Gluten-Free/ Middle Eastern Inspiration/ Paleo/ Whole30

Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush

This baba ganoush is bursting with roasted garlicky goodness and finished with a generous helping of smoked paprika and extra virgin olive oil that will have your tastebuds thanking you.

A perfect mezze…

This fantastic eggplant dip is perfect served as a first course or appetizer. It is often served with warmed pita, much like hummus, but you can serve it with crudités. You certainly don’t have to limit it to just a mezze; feel free to use it slathered on roasted or grilled meats. I topped my Greek Chicken Skewers with this roasted baba and it was incredible!

Baba Ganoush
Baba Ganoush

A riff on the original…

Traditional baba ganoush is mashed eggplant, usually cooked over a flame to infuse a smokey flavor into the flesh, that is combined with tahini (ground sesame), olive oil, and spices. This version uses roasted garlic, which tends to sweeten the garlic flavor. You can roast the garlic as it says in the recipe or use about 8-10 cloves of garlic confit. I add a bit of lemon to brighten the flavor in this recipe. To finish this version, I toast pine nuts, top with smoked paprika from Spain, and drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil.

Some fun substitutes would be:

  • pepitas/sesame seeds/ roasted sunflower seeds for the pine nuts
  • tomato confit instead of olive oil
  • sumac/cayanne pepper/coriander/cumin for the smoked paprika
  • garlic confit for the roasted garlic
  • yogurt for the lemon
Baba Ganoush
Baba Ganoush
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Baba Ganoush

Print Recipe
Serves: 4 Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant (about 1 lb.), cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 2 tbsp of tahini
  • 1/2 tsp course sea salt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

2

Generously salt both eggplant halves and place in colander in sink to allow to drain. This will take away some of the bitterness.

3

After about 20 minutes of weeping, dry both halves of eggplant with a paper towel. Brush with olive oil.

4

Place eggplant halves flesh side up on a parchment lined baking sheet.

5

Peel excess skin of garlic and slice the top off. Drizzle olive oil over head of garlic.

6

Place garlic on parchment lined baking sheet with eggplant.

7

Slow roast for 60 minutes or until both garlic and eggplant are soft and tender.

8

Allow to cool.

9

Remove eggplant flesh and add to food processor. Pulse to mash eggplant.

10

Remove each garlic clove with a tong of a fork and add to food processor.

11

Add tahini, salt, and lemon juice and process until smooth.

12

Add salt to taste, if needed.

13

Serve with pine nuts, smoked paprika, extra virgin olive oil, and parsley.

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1 Comment

  • Reply
    Healthy Eggplant and Tomato Sauté | Make n Curate
    July 30, 2020 at 8:35 am

    […] Baba Ganoush from Make n Curate […]

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