Description
This Simple Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush recipe is a creamy, smoky eggplant dip enhanced with roasted garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil. Perfect for serving as an appetizer or snack with warm pita bread and fresh vegetables for dipping, it’s an easy, flavorful dish that brings Middle Eastern flavors to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 medium Eggplant (Approximately 1 pound, smooth, shiny skin)
- 1 bulb Garlic (firm with tight, unblemished skin)
Other Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Tahini (stirred well before measuring)
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 pinch Ground cumin (optional)
For Serving
- 1 pack Pita bread (warmed)
- 1 assortment Fresh vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure a hot environment for roasting the eggplant and garlic evenly.
- Prepare Eggplant: Wash the eggplant thoroughly and slice it in half lengthwise. Score the flesh in a crisscross pattern to help it roast evenly and absorb seasonings.
- Season Eggplant: Drizzle olive oil over the cut sides of the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Place the eggplant cut-side down on a baking sheet to roast properly.
- Prepare Garlic: Slice off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, then wrap it tightly in aluminum foil to roast and soften the garlic.
- Roast Vegetables: Roast both the eggplant and garlic in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the eggplant is soft and the skin is charred, and the garlic cloves are tender.
- Cool and Extract: Let the roasted items cool slightly. Scoop the soft eggplant flesh into a mixing bowl and squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves from their skins.
- Mix Ingredients: Add tahini, lemon juice, and optional ground cumin to the bowl with the eggplant and garlic. Blend or mash together until smooth.
- Add Olive Oil & Adjust: While blending, drizzle in the remaining olive oil for richness. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed for salt and flavor balance.
- Serve: Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, and serve alongside warm pita bread and fresh vegetables for dipping.
Notes
- Roasting the eggplant skin-side down helps to achieve a smoky flavor and tender texture.
- Using fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors and balances the richness of tahini and olive oil.
- The optional cumin adds a subtle earthy aroma but can be omitted to keep the dip milder.
- Letting the mixture cool slightly before blending helps maintain a smooth texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
