Baba Ganoush requires a grill: False
Baba Ganoush requires a gas stove: False
Baba Ganoush can be made by anyone anywhere with access to a broiler: True
Hooray!
Have you ever looked at a recipe and rolled your eyes, thinking, “Yeah, right. I’m never making that it’s way too complicated.” Welcome to the story of my life and the idea behind this blog.
I love simplicity and figuring out new, easy ways to make delicious eats – such as baba ganoush, one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes.
Origins of Baba Ganoush
Similar to falafel, the exact origin of baba ganoush is hotly debated. This eggplant-based dip is enjoyed in several parts of the Middle East, including Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, Armenia, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, and Turkey. Several variations and flavor profiles exist. You can learn more here.
How to Make Baba Ganoush
Baba ganoush is just basically eggplant blended up with lemon juice, tahini and sea salt. Typically you have to char the eggplant on a grill or over the flame of a gas stove. I currently do not have access to a gas stove, and while I have a grill I recognize some people don’t.
My solution: Slicing the eggplant into rounds and broiling it to get that roasty, charry goodness. The result? Time and energy saved, and it’s just as delicious as the traditional method if not better. Muahahaha, I love breaking the rules.
So, all you need for this dip is:
1 eggplant
1 lemon
Garlic
Tahini (how to make your own)
Sea salt
Optional: fresh herbs. Totally unnecessary but great for an extra flavor boost + more color.
What’s it taste like? Uber creamy, decadent, slightly sweet and the perfect balance of savory and tangy from the lemon and tahini. It’s so lush and creamy you can hardly believe it’s vegan and doesn’t require gobs of oil.
Friends, if you’ve ever had baba ganoush this version might blow you away. Try it and let me know what you think. In the meantime, I think I’ll just face plant into this entire bowl.
More Eggplant Recipes
- Moroccan-Spiced Eggplant and Tomato Stew
- Lentil & Eggplant Lasagna
- Sesame Eggplant & Almond Butter Tofu Bowls
- Smoky Harissa Eggplant Dip
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Simple Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant*
- Sea salt
- Olive oil (for roasting)
- 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice (1 medium lemon yields ~3 Tbsp juice)
- 1 large clove garlic (grated or finely minced)
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, parsley or basil (optional // chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to high broil (or medium if you have the ability) and position a rack at the top of the oven.
- Slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and sprinkle with sea salt and place in a colander in the sink to drain any excess liquid. After 10 minutes, rinse slightly and then pat dry between two towels.
- Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 5-10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown. Remove from pan, stack and wrap the rounds in foil to lock in moisture – wait 5 minutes.
- Peel away most of the skin of the eggplant (a little is OK) and add flesh to a food processor. It should be soft and tender and the skin should come off easy.
- Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and mix until creamy. Add herbs last and pulse to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I added a bit more tahini and another pinch of salt.
- Serve with pita and/or pita chips or veggies (for gluten-free friendly option). Will keep covered in the fridge for several days.
Video
Notes
*Eggplant drying method adapted from Pioneer Woman.
*Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1 Tbsp olive oil for roasting and without optional ingredients.
Enby Chef says
Delicious! I roasted the whole eggplant in the oven like a potato (at 350 F) but otherwise followed the recipe exactly, adding fresh parsley at the end. Will make this again.
Lovely! Thank you for sharing, Enby! xo
Nina Leo says
All of your recipes are wonderful… but this is pure GOLD
Thank you!!
Aw, thank you so much for your sweet words, Nina! We’re so glad you love this one! xoxo
Will Scoggin says
Oy….
Lessons learned:
1) Use the largest eggplants you can find.
2) Cut in 1/2 inch slices.
3) A grill works *much* better than a broiler.
4) A food processor is preferable to a blender for this.
The salt technique for removing moisture will take several hours – maybe overnight. 🙄
Jeanine says
I made this and honestly, I just wasn’t impressed with the outcome. It definitely wasn’t as good as a Mediterranean restaurant. I can tell you mine was sadly missing the char flavor.
Thanks for the honest feedback. Sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Jeanine!
Corelia says
Awesome!
xoxo!
Liz says
Love this! Super yum and creamy! Will try thisbone again.
We’re so glad to hear it! Thank you for the lovely review, Liz! xo
Amy Bohler says
I made this for a baby shower along side some hummus and veggies as something the vegan parents could eat but also be appealing to the omnivores. My husband licked the bowl of the food processor and gave it high praise. It was super easy to make, definitely going in the rotation
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Amy. We’re so glad you all enjoyed!
Candace says
Dear me, what a hit this was at dinner last night! Rave reviews from all enjoyers, thank you! Plus, made it for a friend’s birthday (her request) last week, and it was a hit then, as well. So good! Other than modifying quantity for more guests, the food processor was out of commission, so I put the ingredients in an extra large bowl and applied the potato masher to it, which may be my new go-to, for less clean-up. I loved the somewhat coarser texture, too. Another thing, I made mental note to just come to Minimalist Baker first when I need a recipe, because of consistently great results. All smiles!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Candace! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kelly says
I just made this and it turned out great! I sliced my eggplant lengthwise to minimize the peeling, but that part was still a little fiddly. Next time I might try peeling before broiling. Instead of a food processor, I used an immersion blender. Easier to clean up and more control over the consistency. Great recipe – very easy and delicious.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your experience, Kelly!
Paulina says
Made moroccan stuffed eggplant and used the inside of eggplant to make that baba ganoush, so good! So easy to make! Love it :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Paulina. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Georgia says
Does anyone know what the serving size is for this recipe?
Hi Georgia, about 1/2 cup
Maddie says
Hi! Is this supposed to be served hot or cold?
Either way!
Maddie says
Thanks!
Melissa says
This was amazing. Flavorful, filling and just so good that I almost ate all of it in one meal. But I got full so I finished it for breakfast. The only thing was that peeling the eggplant slices was messy and time consuming. There is a way to cut the eggplant in half and roast it, then you scoop it out with a spoon. I just don’t know the oven temp. I would love it if you put alternate methods of dealing with the eggplant. My neighbor just gave me 5 big eggplants from her garden and I am definitely doing this baba ghanoush again this week!
Thanks for the great review, Melissa! If you cut the eggplants in half they would probably roast well at ~350, until very fork tender.
Jetta says
I am going to try to use a potato peeler before roasting to take off the peel/
Abby says
The best Babaganoush I ever tasted. And simple to make!!! Thanks.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Abby! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Jay Gomez says
Why not peel peel the eggplant before slicing?
That would work!
Raych says
I was so pleased to find an easy baba g recipe thanks 😊
I used very approx amounts but tasted delicious. Saved my on turn aubergine 🍆 from fully ending in the compost!
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thank you for sharing, Raych! xo
Neya says
Great recipe :) Never did Baba Ganoush before and it turned out beautifully! My 12y old fussy eater and my 14y old gourmand eater both loved it, so did I and my husband. I peeled aubergines before slicing them so the aluminum wrap step was not needed. This recipe will definitely be added to the selection of favorites :)
Woohoo! We’re so glad the whole family enjoyed it =) Thank you for sharing, Neya! xo