Epic Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is the best! It's easy to make, too (no food processor required). You'll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
“But why would I make baba ganoush if I could just eat hummus?” Mara asked when we set out to make the ultimate baba ganoush recipe. At that moment, I couldn’t help but shrug my shoulders.
Then we nailed the method and ingredients you see here, and neither of us could stop scooping up more. When you get it right, baba ganoush is irresistibly smooth and luxurious, smoky, and savory.
In its most basic form, baba ganoush is made with eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt. I found that adding a tiny bit of ground cumin, smoked paprika and fresh parsley takes it to the next level.
Baba ganoush is similar to hummus, but it calls for grilled or roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas. Both dips originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, and they’re often served together with pita bread and raw, crisp veggies. You can use baba ganoush like you would hummus—as a dip or spread. Ready to make some?!
How to Make the Best Baba Ganoush
There are a few considerations when it comes to baba ganoush. First up: do you grill the eggplant or roast it?
Roast your eggplant
I don’t have a grill, so I roasted my eggplant and it turned out great. So, you don’t need a grill for this baba ganoush!
To make up for the grilled flavor, I halved the eggplants and roasted them cut-side down for caramelized deliciousness. (Roasting them halved also means that your eggplant cooks faster, and you don’t risk an entire eggplant exploding inside your oven.) Using smoked paprika as a garnish adds some extra smokiness, too.
Roasting the eggplants until they’ve collapsed on themselves helps concentrate their flavor and ensure that your dip is silky-smooth. At that point, it’s easy to flip over the eggplant and scoop out the insides. Peeling the skin off eggplant is not my idea of a good time!
Extract moisture
The next consideration is how to extract as much moisture from the eggplant as possible. Fortunately, our roasting method has already helped eliminate a lot of it. Just let the eggplant rest in a strainer for a few minutes and stir it to release even more.
Stir it up
The next question—do you mix the dip by hand or whip it up in your food processor? I’m a big fan of my food processor, but it isn’t necessary for this recipe. Baba ganoush traditionally has some texture to it, and roasted eggplant readily falls apart when you stir it with a fork.
Add ample salt
My last tip is to salt the dip generously—eggplant is inherently bitter, and salt reduces that bitterness. This dip isn’t truly epic until it’s properly seasoned with salt. Can I call my own recipe epic? Oh hell, I’m doing it! This baba ganoush is epic.
Watch How to Make Baba Ganoush
What to Serve with Baba Ganoush
Basic baba ganoush is always vegan, gluten free and nut free. That makes baba ganoush a great party appetizer for guests who are following special diets—as long as your accompaniments fit the bill.
I like to serve my baba ganoush with sturdy raw veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber rounds and bell pepper sticks. Toasted pita wedges or pita chips are great, too.
For a full Mediterranean spread, serve this baba ganoush with herbed hummus or tahini sauce and fresh salads. I recommend Mediterranean bean salad, my favorite quinoa salad, or tabbouleh. Here are even more Mediterranean recipes!
Please let me know how this baba ganoush recipe turns out for you in the comments! I hope it’s your new favorite.
Epic Baba Ganoush
This baba ganoush recipe is the best! It’s easy to make, too (no food processor required). You’ll need eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices. Recipe yields about 1 ¾ cups (enough to serve 4 to 6 as an appetizer).
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian eggplants (about 2 small-to-medium eggplants*)
- 2 medium cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, more if necessary
- ¼ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the eggplant and garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ¾ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of smoked paprika, for garnish
- Serving suggestions: warmed or toasted pita wedges, carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, cucumber slices, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
- Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 35 to 40 minutes (this might take longer if you are using 1 large eggplant). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind.
- Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
- Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant.
- Stir in the parsley, salt and cumin. Season to taste with more salt (I usually add another ¼ teaspoon) and more lemon juice, if you’d like a more tart flavor.
- Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and smoked paprika on top. Serve with accompaniments of your choice. It’s also great on sandwiches!
Notes
Recipe roughly adapted from Serious Eats and Tori Avey.
*Eggplant selection: Large eggplants tend to contain more seeds, which can produce a bothersome texture. So, it’s better to use 2 small eggplants that weigh about 2 pounds total, rather than 1 large. Choose eggplants that are shiny and smooth (no mushy parts), and feel heavy for their size. Turn your eggplant into baba ganoush promptly, since overripe eggplant tastes more bitter.
Storage suggestions: Leftover baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days (I think it’s best served fresh, but some say it tastes better after a day or two). I like to let my leftover baba ganoush warm to room temperature before serving, but others prefer it chilled, so I’ll leave this up to you.
For a lighter dip: You can reduce the olive oil to as little as 2 to 3 tablespoons. Your dip won’t be as rich and creamy, but it will still be very good!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Can the baba ganoush be frozen.
Can’t wait to make it!
Thank you.
