Even though I have a bad habit of declaring too many “favorite” things, eggplant really and truly is one of my top five favorite foods. In fact, if I had to make a list it would probably go (in no order): eggplant, avocado, olives, mushrooms, peanut butter.
So while this particular dish is typically an appetizer, I am pretty sure I could just sit down and eat the whole bowl for lunch. :) And don’t even think about telling me that you “don’t like eggplant” until you at least give this a try. Trust me, you won’t even know it’s there. I didn’t steer you wrong with the Brussels sprouts, did I?
Roasted Eggplant Baba Ganoush
Ingredients: (appetizer serves four)
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
To Prepare: This is another one of those recipes that is just way too easy, and yet the product is so delicious that you can’t believe there are only 5 ingredients. Start with your eggplant – using a fork, poke a few holes on each side. Then place it in a baking dish and bake (uncovered) at 375 degrees for at least an hour. All of the flavor of this dip comes from the roasting, so the longer the better (within reason).
After an hour or so, you should have a wrinkled eggplant that is caving in on itself. Perfect.
Using a few paper towels, carefully pick up the eggplant (it will be HOT!), and chop the top stem off. Then cut a slit down the middle, so that it opens up to reveal all the gooey good stuff inside.
Scrape the flesh of the eggplant (which should be very soft) directly into the bowl of your food processor.
I used my handy multi-purpose grapefruit spoon for this, but you can use a regular spoon too. Just put a little extra muscle behind it.
Continue to scrape until all of the flesh is removed, and all that remains is the thin peel (which you can throw away).
Next add the lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini to the eggplant and give it a whir!
Season to taste with salt. SO ridiculously easy – it’s actually kind of embarrassing.
The final dip is earthy and absolutely delicious. I think it’s best served warm, but you can also chill it if you prefer.
Baba Ganoush is a traditional Mediterranean spread, that is also great served along side with hummus and grape leaves, and some yummy pita bread. Mmmmm.
This would be an easy, healthy appetizer to serve at an upcoming party or holiday get together.
Just make sure you get a bite before you set it out, because once the guests arrive it will be going…
Going…
Gone.
Enjoy!
79 Comments so far
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I’m so glad you posted this. I LOVE Baba Ganoush but haven’t ever made it. This is a must make for me. :)
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Yum! I’ve been looking for a new way to incorporate eggplant into some recipes – this is perfect :)
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Baba Ganoush was ALMOST on the menu for the cookie swap! Hmmm you have me rethinking my decision….
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:51 am
Haha your menu sounds delicious! But I am happy to help make it if you change your mind. :)
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Oooh its really been TOO long since I last had Baba Ganoush! And so quick and simple to make, so no excuse! :)
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I LOVE eggplant but I’ve never had Baba Ganoush before. Looks good!
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Looks yummy, but are the seeds bitter? I sauteed (SP?) an eggplant once and for some reason it tasted bitter to me. Maybe a bad eggplant?
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Sometimes eggplant can be really bitter. If you are cooking sliced or diced eggplant, you can cover the slices in salt for about 30 minutes before cooking – it bring the moisture out and helps reduce the bitterness. I don’t find it to be bitter in the dip at all though!
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missy Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
thanks! i’ll have to try that :)
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i like egg plant, this look like a must try!I never have had Baba Ganoush but i like hummus but hardly even eat it because it does a number on my stomach making me feel sick!
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That is how I make baba ganoush also Emily! And I LOVE eggplant, it is one of my very favorite veggies too.
If you roast your eggplant on the grill it is also delicious, you get a more smoky flavor, but most of the time I use the oven, I love roasted eggplant in all formats!
Ana
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Melissa @ HerGreenLife Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
I use smoked salt (may also be called salish salt) to get that delicious smoky flavor without having to fire up the grill. Another option would be liquid smoke, though I’ve never worked with that. I agree that it’s best served warm.
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I love all Mediterranean spreads [hummus, Baba ganoush, etc.] Looks like you nailed this! Yum!
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I am making this next weekend for a holiday get together! I needed a recipe, love eggplant and love anything SO easy.
More importantly – where did you get that grey ruffled vest (is it a vest)!?!? I LOVE it!
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Once I added cubes of eggplant to a soup and it tasted really spongy and I haven’t tried it again. Does it usually have a spongy texture when it is cooked? (versus pureed in a dip)
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I really have never been a big eggplant fan, but I think since it’s purple, I stand a chance of getting the girls to try it. And if you added tahini to dirt, I’m pretty sure I’d eat it.
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Hahahahaa. :)
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I will have to try it. I don’t normally like grilled eggplant, so maybe this will be better for me.
I just wanted to tell you, that I love your blog and I loved your post about running. I am currently at your starting point where I am trying to eat better and exercise more (I *was* running 1-3 miles before winter). Any idea how to get in running types of activities w/ a 2 year old in the house and snow on the ground (and a freezing 10degrees outside)?
