Nothing is more fun to say than Baba Ganoush (ba·ba guh-noosh)! We were asked to bring it to Debbie and Phil's Middle Eastern Gr8 Dinner and although I thought it was fun to say, I had never actually made it. I soon found out that this Middle Eastern mashed eggplant dip is super easy to make and a wonderfully delicious appetizer.
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Start this easy recipe by putting the whole eggplant on the grill. Within 30 minutes you will have soft smokey eggplant meat to combine with other spices. Then it only takes minutes to add the rest of the ingredients, pulse a few times and voilà, you have Baba Ganoush!
Add this recipe to your healthy appetizer list. Cut up some veggies and dip them in this delicious, smooth, smokey, garlicky flavorful dish! Fresh cut pita bread is also super yummy to eat with it.
Who doesn't love to have a healthy snack with lots of flavor? If you do, this one is for you!
Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds eggplant
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons tahini
- 2 Tablespoons reserved liquid , from the drained eggplant
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- parsley, chopped for garnish
- extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle on top
Instructions
- Heat your barbecue grill to medium-high heat. Add wood chips to your grill or place the chips into a sealed foil pouch with slits for the smoke to escape.
- Add a few slits into the eggplant especially in the wider end so that it will cook more evenly.
- Place the whole eggplants on the grill (and right next to the foil pouch if using) and cook for about 30 minutes total, turning about every 10 minutes so the that the eggplant is wrinkled and soft on all sides.
- Once the eggplants are cooked, set them into a bowl and cover with foil and let cool. Keep any juices collected in the bottom of the bowl. This is the reserved liquid that you will use to add to the dip.
- Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat of the eggplant from the skin and place it into a strainer and let it drain. After about 10 minutes, add the drained eggplant into a food processor. Discard the drained liquid and the skins.
- Add to the processor the lemon, garlic, tahini, reserved liquid, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and pulse to combine the ingredients.
- Scrape the dip into a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
Gr8 Tip:
- The eggplants can also be prepared in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Add a few slits into the eggplants especially in the wider end so that they will cook evenly. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or foil. Roast for about 30 minutes turning the eggplants over after about 15 minutes. The eggplants should be soft and wrinkled when they are done. Proceed with step #4 in the instructions.
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