Creamy with a complex smoky, garlicky, lemony, slightly nutty flavor, this Baba Ganoush recipe will blow your mind. I learned how to make this dip in Syria and it’s been one of my favorite easy appetizers ever since!
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Brush ½ tablespoon oil on the outside of the eggplant. Use a paring knife to poke a few holes in the skin. Grill until the outside of the eggplant looks slightly charred and the eggplant is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the eggplant with tongs as necessary. Remove from the grill and cool.
Once cool enough to handle, cut the eggplant open and scoop out the flesh (discard the skin). Strain the eggplant flesh through a fine mesh sieve to drain off excess liquid.
Add the garlic to a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add the eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, yogurt, cumin, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil. Pulse until it’s well-combined. It doesn’t have to be completely pureed unless you prefer it completely smooth. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
Transfer the eggplant dip to a shallow bowl. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil on top.
Add any additional toppings you like and serve with fresh pita bread, pita chips, or fresh vegetables for dipping.
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Notes
Nutritional Information: Information for this recipe was calculated without the topping suggestions or serving suggestions.
Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 2 cups, or 6 (⅓-cup) servings.
Tahini Tip: Feel free to increase the amount of tahini (up to ½ cup) for a sharper bite.
How to Roast Eggplant in the Oven For This Recipe: Instead of cooking the eggplant on a grill, you can roast it in the oven. To do so, preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking tray with foil. Use a paring knife to poke a few holes in the eggplant’s skin, and then place it on the prepared tray. Roast until it’s wrinkled and soft, about 40 to 55 minutes, turning over once halfway through.
Recipe Inspiration: This recipe is adapted from the recipe for Eggplant Dip (Mutabbal Batinjan) in my cookbook An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair; Tuttle Publishing (2012). The original version has quite a bit more tahini and lemon juice!