Also, I have a challenge for you. Being a full time working mother of a 2 year old, time is precious ;-) I adore crock pot meals for preparation, but I have yet to find any good healthy (and yummy recipes!). Anyway you’d be willing to come up w/ some? I really love the recipes of yours I’ve already tried, they are SO good I even got the hubby to eat it!
Thank you so much for doing your blog. You’ve changed my way of thinking :-)
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:55 am
Hi Rachelle! No advice on the 2 year old – totally out of my area of expertise. :) You might have to give ME advice at some point! Believe it or not, I don’t have a crock pot – I use my rice cooker for everything. But that said, yes I still think I could come up with some slow-cooked meals in the rice cooker, that would work just as well in the crock pot. I’ll start thinking about them now!
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Rachelle Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
That would be awesome!!! :-)
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I have tried and tried to find a way I like eggplant that is not breaded and fried. I’m going to have to give this a try!
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I made baba ganoush over the summer, and I too was blown away! :)
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Yep, totally the recipe I use, except when I’m not as patient to wait for the eggplant in the oven, I go ahead and roast it on the stove. LOVE the gas burners for that very reason! :) Yum!
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I’m going to make this for Christmas Eve! I love the idea of eating eggplant in dip form (since I’m normally *not* a fan of eggplant unless it’s prepared right and/or served in an unnoticeable way ;) ).
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I’ve made baba ghanosh before and my recipe was very similar to the one above, yet every time I’ve done it the eggplant has come out very bitter.
Is there a way around that? Or is it just if you get lucky with a sweet vs bitter eggplant? I’ve heard good things about salting an eggplant for 15 min before cooking and then rinsing the salt off… but that doesn’t work well with the roasting technique. Any tips for me?
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:57 am
You are right about the salting, but also right that that won’t work for this. If you are really sensitive to the bitterness, you could slice the eggplant in half and salt each side before roasting, then just roast face down in the baking pan after rinsing off the salt. I don’t find the seeds to be bitter after roasting, but that also might just be me.
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Yum! This is one of my favorite dishes to order at Middle Eastern restaurants so I’ll definitely have to try making it at home.
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I’ve never made baba ganoush, but I do love it. my dad’s caponata is my favorite eggplant dish – it’s got eggplants and lots of olives too! both ingredients are definitely favorites of mine also.
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I LOVE your vest! I have a friend who made pumpkin ganoush this fall for a pumpkin party. She just subbed a small baking pumpkin for an eggplant…it was tasty!
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Oh my gosh that sounds SO GOOD. I am totally going to try that – thanks!
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I love eggplant and I just got a food processor, so I’ll be making this soon! :)
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Definitely buying an eggplant as soon as I can make it to the grocery store!
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I love eggplant but don’t make it enough. I’ve always wanted to make my own baba ganoush. What a fabulous change from hummus.
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This is one of my absolute favorite appetizers! I love the photos
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I can’t even tell you how much I love baba!!
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Can you believe I’ve never tried Baba Ganoush before? It is a crime!! :)
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Oooh, thank you VERY much! I just got back from studying abroad in Jordan, and have been meaning to make mashed eggplant. “Shokran” for the push!
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I have to admit.. I am definitely eggplant-averse. But I’m willing to try anything!
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It’s sad you don’t even eat your favorite food :(
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:59 am
I eat ALL of my favorite foods, plus many more, and I promise you there is nothing sad about the way I eat.
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i know this is all about eggplant but… adorable vest!
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Haha so much love for the vest – thank you! :) Maybe I should actually leave the house more often…
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I don’t like eggplant but I am totally willing to try this. It looks super easy and I think if it’s blended all together with other flavors I won’t even notice I’m eating eggplant.
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I love how your baba has mostly eggplant, so I can eat copious, copious amounts without worrying about tahini overload. Bookmarking this recipe!
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I love eggplant. I can imagine how amazing this tastes! I really want to make this. Yummy!
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This looks delicious! Your list of favorite foods could have been written by me…yum. Now I am excited for lunch
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I cant wait to try this.. But I have a question: I already have halva with vanilla, can I use that? My brother- in- law gave it to me and I have no idea what to do with this sesame mediterranean fudge.
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
I have to be honest – I don’t know what that is. But if it’s sesame fudge I *think* that would probably work. It might be a little thick, but you could always thin it out with a tbsp or water.
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emily Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Eek, I don’t think you’d want to mix those two! If you have traditional halavah like what I’ve had (in block form, kind of crumbly,) the taste would end up being weirdly sweet mixed into eggplant. Tahini and halavah are both sesame, but they do not taste at all like one antoher.
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Ooooooh! I want that!
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Looks great and anything on those rice crackers is the bomb!
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Yum, that looks delicious, I’ve never made baba ganoush but maybe I’ll try now.
