“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 carrot, chickpea and dill salad, Lebanese lemon-parsley bean salad, my favorite quinoa salad, or Maureen’s avocado 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
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Lebanese
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!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Angeles Jiménez
Looooooooved the recipe! Is is EPIC indeed!!!
So many thanks
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you think so! I appreciate your review.
Pinstar
Oh so scrumptious and addictive!
I don’t measure ingredients and go by texture and taste.
2 medium aubergines pricked and oiled, cooked nearer top of 190C fan oven cut side down, then cut side up, and down again so not to burn.Cooled overnight in oven,no excess liquid to drain in the morning.
Make sure you stir the tahini in its jar first,the solids can settle and more oily on top otherwise.
A tip to manage any bitterness is a teaspoon of runny honey- I add it every time, and also a pinch of cayenne with the smoked paprika, why not!
It has a delightful magical taste,adored by many family and friends as part of a Mediterranean/meze style meal or side to BBQ.
★★★★★
Kathleen Stoppello
Love all your suggestions. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Kimberly
This looks so good – can’t wait to try! Do you happen to know if there are any good substitutes for tahini? Unfortunately my daughter has a severe allergy so I’ve been without it for a while!! I’ve googled it but the options don’t seem appealing with eggplant and she’s also allergic to dairy. Thank you :)
Kate
Hi! Sorry I don’t have a great option without the flavor changing too much. You could try a sun butter? But I’m not sure that will accomplish the same texture and flavor will change.
Caleb
OMG I can’t believe how good this is. I used smoked salt fyi. Wow.
★★★★★
Thomas Trick
yum! great recipe. i ended up blending the eggplant and garlic for a super creamy texture. I doubled the garlic and probably did not need to but it just means more for me this time around. When i make it again i might try reducing the olive oil to 1/4 cup, since i like it a bit thicker. Thank you so much, I’ll be consuming a lot more eggplant now that you helped me get over the mystery of Baba Ganouj!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Thomas.
Sam
Would you consider this a full meal if we also made hummus and a side of bread?
Chris
Sooooo good! Thank you. You’ve become my go to whenever I need a recipe. Plus I love you include you dog
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m excited Cookie + Kate is a go-to for recipes, Chris.
Jessica Jung
So I accidentally used wax paper for the roasting of the eggplants. I used a solid 4 pounds of eggplant, but after the roasting and (messy) deskinning the product was maybe 1.5 cups of eggplant. Is it supposed to be that little or do I need to buy more eggplant?
Kate
Oh no! Wax paper isn’t meant to go into the oven. Roasting it does shrink it some. Hi, were you doubling the recipe? As long as you started off with what is listed, you should have the same results.
Sharon Corodimas
Absolutely delicious. I have eaten this at a local middle eastern restaurant and have always really enjoyed it, but this recipe is over and beyond better than what I have ever had. Maybe next time a bit less olive oil bc I too like it a bit thicker in order to easily get it to stay on my bread. Thank you so much, I will be making this regularly……soooo good!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thank you for commenting, Sharon. It’s great to hear this is better than you have had elsewhere.
Sharon Corodimas
This was not only better than what I’ve had previously, it is simply the best ever!!
★★★★★
Nancy R Schindler
I just love your Baba ganoush recipe!!! When I make it we celebrate it by making a Mezze platter for dinner with the main feature being this lovely dish. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Anna darata
Never made this before and will definitely make again. Never buying store version again. So positively delicious and luxurious.
Don Ferguson
Love the Baba Ganoush! I’ll be making this again for sure.
Missing my Kansas City BBQ, not easy to find in the UK.
★★★★★
Gina
I used the same eggplants you have in your photos, I’m not sure if it’s the weather or my oven, but they never collapsed on themselves and I kept baking them until they were charred black LOL! My fiance saved the day with a different eggplant recipe for a turkish stew with tomatoes, garlic and onions his mom used to make… but I have to ask, ANY chance you could add a warning that the skin may become hard/never collapse, so it’s not the only factor to see if they are ready and this doesn’t happen to someone else?
That was a few days ago. I’m trying again today, and I am sure it will be fantastic!
★★★★★
Kate
Oh no! I’m glad you were able to still make it. Sounds like you had some bad eggplants.
Liz
Around the suggested cooking time, try poking the eggplants gently with a fork. Mine were totally cooked, but the skins were kind of inflated like a balloon. As soon as I poked them (gently), the skins collapsed and I saw that they were done.
★★★★★
Connie
Do you roast the garlic?
Kate
Not for this recipe.
Sharon
This recipe is delicious and reminds me of the Baba Ganoush that I eat at a local Turkish restaurant. I love the extra kick that the cumin gives it! I grilled the eggplant on the BBQ grill, which gave it a more smoky flavor.
★★★★★
Mariam
The word epic has never been more appropriate!!!!!
Omg I had enough to make half a batch and it blew my mind.
I accidentally roasted the eggplant cut side up and it was creamy soft in probably 25mins (could be a time saver).
