Smoky Baba Ganoush is one of those appetizers that basically any time I see it on a menu, I feel the need to order it. The eggplant-based appetizer, originating from Lebanon, uses grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a smoky dip that is perfect for outdoor eating.
It’s also a great way to use up a bunch of eggplant if you happen to have a few on hand. There are a bunch of recipes out there for oven roasting the eggplant, but there really is no substitute for the flavor added to the dish by grilling.
Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):
- 2 pounds Italian eggplants (~2-4 eggplants, depending on size)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- the juice and zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac (optional)
- chopped parsley, for garnish
- crackers, pita, bell peppers, carrot sticks, etc., for serving
Before grilling your eggplant, pierce the skin of the eggplants with a fork to prevent them from bursting. Add the eggplant to the grill over medium-high heat. Turn the eggplants every 5-10 minutes until the skin is charred, about 30 minutes.
Remove the eggplant from the grill and let cool.
When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, halve each eggplant and scoop out the flesh into a colander. Let drain for 10 minutes. (You want to remove as much liquid as possible.)
While the eggplant flesh drains, add your garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, salt, cumin, and sumac to a food processor. Pulse to combine.
Add in the eggplant flesh and pulse until fully combined.
Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley and more ground sumac, if desired.
I love the texture of baba ganoush. The smokiness of the eggplant works so nicely with the raw garlic, slight heat from the cumin, and the citrus flavor of the lemon juice and sumac.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Italian eggplants (~2-4 eggplants, depending on size)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- the juice and zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac (optional)
- chopped parsley, for garnish
- crackers, pita, bell peppers, carrot sticks, etc., for serving
Instructions
- Before grilling your eggplant, pierce the skin of the eggplants with a fork to prevent them from bursting. Add the eggplant to the grill over medium-high heat. Turn the eggplants every 5-10 minutes until the skin is charred, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the eggplant from the grill and let cool.
- When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, halve each eggplant and scoop out the flesh into a colander. Let drain for 10 minutes. (You want to remove as much liquid as possible.)
- While the eggplant flesh drains, add your garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, salt, cumin, and sumac to a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Add in the eggplant flesh and pulse until fully combined.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley and more ground sumac, if desired.