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Ridiculously easy is a good thing for us “non-chefs”!! Thanks for posting :)
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Replace eggplant with cheese and add spinach to that list of fave foods, and I am in! Is this how you get Casey to eat eggplant?? Kirt HATES it. I’m making this and I’m going to fool him.
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
YES! Casey loves it, and claims to hate eggplant too. Tina has poisoned their minds with anti-eggplant slander. :) (She despises it.) Just tell him it is hummus!
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Hi Emily,
Can this be made ahead of time and how ahead? I have a party 12/19 and if could do this a few days ahead it would work. Will it turn colors or get bitter if I made it days ahead and refrigerate? I’m going to be so busy. 22 over 14 yrs and 4 under 7. But I like the vegan alternative for sure.
Again you always pull it through for us. And crock pot ideas are always welcome. A lot of us work 40 hours or more. I do the more.
Blessings this Holiday Season!
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Hi Maryann!
I wouldn’t make it too far ahead – I’m afraid it will get brown. But what you could do is roast the eggplant a day or two ahead of time, refrigerate it, and then turn it into the dip the day of the party. I think that would work better! Sounds like a fun party! :)
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Another twist to the roasted Eggplant is the Indian dish “Baingan (Eggplant) Bharta”. Ridiculously easy too!
You roast/broil the eggplant, just the way you specify in the post. Then instead of processing it in the food processor, mash it up with a masher or your bare hands, until it is no longer stringy.
Then saute 1 chopped onion till it is caramelized, a couple of green chillies, 2 chopped tomatoes, and add the mashed up eggplant. Just long enough till is is heated through. I also add some green peas in the end for some extra pop of color. Season with salt, and whatever spices you like.
This is a popular Indian dish, goes very well with Naan or plain phulkas :)
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
That is my favorite thing to order at Indian restaurants!! YUM – now I’m really hungry.
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What’s funny is that I’m not a huge eggplant fan, but I love baba ganoush. Probably just as weird as me LOVING hummus, but disliking garbanzo beans. :)
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A YUM! Looks amazing!
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Last night Chef Michael Symon made a ton of eggplant dishes on “How to Cook like and Iron Chef” on the Cooking channel.
One of the things he made was eggplant chips. I wondered if that might go well with the baba ganoush or perhaps it would be eggplant overload.*
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Oh fun! I’ll have to see if there is a repeat on this weekend. And there is no such thing as an eggplant overload. :)
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Thanks Emily. I’m shopping Wednesday and I can roast them Saturday. I’ll have my hubby scrape them out he has muscles.
Thanks for a response.
Great weekend everyone! Snowing here but not sticking to the roads yet.
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I love eggplant too! Always wanted to make this but never knew how! thanks
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That looks so good and easy!
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looks like i know what im making next…
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I bought an eggplant and lemon today so I could make this! Thanks for the great recipe.
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[...] bark, eggplant baba ganoush with the half of the eggplant in my fridge (see Emily’s recipe here (I obviously made a 1/2 batch because of 1/2 of an eggplant)) and a batch of vegan cranberry [...]
Ok, I have to ask, what kind of food processor do you use?! I will be getting one in the very near future and I wanted to know how many cups yours is, if you think that is sufficient, and anything else you want to add. :) I don’t know anybody in real life that has one, haha, lame!
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Emily Malone Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
I have the Cuisinart 9 cup – its the middle end model. Around $140. I love it!
http://astore.amazon.com/thefrontburnerblog-20/detail/B001413A0Q
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Sara @ Baking and Wine Reply:
December 14th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Thank you so much! I have been looking at Cuisinart, perfect!
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[...] beans and roasted eggplant. When I read Emily’s blog a few short days later I saw she was already rocking a roasted eggplant dip (sans beans), so I stole a bit of her [...]
This looks so yummy, I will definitely be making it soon…that is, when I finally get myself a food processor, which leads nicely to my question; are you using a mini Cuisinart food processor in the photos? If so, would you say it is sufficient or would it be better to go with the big one? A food processor is the only kitchen helper I don’t have and I feel it would be so useful!It’s not the right time to splash out on a big Cuisinart now, so I would be very thankful for any advice you could give me. Thank you so much :-)
Also a BIG THANK YOU for your super tasty Roasted Veg and Kale Soup recipe! I have made it at least 5 times already since you posted it and it is one of our favourite dishes now! I OD’d on Mama Pea’s Peanut Chocolate Cookie Dough Balls this afternoon (they are sooo worth the sugar coma!) and I was craving your soup for dinner like crazy! It is sooo good and I feel that nutritional balance has been restored ;-)
Btw, your vest is really cute!
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I just tossed the baba ganoush with raw parsnip noodles – so good! Thanks for putting the idea of BG in my head and sharing your recipe :)
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I made this dip yesterday afternoon, and I am currently stuffing my face with it today! It’s wonderful and super, super easy!
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