Sooooo good and so simple! Just made this for the first time. Ended up doing it in the blender just because I like it creamy. Served it on toast with sliced cucumbers on top! Wish I had some fresh parsley as well…
Kate, I’ve also been using your recipes for a long time and can’t believe this is my first comment! Thank you!!!
You’re welcome, Noor! Thank you for your review.
first time making baba ganoush (even though it is one of my favourite things) and this is amazing. smooth, flavoursome and a bit smokey, excited to share it with family this evening. So glad i found your website :)
thank you!
just finishing off your taboulleh too, I’ll let you know how that goes
Thank you for sharing, Anna!
I love this recipe, delicious! I think “my” baba ganoush is better than some of the restaurants near my apt now!
I’m glad you love it!
This is the best recipe for Baba Ganoush! It truly is EPIC. Now I’m dreaming of my garden and the eggplant we will be growing again!
Best recipe for BG ever! I’ve been making it for over 20 years- can’t believe I’ve been peeling the skin off all this time. Scooping is much easier. Also appreciated your tip for parsley and paprika. And now can skip the messiness with a blender! Better texture your way. Personally I would cut back a tad on the salt, oil and juice. Thanks!
Thank you, David!
I sliced my eggplant and salted both sides of each piece. Placed on paper towel & covered slices with paper towel to soak up the acid. Then grilled my eggplant slices on a Forman grill and followed your recipe to make my first babaganoush ever. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Thank you for sharing your approach, Ida!
Just tried it and it’s a big hit! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Robin!
Instead of tahini I used sesame paste for Chinese cuisine- need to add water that’s half the amount of the sesame paste for it to melt well.
But it worked like magic! Brings me back the memory of past travels in Jordan and Israel – And the ingredients are not hard to find, which is a big plus.
Thank you Kate!
So good! This has become a new favorite snack to make as part of weekly meal prep. My only notes/changes:
* 1/4 cup of tahini gives this a bit too overt of a nutty flavor for my taste. I usually go with ~2.5-3 tbsp and like it better.
* I toast the garlic instead of adding it raw, just personal preference.
* Smoked paprika is good as a garnish but I also mix about 1/4 tsp in with the cumin.
* I’ve found ~1/2 a lemon is the sweet spot, if you don’t have a bottle of pre-squeezed juice.
Thank you for sharing how you make it, Nick! I appreciate your review.
I love BabaG and your recipe means I can have it anytime. Today, I made it for the third time, but used my mini food processor which made a homogenous, creamy dip, with less work. Smoked Paprika is a must!
That’s great to hear, Cheyenne!
This is a fabulous recipe. I use it on my veggie wraps!
I just made this yesterday and it is truly delicious! Thank you for the recipe! The baba ganoush has great layered flavors and it’s easy to make! I’ll be making this again for sure. It’s a keeper!
Wonderful to hear, Anne!
Love this recipe! I have made it twice in two weeks. I add harissa spread to give it some spicy heat. Thank you!
From a Lebanese woman who had a wonderful restaurant about 40 years ago in my college town: Use the jiuce of TWO LEMONS for this amount of eggplant, and include some of the browned eggplant skin for extra flavor.:
I love this recipe! It is delicious and easy to make. I was concerned about the mixing in of the evoo but it all came together nicely.
I’m glad you loved it, Chris! Thank you for sharing.
What a fantastic recipe! I blended all the ingredients in my ninja. It was absolutely delicious . My husband and kids all enjoyed it. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Alina! I appreciate your review.
I made this today and it is fabulous! I followed your recipe and it was successfully delicious! It seems to soak up olive oil like a sponge, but so silky and good!
I made half a recipe with 1 eggplant I bought specifically to try this recipe. It’s a keeper! I now intend to plant eggplant in my garden this year!!!
I love that you are going to use your own homegrown this year! Let me know how it turns out.
I fry not have any fresh parsley at the minute. Will it be ok to omit it? Thanks
Sure, you can omit if you like.
1. I roast the garlic and then squeeze out the paste; 2. if possible, don’t eat until the next day so that the flavors blend well. (Hard to do!)
I had a go at making the Baba Ganoush; It’s the first recipe I have EVER followed (I’m 50)! It was fabulous, so delicious…thank you!
I also made the Tabbouleh (fabulous too). I had these together with warm flatbread and pepper & garlic sauce.
You’re welcome, Susan! Thank you for your review.
Delicious and very easy to make. We loved it!!
Thus sounds great! Will Def try it and check back for more! Thank you!!!
Made the recipe, a little bitter. Love it though on pita chips. My garden is overflowing with egg plant, thank u for saving it with this great recipe. I don’t make egg plant parm.
This recipe was very easy to follow. The flavor is amazing or epic as you said! Thank you.
You’re welcome, Lisa!
i add tomatoes and onions finely chopped.no garlic:)
i need to try this recipe. I also add mayo instead of tahini:)
Hi Kate. I believe this is a recipe for Mutabbal instead of Baba Ganoush. The latter does not contain any tahini. :)
Do you remove the seeds from eggplant?
