Want to know when I share a new recipe? Subscribe today!
Baba Ghanoush
Baba ghanoush is one of those dips I make when I want something smoky, creamy, and packed with flavour. I char whole aubergines until soft and blistered, then blend the flesh with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil until it’s smooth and rich. The result is earthy, tangy, and perfect with flatbread, crackers, or spooned alongside grilled meats and salads. It’s simple, nourishing, and always feels just a little bit indulgent.
Ingredients
- 700g aubergine (eggplant), halved lengthwise
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing the aubergines
- 1/4 cup olive oil, for blending
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C (fan) or 240°C (conventional).
- Halve the aubergines lengthways. Brush the cut sides of the aubergines with olive oil, place them cut side down on a lined baking tray, then brush the skins lightly with the remaining oil.
- Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the aubergines have collapsed and are deeply browned underneath. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
- Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Add the flesh to a food processor along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- Spoon into a serving bowl and finish with a drizzle of extra olive oil.
Notes
- Roasting the aubergines cut side down gives them a lovely smoky, caramelised flavour that's essential to good baba ganoush. Don't skip brushing the skin with oil as it helps them cook evenly.
- If you've got a gas stovetop, you can char whole aubergines directly over the flame for an even smokier flavour, then scoop out the flesh once they've cooled. It's more traditional but takes a bit more hands-on time.
- I use my NutriBullet to blitz everything together. It makes quick work of getting a perfectly smooth, creamy texture.
- Good quality tahini makes a real difference here. Look for one that's runny and smooth rather than thick and separated.
- Some people like their baba ganoush chunky, others prefer it silky smooth. Adjust the blitzing time to suit your preference.
- If the mixture seems too thick, add a tablespoon of water or extra lemon juice to loosen it up.
- For extra depth, add a pinch of cumin or smoked paprika when blitzing.
- This dip tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge as the flavours have time to meld together.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving and give it a good stir, as the tahini can separate slightly.
- You can freeze baba ganoush in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and stir well before serving. The texture may be slightly thinner after freezing, so you might need to drain off any excess liquid.
What I Cook With
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 10.5gSaturated Fat: 1.5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 3.8gSugar: 2.7gProtein: 2.2g
Want to know when I share a new recipe? Subscribe today!
Baba Ghanoush recipe
That Very 00’s Restaurant in Fortitude Valley
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: aubergine and I did not start off on the right foot. Growing up, my first encounter with it was utterly traumatising. Someone (not naming names) cooked it rather… badly. It was bitter, bland, and weirdly soggy all at once. I remember sitting at the dinner table, arms crossed, staring at my plate like it had personally offended me. Mum, bless her, had put a lot of effort into making it, but even she took one bite and went, “Yeah, nope, into the bin it goes!” That moment really stuck with me and I was convinced aubergine was a culinary mistake best avoided. And then, years later, along came baba ghanoush and turned everything upside down.
The first time I tasted baba ghanoush was at this little spot in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. I want to say it was called Garuva? It had this hidden, magical vibe. You sat on floor cushions, each table curtained off like you were in your own little world, and Portishead played softly in the background. Very early 2000s, very cool. My boyfriend and I at the time were regulars and I always ordered the karaage or the Cajun blackened chicken, but one night, I tried their baba ghanoush served with a warm, crusty cob loaf. And my god, it was divine. Silky, smoky, nutty perfection. When I realised it was made with aubergine, I nearly fell off my cushion. That was the moment I realised aubergine deserved a second chance. I’ve been a convert ever since.
And while Garuva sadly no longer exists (tragic, honestly), the baba ghanoush lives on in my kitchen. I’ve made it countless times now, tweaking it just so to get the balance right. It’s a bit like hummus’ sultry cousin – rich, creamy, with that signature smokiness from the roasted aubergine. If you’re a hummus fan, this’ll be right up your alley. I love serving it with torn pieces of warm bread, especially a fresh cob loaf straight from the oven. It’s a bit of a showstopper on a grazing board, especially when I pair it with my roast carrot and harissa hummus.
Although, I will admit, it didn’t quite win everyone over when I served it at my brother-in-law’s birthday. The man has the palate of a toddler – if it’s not a cheese sandwich, he won’t touch it. Honestly, I don’t know how his wife puts up with him. She’s actually lovely and deserves far better. I’m just so grateful none of them read this blog because I was this close to leaving my husband back in March. But then lockdown happened, and now I’m stuck with him and his family for who knows how long. Sigh. But hey, more baba ghanoush for the rest of us, right?
Making Peace with Aubergine
Roasting aubergine is one of those kitchen tasks that requires a bit of patience and a good oven tray, but it’s worth it. It’s where the magic happens. All that bitterness disappears, and you’re left with soft, smoky flesh just begging to be turned into something delicious. The trick, I’ve found, is to really let them collapse in the oven. I want the skins to be practically falling apart, and the insides to be golden and melting. That’s the flavour base you’re looking for. And once you get that right, everything else just sings.
