Baba Ganoush Recipe
Smoky, creamy baba ganoush made the way I learned it in Türkiye. Draining the roasted eggplant is the step that keeps it thick instead of watery.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 ½-3 lbs globe eggplant 2-3 eggplants depending on the size
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice plus more to taste
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more as a drizzle
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- Pinch ground cumin optional
- Pinch paprika to finish it off - optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley chopped (as garnish)
- Handful of pomegranate seeds optional
- Pinch Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Roast whole eggplants in the oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a fork, poke 7-10 ¾-inch holes throughout each eggplant. Place eggplants on a foil-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Roast them for 50-60 minutes, turning them every 20 minutes until they burst, collapse, and soften.
- Let the now-cooked eggplant cool down. Meanwhile, place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and set it aside.
- When cool enough to handle, working on one eggplant at a time, slit open each eggplant lengthwise and carefully scoop the eggplant flesh removing as much of the skin as possible.
- Transfer the eggplant flesh into the fine mesh strainer. Using the back of a spoon, gently press to remove as much of the liquid as much as possible. Let it drain while you are working on the rest of the ingredients. In the end, you should have about 17 ounces (~480 gr.) of eggplant flesh.
- Transfer the eggplant to a medium bowl. Add minced garlic and lemon juice. Using a fork, give it a mix while breaking the large chunks of eggplant flesh until fully combined.
- While stirring constantly, pour in the tahini, followed by olive oil, in a steady stream. Mix constany until fully combined.
- Add salt, ground cumin, and paprika (if using.). Taste for seasoning and add in more seasoning and/or lemon juice if you want.
- Transfer baba ganoush to a serving bowl, garnish with fresh parsley, Aleppo pepper (if using), and pomegranate seeds if desired.
- If preferred, drizzle it with olive oil and serve with pita chips on the side.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe yields about 2 cups of roasted eggplant dip, enough for 6 servings when served as an appetizer. The nutritional values below are per serving.
- Eggplant seeds: Globe eggplants tend to have many seeds. The seeds are entirely edible and will blend into the dip after everything is mixed.
- *Short on time? You can roast the eggplant a day (or two) in advance and store it in an airtight container. This way, you can put it all together in minutes.
- Make ahead: You can put everything together a day in advance and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 589mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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