Also, knowing that traditionally this is a bit smoky bc in the Middle East the eggplant is roasted in such a way to smoky, I added a drop of liquid smoke. Sooooooo gooooood.
I try my beat to eat WFPB I also skipped most of the oil- I only used a bit to brush over the eggplant so it didn’t form a dry skin in the oven and I swear, I couldn’t perceive any sort of flavour deficit with the missing oil.
I’m going to make this weekly bc it blew my mind and with the oil cut out, it’s actually super super healthy. Something this delicious shouldn’t be this healthy.
Thank you so much, Kate!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I’m happy you agree, Mariam. I appreciate you sharing what you did.
Brian Dixon
Kate-This recipe IS epic. Delicious and easy, and I didn’t even have to clean my food processor!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Brian! I appreciate your review.
Verashni Pillay
Can one make it using the grill instead? To increase the smokiness
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but I would love to hear what you think if you do.
Diane
The only thing I did differently than your recipe dictates, is using less olive oil. We’re doing our best to cut down on fats and a tiny amount of oil is all that is needed. We absolutely love this recipe. It’s the perfect balance of acid and tahini with the eggplant. The smoked paprika is amazing as a garnish. And I agree with salting liberally. Super easy and delicious recipe. IT IS EPIC! I thank you for sharing it.
Jessica
I love this recipe so much. I have been making it as my near-weekly indulgence this year! My tip? Throw in some diced Roma tomatoes
Sheryll
Wonderful recipe! I have a couple of suggestions. First, I salted the eggplant several minutes before roasting to draw out moisture and reduce bitterness. Second, I roasted the eggplant on a rack over a pa, cut side down, rather than on parchment. I oiled the rack rather than the eggplant, helping reduce the water content of the eggplant so there was not as much liquid to drain. Thanks!
★★★★
Catherine
This recipe is remarkable and so easy! Made it for a ladies get together and it disappeared quickly. The smoked paprika is a perfect addition. I’m big on smokey so did add a quarter tsp of liquid smoke. Thanks Kate for this keeper!
Greg Morton
Hi Kate,
Thought I would change up the baba recipe and add a cup of cooked Chana Dal, which are a variety of chick peas more the size of large lentils with no skins, which I buy in my Indian Market….makes it a kind of eggplant hummus….xxGreg
Sadie
I made this the night before eating and used only 20mls of oil as trying to reduce my intake, I also upped the smoked paprika as I love it. When tasting when just made I wasnt sure I could get the smoky taste wanted but after a night in the fridge when all flavours had come together it was stunningly delicious! It was just as good as the one I have in my favourite Lebanese restaurant and the smokiness of the aubergines really came through. Brilliant recipe, thank you. I will be making this again and again!
★★★★★
Elizabeth Oskamp
1. I’ve never left a review for anything in my entire life.
2. I never liked eggplant much, but a friend gave me 2 beautiful ones.
3. I crave and am addicted to your Epic Babaganoush seriously! I make it almost every week and just ate a whole bowl of it (with veggies) for dinner.
4. Such an AMAZING recipe, I think you could very deservingly add even a few more superlatives to the name. Such as: the best in the world, most delicious food ever, absolutely incredible, beyond words, Epic Babaganoush.
5. Thanks a million for such a wonderful addition to my diet.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you did, Elizabeth! Thank you for trying it and taking the time to review.
Lynn
Made this for first time. Good but a little bitter. Can i add something to correct? Eggplant did not seem over ripe. Planning to serve for company tomorrow. Thanks.
★★★★
Kim
Can you freeze this spread? I live alone and have been on a kick of making traditional hummus, beet hummus(my favorite!), butternut squash hummus, and pea pesto. I divvy the spreads up into small containers and freeze. I thaw 2or 3 containers at a time and have them with veggies, naan, etc. for a healthy, and definitely not boring, lunch. Would love to add your epic baba ganoush to this party!
Kate
I haven’t tried, but it may be worth seeing. I love your idea! Let me know how it turns out.
PAUL GEORGIOU
Hi Kate
Subject: Epic Baba Ganoush
In your video, you showing 4 Eggplants and on the recipe, it says 2 Eggplants.
Which is correct?
Thanks
Kate
Hi Paul! The recipe calls for 2 eggplants, then you cut in half and roast. I hope that helps!
Russ
My go to recipe for baba ganoush. I add smoked paprika, which gives it a bit of that grilled flavor.
★★★★★
Roger
I was planning my garden and undecided about eggplant, and then found a bag of frozen roasted eggplant in freezer from last season. My first attempt at baba ghanoush and it was very good. A good reason to grow eggplant. I wondered how it might be with a few chopped olives?
★★★★★
Deb
Hi, I found the eggplant very stringy and had to use my blender. Also a bit too creamy for me. Would you use less tahini or olive oil or both? It wasn’t as smoky with roasting the eggplants. I think I’ll try using the grill next time. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Kate
Hi Deb, I’m sorry to hear that. How long did it roast for? The fork to mash didn’t seem to break up the strings?