No need! I hope you love it.
this is epic, indeed!
We had an abundance of Japanese eggplant from last year which we froze whole. Do you think I can use them in this recipe? Also, what do you think about using an air fryer instead of roasting in oven?
Sure, I believe others have before and didn’t mind the results. I’m not sure about air frying, but let me know if you try it!
Epic is absolutely the correct adjective! Loved this recipe.
So delicious!
It is a keeper for sure!
Wow this was awesome!! I had to blend it a little with my hand blender as the aubergine* wasn’t breaking apart too well, but that made the texture perfect IMO. I also used smoked salt and smoked garlic granules and OMG I can’t get enough! This will definitely be a recipe I come back to again and again :)
*sorry, I’m British lol!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jace!
I’ve been a baba lover for years. I always assumed that it wouldn’t be something one could make at home. Well, surprise, surprise! This was not difficult, and I find it delicious. I hate to modify the recipe, but I omitted the olive oil because of the added Weight Watcher points. It is DELICIOUS even without the olive oil. I processed it in the food processor. Great texture and flavor! Thanks!
BTW: the recipe calls for 1/3 c. olive oil, plus more on top before serving.
Looking forward to making this for a party this weekend. As an appetizer for about 20 people, how many times this recipe would you do? There will be lots of other food too so it doesn’t need to fully feed that many people.
Thanks!
Hi Hailey! This serves 6 so I would do 3-4x the recipe?
I love everything eggplant… and this did not disappoint. My only issue is I can not stop eating it. Any ideas on how to decrease the calories/fat? Do most of the calories/fat come from the tahini? Oh
It looks delicious, but it won’t save to Pinterest, and I don’t want as many recipe boards as I once had cookbooks. Ah, but wait! This is based on a Torey Avey recipe, and she can be saved to Pinterest. Well, there I have it.
This is a great recipe, really straightforward and tasted delicious. The best part is that it was the perfect way to use up leftover eggplant, tahini, lemon and parsely that were sitting in my fridge, taunting me. Very happy that nothing went to waste.
Excellent baba. I don’t agree about the salt though. I love the flavor of eggplant and masking it with salt isn’t what I want. Otherwise, spot on! Adding the chopped parsley is great.
Thank you, George! I’m glad you loved it.
I made this recipe several times in 2021 and enjoyed it immensely. This year I decided to roast the garlic cloves along with the eggplant. Easy to do and took the flavor yet up a notch. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Linda! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
I made the recipe using three baby eggplants a friend from exercise class gave me from her garden. I peeled them before roasting rather than scoop the innards out afterward. I also used a food processor. The eggplants, being garden fresh and small, were not bitter at all. I also used parsley from my herb garden and a fresh lemon for the juice.
My husband looked very skeptically at this dish, but then couldn’t stop eating it. So I’d say it turned out quite well.
Wonderful, Ellen! Thank you for your review.
My eggplant was smaller and did burn, as I wasn’t watching carefully enough. I removed the worst burned bits and went ahead and the result was VERY bitter. Almost too bitter to eat? I left it in the fridge a couple days, and was so surprised that the bitterness completely disappeared?! I do not understand how or why, but it was fabulous after a couple days. I did use a food processor, however. Takes care of the seeds and a lot easier?! It also freezes really well too. Wonderful recipe. Thanks!
So delicious- this is now my “go to” recipe! I don’t need to go to my local Mediterranean deli to satisfy my baba craving!
I do use my food processor and modify oil/spices slightly as needed depending on the eggplant and tahini used.
This is an excellent recipe. I’ve made it twice now, and love it! A friend is on a salt-free diet so I am experimenting with salt-free herb blends now to make some for her.
We plan to prep this every week, using grilled whole eggplant.
Loved this! I buzzed everything up in the food processor, including the smoked paprika which I added extra of.
I just made this, tasted it, and yelled, “THIS IS AMAZING!” to myself in the kitchen! Such a great recipe! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Meera! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Epic indeed…roasting the eggplant flesh side down and a small bit of cumin adds the depth of flavor that delivers a classic taste. I agree on the salt…Don’t skip it…and let the flavors meld together. One minor adjustment…I used half the amount of olive oil. No blender needed….keep the texture of this dish…it’s not intended to be smooth like hummus. Thanks for sharing your this fabulous recipe!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Lynne! I appreciate your review.
Both your hummus and babaganoush recipes are outstanding! My son spent a year studying in Israel, and couldn’t get enough of this when I made them. Thank you!
That’s great to hear, Helen! I appreciate your review.
Absolutely delicious! I did use a food processor and it turned out incredible! Entire family loved it!
Wonderful to hear, Jodi! Thank you for your review.
Great! Don’t skip the part where you drain the moisture. I drained between 1/3-1/4 cup of moisture from my large eggplant.