What You’ll Need To Make Baba Ganoush
- Eggplant: The star ingredient of baba ganoush, providing a rich, creamy base with a smoky flavor when roasted. Look for medium-sized eggplants rather than large ones; they have fewer seeds and are therefore less bitter. Eggplants should feel heavy for their size. The stem should be green and the skin should be smooth, shiny, and uniform in color. Fresh is best; the older an eggplant gets, the more bitter it becomes.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bright, tangy acidity that balances the richness of the eggplant and tahini.
- Garlic: Introduces a pungent, aromatic element that enhances the depth of flavor, giving the baba ganoush a subtle, savory kick.
- Tahini Paste: Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini adds a creamy, nutty component that complements the eggplant and thickens the dip, giving it a rich texture. You can find it in most supermarkets near the nut butters. When you open a jar of tahini, you’ll notice that the solids settle in the bottom of the jar, similar to natural peanut butter. Be sure to give it a good stir before using. (If your tahini is difficult to stir in the jar, scrape the contents of the jar into a bowl, then use a whisk or hand-held electric mixer to blend.)
- Cumin: A warm spice that adds earthy, aromatic notes, providing a subtle background flavor that complements the smokiness of the eggplant.
- Smoked Paprika: Enhances the smoky taste of the roasted eggplant, adding a layer of complexity and a hint of sweetness.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness and a fruity, peppery flavor, while also helping to emulsify and smooth out the dip’s texture.
- Fresh Parsley: Provides fresh flavor and a pop of color, brightening the spread.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prick and Roast the Eggplants
Using a fork, prick each eggplant all over (spacing the pricks about 1-1/2 inches apart) to prevent them from bursting in the oven. Arrange the eggplant on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until very soft and wrinkled, turning every 15 minutes or so, 45 to 60 minutes. Let the eggplant cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
Step 2: Scoop and Drain the Flesh
Cut off the stem ends of the eggplant and then slit them open lengthwise, like a baked potato. Using a soup spoon, scoop out the soft flesh and transfer to a fine sieve set in the sink or over a large bowl. Once all of the flesh is in the sieve, pick out any stray bits of skin and discard.
Using the back of a soup spoon, press out as much liquid as possible. As you can see below, there will be a lot!
Step 3: Give it a Whirl
Transfer the strained eggplant flesh to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and oil. (It’s important to mince the garlic first since the dip gets only a few pulses in the food processor.)
Process until the mixture has a coarse, choppy texture, five to ten 1-second pulses. (Alternatively, the mixture can be mashed with a fork.) Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Be sure to taste it with whatever you’re serving it with; you’ll often need more salt or lemon juice because the bread or veggies can mute the flavor.
Baba Ganoush
Makes about 3 cups Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Total Time: 1 Hour- 4 pounds eggplant (about 5 medium Italian)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (see note)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons tahini paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving
- Toasted pita bread, pita chips and/or crudités, for serving
Using a fork, prick each eggplant all over (spacing the pricks about 1½ inches apart) to prevent them from bursting in the oven. Arrange the eggplant on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until very soft and wrinkled, turning every 15 minutes or so, 45 to 60 minutes. Let the eggplant cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
Cut off the stem ends of the eggplants and then slit them open lengthwise, like a baked potato. Using a soup spoon, scoop out the soft flesh and transfer to a fine sieve set in the sink or a large bowl. Once all of the flesh is in the sieve, pick out any stray bits of skin and discard. Using the back of a soup spoon, press out as much liquid as possible (there will be a lot!).
Transfer the strained eggplant flesh to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and oil; process until the mixture has a coarse, choppy texture, five to ten 1-second pulses. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Let the dip sit out at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. To serve, use a spoon to make a swirl through the center of the dip and drizzle olive oil into it; sprinkle with parsley and smoked paprika and serve with toasted pita bread, pita chips, and/or crudités.
Note: It’s important to mince the garlic before adding to the food processor because the mixture only gets a few pulses in the machine.