Now, one of the biggest mistakes people make with baba ghanoush is under-seasoning. Aubergine, even roasted, can still lean towards the bitter side, so don’t be shy with the salt – it needs more than you think it does. I always start with a teaspoon of sea salt flakes and adjust from there. And yes, I taste as I go multiple times. I mean, quality control is important, right? Especially if you’re planning to serve it up to guests! Nothing worse than a bland dip when you’ve got people tearing into fresh bread and expecting fireworks.
Then there’s the garlic – I always say two cloves in the recipe, but let’s be honest, garlic isn’t a precise science. If you’re a garlic lover like me, go wild. It pairs beautifully with the creamy aubergine and adds that essential hit of punchiness. Honestly, I’ve been known to sneak in a third or fourth clove if no one’s watching. The tahini brings that nutty base, and a good squeeze of lemon juice lifts everything and ties it all together. The whole thing is so simple, but when it’s done right, it’s magic.
Serving Up the Good Stuff
There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching people gather round a bowl of baba ghanoush, especially when it’s served with something warm and doughy. I’ve always found that food brings people together, even if it’s a small gathering. During one of the brief lockdown reprieves, we had a little family get-together and I served both baba ghanoush and my carrot harissa hummus. It was the first time we’d all seen each other in ages, and while the company was… let’s call it mixed, the food was a hit. At least with the ones who actually eat vegetables.
I don’t often host big events, but dips like this make entertaining feel easy. You can prep it all in advance, whack it in a nice bowl, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, maybe a sprinkle of paprika or chopped parsley if you’re feeling fancy. Then you just pop some fresh bread on the side and let everyone dig in. It’s the kind of dish that disappears quickly, with people hovering awkwardly, torn between manners and getting the last scoop. And honestly, I love that. It’s the sign of a good spread.
And if you’ve got leftovers (unlikely, but still), it’s gorgeous on toast the next day. Or stirred through pasta with a bit of extra olive oil and lemon juice. Basically, once you’ve got a good baba ghanoush in your life, you’ll find all sorts of excuses to make it again. And again. It’s forgiving, flexible, and best of all, it’s made me fall in love with aubergine. Which is no small feat.
Ingredients Breakdown
Aubergine
Aubergine, or eggplant if you’re reading this from Australia or the US, is the entire foundation of this dip. The variety you want is the large, globe-shaped kind rather than the long thin Asian varieties, because you need a lot of flesh once the skins are discarded. The key to good baba ganoush is how you cook the aubergine, and roasting cut side down at a high temperature until it has completely collapsed and deeply caramelised underneath is what gives the dip its characteristic smoky, rich flavour. If you have a gas stovetop, charring whole aubergines directly over the flame is the more traditional method and produces an even smokier result, but the oven method is reliable and produces something genuinely delicious without the drama.
Olive oil
Olive oil appears twice in this recipe and is doing different jobs each time. The first lot goes on the flesh and skin before roasting, which helps the aubergine cook evenly and encourages that deep caramelisation on the cut side. The second lot goes into the food processor with everything else and emulsifies into the dip, adding richness and a smooth, silky texture. The finishing drizzle over the top at the end is purely for presentation and flavour, so use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for that part specifically.
Tahini
Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and it’s what gives baba ganoush its creamy, slightly bitter depth. The quality of your tahini matters here more than you might expect. You want one that is runny and smooth straight from the jar rather than thick, separated, and difficult to stir. Good tahini should pour easily and have a nutty, slightly bitter flavour without any harsh or rancid notes. Middle Eastern grocery stores almost always have better tahini than supermarkets, and once you find a brand you like it’s worth sticking with it.
Lemon juice
Half a lemon, juiced, which brightens the whole dip and stops it from feeling heavy. The acidity of the lemon juice balances the richness of the tahini and olive oil and lifts the smoky aubergine flavour rather than competing with it. Taste after blitzing and add more if you feel it needs it. Fresh lemon juice only, please.
Garlic
Two cloves of raw minced garlic go straight into the food processor with everything else. Raw garlic has a sharper, more pungent flavour than roasted, which works well here because the aubergine and tahini are both quite mellow and need something with a bit of punch to balance them. If you find raw garlic too sharp, roast the cloves alongside the aubergine and squeeze the softened flesh out before adding.
Sea salt flakes
A teaspoon of sea salt flakes seasons the whole dip and brings all the flavours into focus. Taste after blitzing and adjust if needed, because aubergines vary in size and the balance of tahini and lemon juice will affect how much salt the dip needs. Sea salt flakes dissolve more gently than fine table salt, so add a little at a time rather than all at once if you’re unsure.
Serve This With
- Warm pita bread or flatbreads for dipping
- Fresh vegetables like cucumber, carrot sticks, and cherry tomatoes
- As part of a mezze spread with hummus, tabbouleh, and falafel
I could eat this for days! I love that I can make it at home now!
I love Baba Ganoush. Your recipe is simple and I will love to try it soon. I like your tip about adding salt. I will try it for sure.
I love Baba Ghanoush but I’ve never made it myself! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks for the salt tip! I’m always nervous trying a new dish but this one turned out fabulous!
So glad you enjoyed it!!