Grill or roast the eggplant for this easy, classic Middle Eastern dip. Vegan, video.
An awake heart is like a sky that pours light.~ Hafiz
As a chef and caterer-and as the daughter of an Egyptian father-baba ganoush has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember! I've eaten and made countless bowls of it, both at our restaurant and at home, and it remains one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes.
We've captured the authentic flavor of baba ganoush while keeping the technique simple and approachable. The secret is in the smoke. Traditionally, eggplant is charred in coals, grilled over a wood fire, or baked in a wood-burning oven, which is why it tastes so divine.
Since that method isn't always accessible, I'll show you two easy ways, either roasting or grilling, that bring out that same rich, smoky flavor and transform your baba ganoush from good to extraordinary.
But First, What is Baba Ganoush?
If unfamiliar, Baba Ganoush is a smoky eggplant dip from the Middle East typically served as an appetizer with pita or veggies. It tastes earthy, smoky, slightly tangy, and nutty from the tahini, with a silky, luscious texure.
Baba Ganoush Recipe Ingredients
Baba Ganoush is made with five simple ingredients. The balance of these ingredients makes this recipe shine!
- Eggplant: The heart of Baba Ganoush. Choose firm, glossy eggplants and grill them for the deepest smoky flavor, or roast them in the oven for an easy alternative.
- Tahini: Adds richness, nuttiness, and that signature creamy texture. Use a good-quality tahini that is smooth and pourable rather than thick or bitter.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the smoky eggplant and balances the richness of the tahini. Freshly squeezed makes a difference here.
- Garlic: Adds a savory, pungent bite. Because it’s used raw, a little goes a long way.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness and a silky finish. Use a flavorful olive oil you enjoy, and save a little extra for drizzling over the top.
- Optional yogurt: A couple of spoonfuls make the Baba Ganoush extra creamy and slightly tangy; leave it out to keep the recipe vegan.
- For serving: Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of za’atar, sumac, sesame seeds, or fresh herbs, and serve with warm pita.
How to Make Baba Ganoush (Two Ways)
Baking The Eggplant
The first way to make this easy baba ganoush recipe is by roasting the eggplants in the oven on a baking sheet.
- Slice eggplants in half, lengthwise and roast at 425F on a baking sheet until very tender, about 60 minutes. Test by piercing the skin with a fork, and continue roasting until the eggplant is cooked, and the flesh is very tender and collapsing.
- Scoop out the cooked eggplant, discard the skins and drain in a strainer for 10 minutes.
- Mash with a fork and add the tahini paste, garlic, salt and lemon juice.
- Tip: To add smoky flavor, use smoked salt in the recipe, add smoked paprika, or 2 drops of liquid smoke to the baba ganoush to elevate it!
***Before you gasp at the idea of using liquid smoke, please look at the ingredients. Liquid smoke is made from just smoke: Wood chips like hickory or mesquite are burned, and particles of the smoke are collected in condensers. The resulting liquid is concentrated down for a stronger flavor.
Grilling the Eggplant
Step 1: Prep the eggplant by slicing slits into the sides of the whole eggplants. Cutting slits into the eggplant ensures even cooking and lets some smoke penetrate, giving the baba ganoush a delicious flavor!
Step 2: Add wood chips to the grill. Wrap ½ cup wood chips (alder, apple or mesquite) in foil and create a foil packet. Keep the wood chips dry.
Step 3: Use a knife to poke a hole and create a small opening for the smoke to escape.
Step 4: Grill! Place the foil packet on the grill next to the eggplant (put it on the grill a little early to get it smoking.) Grill the eggplant and close the lid so the smoke stays in. This will elevate your baba ganoush- I promise!
Step 5: Cover and rest. Once the eggplant collapses and is nicely charred on all sides, place it in a bowl, along with the wood chip foil packet, and cover the whole thing tightly with foil until it is cool enough to handle about 20 minutes.
Essentially, you are creating your own “liquid smoke“ from heat and liquid that comes out of the eggplant as it cools. So cover it up tightly!
TIP: Save what is left in the bottom of the bowl-the smoky liquid, homemade “liquid smoke.” You’ll use this to season the baba ganoush!
