This easy Baba Ghanoush recipe is going to be your new favorite appetizer. It is seriously so good and so simple to make.
Sometimes also spelled baba ganoush or baba ghanouj, this is a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
This delicious dip was served in all the best restaurants in Amman, and I loved it every time, along with this red pepper dip (Muhammara) and Tabbouleh.
This delicious blend of eggplant and hummus recipe provides the perfect dip for some pita as an afternoon snack or dinner appetizer.
While the name sounds exotic, its simple ingredients are very easy to come by. The recipe is simple, but it offers a filling dip for your next party.
This easy baba ghanoush recipe can be whipped up quickly and easily, making it a great last-minute dip for any event. We like to serve it with pita bread or these homemade vegan crackers.
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🖤 Why We Love This Recipe
This recipe is a perfect time-saver. The only part of the recipe that takes time is cooking the eggplant, and that is just a matter of tossing it in the oven.
It’s also a very economical recipe. The ingredients are relatively inexpensive and it's a filling dip. A little goes a long way.
The flavors blend marvelously in this spread so each bite is bursting with savory goodness. In short, it’s an amazing dip that checks off so many boxes.
🛒 What Goes Into This Recipe
Key Ingredients
1. Eggplant. You cannot make baba ghanoush without eggplant. Fresh eggplant is a requirement, so look for an eggplant that is ripe and ready to be cooked.
2. Hummus. Hummus provides both a creamy texture and a good flavor to this dish. This vegan hummus recipe is so easy to make, and adding it to the rest of the ingredients gives you a smooth and creamy baba ghanoush.
3. Lemon. It may seem like a minor ingredient, but fresh lemon juice is a necessary addition. The citric acid adds just the right amount of brightness to the dish. If you leave it out, you’ll notice that it is missing.
See recipe card for quantities and full directions.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make this Easy Baby Ganoush Recipe
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Step 2: Poke holes in the surface of each eggplant’s peel and place eggplants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3: Bake until tender (around 30-35 minutes depending on size). The skin should be dark and shriveled and the eggplant itself should be tender.
Step 4: Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scoop out any seeds inside and discard them. Then scoop the rest of the flesh of the eggplant and place into a small mixing bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
Step 5: Blend in the remaining ingredients of olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and hummus. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Stir gently.
Baba ghanoush can be served in a bowl, warm or chilled, with pita bread, pita crackers, or other dippers.
📖 Variations
Spice it up next time! In other cultures, different spices can be added to change the flavor profile. Some of the more common ones to add in are red pepper flakes, minced garlic cloves, sesame seeds, onion, coriander, and cumin. A version in Israel uses fried eggplant, mayonnaise, and chopped onions!
Explore different hummus flavors. These days there are so many different types of hummus available at grocery stores. Each variety will provide extra flavor and a different twist to your baba ghanoush dish. Roasted red pepper hummus works incredibly well. And if you like spicy dishes, look for a spicy hummus to mix in.
Not a fan of eggplant? You can substitute zucchini or summer squash for the eggplant and make something similar in texture and flavor to baba ghanoush. Simply give the veggies a light char, scoop out the seeds, and mash them up like you would do to the eggplant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t let its creamy dip texture fool you – this is actually a very healthy dip. Eggplant is high in fiber, low in calories, and a great source of vitamins and minerals.
The bitterness comes from the charred skin of the eggplant, so you’ll want to make sure all the peel doesn’t end up in the mashed eggplant. Also, look for whole eggplants without brown streaks. These indicate an over-mature eggplant and that tends to be more bitter.
If your mixture still tastes bitter once it is prepared, you can add a half teaspoon of baking soda and taste. If it is still bitter, you can add more baking soda. This will neutralize the bitterness.
Baba ghanoush can be made in advance and stored for up to four days in the fridge in an airtight container. If it becomes a bit dry, just add a drizzle of olive oil.
💭 Top Tips
If you’re looking to keep an eye on carbs or keep the dish gluten-free, skip the pita chips and use this as a dip for fresh vegetables, like carrot sticks or cucumber slices.
Some baba ghanoush recipes use charred eggplants. To get that smoky flavor, add a drop or two of liquid smoke. But be careful – a little goes a long way!
If you’re not feeling like mashing it up with a fork, you can make baba ghanoush in the food processor. Just make sure not to include any of the eggplant peel.
Select an eggplant that is slightly firm, but you don’t want it to be too hard or too soft. If it is hard, it is under-ripe. If it is very soft, it will have more seeds in it and can cause your baba ghanoush to be runny.
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More Appetizers
Easy Baba Ghanoush
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplant
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 cup plain prepared hummus
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Poke holes in the surface of each eggplant’s peel and place eggplants on a baking sheet.
- Bake until tender (around 30-35 minutes depending on size). The skin should be dark and shriveled and the eggplant itself should be tender.
- Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scoop out any seeds inside and discard them. Then scoop the rest of the flesh of the eggplant and place into a small mixing bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Blend in the remaining ingredients of olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and hummus. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Baba ghanoush can be served warm or chilled with pita bread, pita crackers, or other dippers.
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