Deb
I did follow your roasting directions and used a fork which did not break up the stringy eggplant.
★★
Kate
Sounds like you had a hard or maybe unripe eggplant. I’m sorry you didn’t get great results.
Lorraine
Best Baba Ganoush recipe yet! Thanks for sharing
Kate
I’m excited you loved it, Lorraine!
Maegan
Great recipe! I used a little less tahini and it turned out great!
★★★★★
Pat
Good recipe for baba ganoush. Video was a big help without being intrusive. Thank you.
★★★★★
Megan
I’ve made this recipe many many times and it’s amazing. Rave reviews from everyone that tries it. Thank you.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Megan! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Robert
Miss Kate, I have several Ichiban (Japanese) eggplant plants growing in pots on my back porch. Can I use these for the recipe?? I normally slice them lengthwise, coat with olive oil, salt& pepper, and cook on my grill. They’re delicious. Their seeds are very tiny and I usually leave the skin on also, which is very thin. Your thoughts on this ,please
★★★★★
Kate
Hi! Sure, that may work. They can be smaller so you need to make sure to measure the weight and the flavor will be slightly different. Roasting times vary as well.
Kay Hodge
Very good recipe! Nice with pomegranate garnish too
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Kay!
Ozi
Thanks for the delicious recipe but this meze is called “moutabal” in Lebanon. It is often mixed with babaganoush.
★★★★★
Demetra
AMAZING!!!!!!! Thank you will look for your other recipes too
★★★★★
Mosha
What a perfectly balanced yummy recipe, so thank you!
I don’t have a grill either but a clever trick for smoking the aubergines is to sit them whole, directly onto the hob and burn the skins before baking them. It infuses the flesh with smoke.
★★★★★
Diana
Came out excellent! Thanks for the great recipe
★★★★★
Sasha
I’ve made baba ghanoush before, but your recipe was so easy to follow that it made it something I’ll repeat often during eggplant season. Mixing with a fork gave it the exact right texture. And the flavour was legit epic!
★★★★★
Melanie Prestino
I have been wanting to make baba ganoush for a long time. When I looked at your recipe I decided to give it a try. I followed the recipe and use my Vitamix to blend it. It was the creamiest and most delicious whipped eggplant tip I’ve ever had.. thank you for this great recipe I look forward to making this for family and friends during holidays.
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Melanie! Thank you for your review.
Chris
I made this recipe exactly as written and while it makes a tasty dip, it is not in my opinion baba ganoush. There are too many extraneous ingredients; the cumin and especially the smoked paprika really distract and the quantity of olive oil is really excessive. Baba ganoush really doesn’t need any olive oil and can benefit from at most a tablespoon or two. It’s true that it should have a smoky flavor but that should come from charring the eggplant’s skin on a grill or over a stove’s open flame. I think the quest to make the dish “epic” led the cooks astray here. The one thing they really got right is to drain the eggplant well. That’s important and leads to a much better dish. Aside from that, stick with salt, garlic, tahini, and lemon and leave the rest of it out,
★★★
Kate
Hi Chris, I’m sorry to hear you are disappointed by my recipe. I do try to keep it as authentic as I can, while adding my own interpretation as a cook.
Gráinne
Deeeeelicious! Thank you for that x
★★★★★
Rachel
I just made this and it is soooo good! My kids even like it. Recipe is a keeper for sure
★★★★★
Kate
I love that your kids enjoy it too, Rachel. Thank you for your review.
kaci
I actually didn’t look for this recipe until after I had already roasted two not-very-fresh eggplant in the oven at 400 for about 30 minutes. I’m currently in Ecuador and don’t have access to tahini, so I made my own by blending sesame seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, the garlic, the spices, and water until creamy. this yielded probably 1/2 a cup or a bit more of creamy deliciousness. then i added the parsley and eggplant (didn’t squeeze any liquid out) and a drizzle of honey to combat the bitterness into the food processor and blended well. WOW! YUM! So delicious. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it, Kaci.
aceface
Greetings from the East ends of London!
Absolutely awesome recipe! This is my second time around using it now, so thank you very much!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoy it.
Alice L. Edwards
Just made this recipe for the first time, and it’s a keeper! I lived in the Middle East for many years, and it is the best recipe I have found. The only thing I did differently was bake the garlic instead of putting it in raw.
★★★★★
Kate
I love that, Alice! Thank you for your review.
Sarah
Made this last night as nd used virgin shea butter banange it was delish. Thanks
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Sarah! Thank you for you review.
Susan Wilde
Yes. It is epic
The combination of elements is JUST RIGHT so I keep coming back to check I don’t forget a bit, even though it’s essentially pretty easy. Thanks for sharing. I love it. .
★★★★★
Dawn Hawkins
This is the first time I have made Baba Ganoush!The taste is amazing.I will definitely try it again.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great, Dawn! Thank you for your review.