Step 6: Mash or chop the eggplant. Peel the charred eggplant and chop. I like the chopping method because little nuggets of eggplant in the final dip are really nice. What you will end up with is about 2 – 2 ½ cups of eggplant flesh- very little compared to the 2 huge eggplants you started off with!
Step 7. Strain the chopped eggplant, and let it drain for about ten minutes. You don’t need to save this liquid, only the smoky liquid from the earlier bowl.
Step 8. Combine. Stir in the remaining ingredients, along with 1-2 tablespoons of the smoky liquid you saved from the bottom of the bowl.
Lastly, season to taste, adjusting the salt and lemon as needed. Add a couple tablespoons of yogurt for extra creaminess. When you get the balance just right, it is pure magic!
How to Store Eggplant Baba Ganoush
Baba Ganoush can be stored for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freeze baba ganoush for up to 3 months- the acidity in the lemon juice will help prevent discoloring.
Chef Tips
- For the smokiest flavor, grill the eggplant. This is my preferred method, especially when using wood chips for an extra layer of smoke. If you roast the eggplant instead, a drop or two of liquid smoke can help recreate that smoky, fire-roasted flavor.
- Drain the eggplant well. After cooking, let the eggplant drain and reserve the liquid. Add it back a little at a time, only if needed, until the Baba Ganoush reaches the perfect creamy consistency.
- Chop rather than puree. For the best texture, finely chop or mash the cooked eggplant rather than blending it completely smooth. You want it silky and creamy but with a little texture remaining.
- For an extra-creamy variation, add yogurt. A couple of tablespoons of plain yogurt makes the dip especially luscious and adds a pleasant tang. Skip it to keep the recipe vegan.
- Finish it beautifully. Just before serving, drizzle generously with good olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar, sumac, fresh herbs, or toasted sesame seeds.
Serving suggestions
Serve Baba Ganoush in a shallow bowl with a drizzle of good quality olive oil, a sprinkling of zaatar spice, or Dukkah, or sumac – and fresh herbs like parsley, dill, cilantro or mint.
Serve with pita bread or pita chips, veggies, or part of a mezze platter with olives, hummus, and tzatziki!
Baba Ganoush Recipe FAQs
Baba Ganoush is silky and creamy! Eggplant, when cooked to perfection, becomes creamy and silky and luxurious. It melts in your mouth. If you like your baba ganoush a little extra creamy, add a couple of tablespoons of plain yogurt or drizzle with olive oil.
More Favorite Middle Eastern Dips
Explore more of our Appetizer Recipes!
I hope you love this Authentic Baba Ganoush recipe as much as we do! Please let us know what you think in the comments and ratings below!
xoxo
Watch How to make Baba Ganoush
Baba Ganoush Recipe ( Baked or Grilled)
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: grilled, roasted
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Truly the BEST recipe for Baba Ganoush- made with eggplant, tahini paste, garlic, salt and lemon. A delicious Middle Eastern eggplant dip full of complexity and depth. Use the oven or grill for this recipe. Gluten-free, low-carb, vegan.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants ( 1.5 to 1.75 lbs each)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced (use a garlic press)
- 4 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- optional: 2 tablespoons plain full-fat yogurt
Optional Garnishes: olive oil, homemade zaatar spice, dukkah, fresh herbs like parsley, olives, toasted pita bread, or fresh veggies ( cucumber, tomato, carrot sticks, bell pepper, etc).
Instructions
Baked Eggplant Method:
- Preheat oven to 450F ( 425F if electric oven)
- Slice eggplants in half, lengthwise and roast with flesh side down, on a parchment-lined sheet pan on the middle rack, until very tender, about 45-60 minutes. Test by piercing the skin with a fork, and continue roasting until flesh is very tender and collapsing. Let cool.
- Scoop out flesh, drain in a strainer for 10 minutes. You should have about 2 cups, if less, see notes.
- Mash with a fork and add the remaining ingredients. For smoky flavor, use smoked salt, or add 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke.
- Adjust salt and lemon to taste. Stir in optional yogurt.
Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush
- Preheat grill to medium-high or oven to 425 F
- Make a foil packet with wood chips for smoking. Wrap ½ cup of wood chips (mesquite, alder, apple) in heavy-duty foil and pierce the top, creating an opening in the foil so smoke can escape. Place this on the grill. See photos.
- With a sharp pairing knife cut 1-2 inch deep slits into the eggplant, all over especially around the bigger bottom area. This will allow them to cook more evenly, and help the smoke penetrate the eggplant.
- When the foil packet is smoking, place the eggplant directly on the grill, and close the grill. Turn eggplant every 10 minutes or so and let the skin char. Grill until eggplant until it has collapsed and feels soft tender on the inside. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Place the eggplant along with the smoking foil packet in a large bowl or large pan and cover tightly with foil. Let sit until cool enough to handle about 20 minutes.
- Save ALL the smoky liquid that is under the eggplant in the bowl. Peel the charred skin off the eggplant and using a knife, chop up the tender flesh. Place the eggplant in a strainer and strain the eggplant flesh for 10 minutes. Discard this liquid. (I know this may seem counter-intuitive – but you will be adding some of the “smoky” liquid from the first bowl back in.)
- Place the drained eggplant in a mixing bowl. You should have 2 cups (or 2 1/4 cups) of eggplant flesh. If you have less, see notes. If very seedy, feel free to remove some seeds, I usually just leave them in.
- Add the tahini paste, garlic, lemon, salt and 1-2 tablespoons (or more to taste) of the smoky liquid reserved from the bowl.
- Mix, taste, adjust salt, lemon. For a delicious richness, add 2-3 tablespoons plain yogurt (optional). Stir with a fork until relatively smooth. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
If you end up with less than 2 cups of eggplant flesh after draining, adjust the additional ingredients accordingly. For example, you may not need as much tahini, salt, lemon, etc.; then proceed to number 9 in the instructions above.
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
To serve: Place in a shallow serving bowl, make a circular “well” with the back of a spoon and drizzle with olive oil, and your choice of aleppo chili flakes, zaatar spice, dukkah or sumac.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Serve with warm pita bread and/or veggies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ cup
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 402.3 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.6 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I have made the oven one and the wood chip one, they are both delicious, I just made the oven one today and it is easier. Thank you for sharing.
Glad to hear you enjoyed Julzy!
Hi Sylvia,
Wondering if you would recommend a substitute for garlic.
I wonder- can you tolerate garlic infused oil? Could also do shallot, perhaps roast in foil along side the eggplant on the grill.
Je me suis retrouvé au Liban, en dégustant cette délicieuse recette, Bravo !!! Oui, le goût fumé et très important là-bas, et on adore. Quand on y a goûté une fois, les autres nous semblent insipides …
Mille Mercis pour ce beau souvenirs
“I found myself in Lebanon, tasting this delicious recipe, Bravo!!! Yes, the smoky taste is very important, we love it. Now that we have tasted it, the others seem tasteless…Many thanks for these beautiful recipes”
So happy to hear this Bosha!
I grow my own eggplant, and now everyone that has had your recipe of Baba Ganoush at my house wants to grow it too! Thank you for all the hints and options for success! I love to dip fresh cucumber in it instead of chips!
Sounds lovely! Now I want to grow it too. 🙂
Oh it’s so tasty! That’s my favorite way to eat eggplant. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed this Dana!
I have tried to make this twice. It would have turned out perfectly each time if my eggplant wasn’t bitter. What is the best way to avoid bitter eggplant?
Hi Cindy, I have found that adding the yogurt really counteracts this. Have you tried that?
Cindy, slightly salt the raw eggplant for 15-20min until you see it “sweat” then with a damp paper towel wipe off the water and salt..try not to rinse it as eggplant is a sponge and will get soggy..this should help remove some bitterness. Also when picking the eggplant get one that is heavy for its size BUT on the smaller side. Large eggplants have excessive seeds and that’s what’s bitter. Removing the seeds helps too. Hope this helps from a Sicilian-American who uses eggplant all the time.
very taste, easy to cook.
Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed!