Baba ghanoush, also spelled baba ganoush or baba ghanouj is a delicious Levantine appetizer consisting of finely chopped roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, various seasonings, and tahini. The name comes from the Arabic phrase baba gannuj, in which baba can mean dad and gannuj can mean pampered or spoiled. This “spoiled dad” dip is the creamier companion to hummus. You don’t need any equipment to make it, just love. The eggplant is traditionally broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has smoky taste. Since many of us don’t have the ability to do so, the oven method works beautifully. In Bulgaria, we are known for our spreads as well. We have a very similar dip which we call “Kyopolou”. It consists of eggplant and roasted bell peppers, I will absolutely be sharing a recipe as it’s just as delicious as this one. If you love making baba ghanouj please let me know in the comments what you do differently as I love to learn from you all.
Easy Few Ingredient Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
Baking the Eggplant:
- 3 lbs eggplant cut in half I used 3 medium Italian eggplants
- salt + drizzle of olive oil on each one
The Spread:
- ¼ cup tahini use mayo if you are allergic to sesame seeds
- 2 cloves of minced garlic measure with your heart
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil based on consistency
- salt to taste for the spread
- 1-2 tablespoons of fresh and finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Take a knife and cut each one in half. Take each half off the eggplant, place it horizontally facing you, and score the inside of the eggplant making lengthwise cuts all the way to the end, followed by diagonal cuts with a knife. You should have a diamond or a square pattern.
- Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and oil it with a drizzle of olive oil. Drizzle on a bit more olive oil on the eggplant with a sprinkle of salt each one.
- Play them flat side down and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bottoms are caramelized and the tops are soft. You should be able to insert a knife into the skin easily.
- Let them cool a bit, and with a spoon, scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Please take a look at my notes as you may need to strain the eggplant flesh and discard the water.
- Once you have scooped it into a bowl, take a fork and mash or break it up into your desired consistency. Add the rest of the ingredients as you stir in between each ingredient.
- I added the tahini and stirred. Added the garlic, and stirred. Added the lemon juice, and stirred. Now add the olive oil a little at a time and stir until the spread is light in colour. Last but not least, taste and adjust for salt, and stir in the parsley. Enjoy
4 Responses
Very easy and delicious. The first time I’ve ever made or eaten baba ganoush. Thanks!
Hi Miranda so thrilled!! thanks for the comment
I made this for dinner tonight with only one eggplant, adjusted recipe accordingly and it was sooooo good with some toasted wheat pitas. Thanks for the recipe!
Omg so thrilled! Thanks for the review Debra ❤️