This Middle Eastern-inspired dip is perfect snacking any time of the day!
It’s currently eggplant season where I live and I’ve been enjoying making my recipe for homemade Baba Ganoush - a rich and creamy garlicky dip, free from oil, and animal products. This dip is often served as a starter with pita, crackers, and/or cut veggies. It’s sometimes added to other dishes, and can be used as a sandwich spread or used as a topping on a veggie and grain bowl - the same way that you’d add hummus! It has always been up there as one of my favourite Middle Eastern dips, but until recently I found it daunting to prepare.
This baba ganoush is simple to make, perfect for dipping and spreading, and incredibly flavourful.
Traditionally, the eggplant is grilled so that it acquires a smoky taste, but this is a bit more time consuming and not always accessible if you don’t have a grill. I’ve simplified the process for this recipe by baking the eggplant instead of grilling - but you could totally choose to grill it if you’d like! I’ve included smoked paprika as an optional garnish, as this will help finish the dip with a smoky flavour.
To prepare the eggplant, I like to cut it in half lengthwise and bake it cut-side down. This gives you a nicely caramelized eggplant that cooks faster than baking it whole - you also don’t run the risk of it exploding in your oven!
In the past, when I’ve prepared eggplant I would salt the eggplant to remove some of the bitterness. When I was developing this recipe I tested out both methods - salting vs not salting - and there was no difference. I also did some research and salting eggplant is no longer necessary as that overwhelming bitterness has been bred out of modern-day eggplants.
To keep things as low-waste as possible I like to use sesame seeds purchased in bulk to make homemade tahini. This recipe is the one that we always use. We usually make a double batch because we use tahini a lot, plus it can be kept in the refrigerator for as long as a month. This recipe does contain oil, so if you’re looking to make this recipe completely oil-free I recommend using oil-free tahini like this Fair Trade Sesame Tahini.
I’ve made this recipe oil-free as this is how I predominately prefer to eat, but you can also top the dip with a tablespoon or two of high-quality extra virgin olive oil if you’d like.
It’s currently eggplant season where I live and I’ve been enjoying making my recipe for homemade Baba Ganoush - a rich and creamy garlicky dip, free from oil, and animal products.
The Easiest Baba Ganoush (vegan + oil-free)
Yield: about 1 + 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb)
1/4 cup tahini
2 medium garlic cloves
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
smoked paprika, to taste (optional)
fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)
extra virgin olive oil, to garnish (optional)
(use organic ingredients)
How To:
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with unbleached parchment paper. Slice the eggplant lengthwise.
Place eggplant cut-side down onto the lined tray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the flesh is tender.
To a blender or food processor, add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 cloves of garlic, and a pinch of salt. Blend and allow to sit for 10 minutes. This will help mellow out the flavour of the raw garlic.
Scoop the flesh of the eggplant out from the skin using a spoon and add to your blender or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. If you are using a blender, use the tamper to help push the ingredients down. If you’re using a food processor, stop every so often to scrape down the sides.
Serve with pita, crackers, and/or cut veggies, or use it as a sandwich spread, or use to top a veggie and grain bowl the same way that you’d add hummus. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley and top with a tablespoon or two of high-quality extra virgin olive oil if you’re not making this oil-free. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
I can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try! I'd love to see if you make this recipe - tag me when you share on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so that I can see and share your creations!
Much love,
Avra
This post is not sponsored. I only share products that I personally use and that are made with the highest integrity. The Amazon links provided are affiliate links, which means that if you visit Amazon through these links and purchase product, I’ll get a commission. Don’t worry – the price doesn't increase if you use my link - you'll receive a discount while helping to support the free content that I share.
To work with Avra and Love Wild Live Free on collaborations, reviews, and sponsored posts please get in touch on the Contact page!