Baba Ghanoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
author: Olivia Mesquita
course: Appetizer
cuisine: Middle Eastern
This rich and delicious Baba Ghanoush is a Middle Eastern classic and the perfect appetizer for any occasion! My version is creamy and indulgent with the addition of sour cream (or yogurt) and roasted garlic.
- 3 medium eggplants
- 3 cloves garlic, roasted (or 1 clove of raw garlic)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tahini, or to taste
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- Salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
- 2 tablespoons sour cream , (or greek yogurt)
- Chopped parsley or mint to garnish, optional
Preheat your oven to 450ºF degrees. Place the eggplants on a large baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until completely tender, about 1 hour. They should be incredibly soft and they will pop with an audible bang. Don't be alarmed! That is totally normal.
Remove eggplants from oven and wrap in foil for 15 minutes. Then, once eggplants are cool enough to handle, peel them, picking out any blackened flesh and seed pods, and place in a colander. Using a fork or a potato masher, press the eggplant against the colander to extract of any excess moisture.
Transfer the eggplant flesh to a food process and add all the remaining ingredients, except the sour cream and the herbs. Process until the desired consistency. Then, add the sour cream and pulse a few times to incorporate.
Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for the flavors to develop.
When ready to serve, bring to room temperature, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the chopped parsley. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or vegetables for dipping. The dip can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Poking VS Not poking - You want to get rid of as much moisture as you can before processing your dip. Eggplants cooked without pricking the skin lose about 10% more of its water weight on average then pricked eggplant. However, the steam will build up some pressure, which you lead to the eggplant skin to pop with an audible bang, so the steam can escape. If that freaks you out, go ahead and poke your eggplants all over with a fork before roasting.
For a vegan version, omit the cream.
To avoid bitterness, choose male eggplants over females. They have less seeds and that's what makes eggplants bitter. Don't know the difference? Look at the bottom! If there is a brown circle it is a male. If there is a long brown mark (like a slash) then it is female.
Calories: 204kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 10mg, Potassium: 566mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 116IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Olivia Mesquita
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Middle Eastern