Baba Ghanouj – this delightfully creamy eggplant dip from the middle-East is super-easy to make… Scoop it up with some warm Pita bread – Yumm!
The first time I had Baba Ghanouj, many years ago, I was immediately intrigued… I had never had anything quite like it before. My fellow grad student, who hailed from Lebanon, had made it for a Christmas party… Needless to say, it got polished off pretty quick!
Baba Ghanouj – The Creamy Dip with Roasted Eggplant and Tahini
When my friend said she had made this creamy delight with roasted eggplant and Tahini, I was fascinated! I had no clue what Tahini was at the time, but I sure knew what roasted eggplant was! I told her that Indians make a very popular dish from roasted eggplants too! And we had a wonderful discussion about how vastly different culinary traditions often used closely related techniques and cooking methods.
So, the dish I told her about was Baingan Bharthaa (Baeng-gun Bhurr-thaa – the “Bhurr” rhymes with “fur”, the ‘th” sound is similar to the “th” in “Think” – Hindi), the much-loved Indian dish, which is also made from roasted eggplant. Two dishes, from different parts of the world, each with its own distinctive look, taste and texture… and yet, made from the same main ingredient! Pretty cool, I think!
So I asked her about Tahini…. She told me it was just sesame seeds, crushed and pureed till smooth… sort of like peanut butter, she said. To make the Baba Ghanouj, or Baba Ghanoush as she called it, she had just whipped the Tahini with some lemon juice, mixed in the roasted eggplant and added some seasonings…. and that was it! Baba Ghanouj…. ready to attack!
I was hooked…. ! I’ve been making Baba Ghanouj for many years now, and of course my recipe has evolved a bit. What I’ve posted here is my favorite version…. I add a few extra ingredients not typically found in the traditional middle-Eastern dip. A little bit of sour cream, to make it luscious and creamy… A tiny bit of fresh red chilli paste, because…. Well, how could I possibly resist, huh? I love the little spicy kick it gives! And yeah… A bit of mint as well – for that delightfully fresh and sharp minty “zip”!
Roasting Whole Eggplants on a Gas Stove – Messy Business!
I have vivid memories of my Mom roasting whole eggplants for making Baingan Bhartha. In Marathi, we call it Vaangyaachey Bharith – Vaang-yaa-chay (“ch” as in “cheese”) Bhur-ith (“Bhur” rhymes with “fur”, “ith” as in “pith”). She would place the whole eggplants on the grid surrounding the burner on the gas stove., keeping the flame low…. She then periodically turned them, to ensure even cooking from all sides. Soon…. The skin began to blacken, char and crack…. and then…. The juices would start to drip…
And Ohhh…. That’s when it would start getting super messy! These juices would fall directly on the flame below and burn, causing a splatter all over the base. Some of the splatter would fall into the “holes” in the burner, clogging them and stopping the gas from flowing through it smoothly. The normally blue flame would start looking orange because of the blackened and charred material getting burned in the flame. Some of the holes became fully clogged: with no gas flowing out from those clogged holes, the overall flame of the burner would quickly become uneven.
Ugghh! What a mess! After the meal was done, Mom would patiently clean out the stove. She typically also had to un-clog the burner “holes” by poking them with a sturdy pin. It often took her a good half-hour or even more to do all this….. Not at all my idea of fun!
No wonder she didn’t always indulge us when we clamored for her to make Vaangyaachey Bharith more often! When we were young, we couldn’t understand why…. but as we got older, we saw what the “after” involved…. and we stopped clamoring!
I kept thinking there had to be an easier way to roast eggplants… one where the “after” was not quite so tedious or laborious.
Roasting eggplant in the oven / BBQ Grill
It was only after I came to the US that I “found” my solution… and Gosh, it was so very simple! Just roast the eggplant in the oven! Duhh…
And… There was actually another easy solution too… Take it outside… and roast it on the BBQ Grill! Then the juices just drip on to the fire underneath… no mess at all on your stove-top inside the kitchen! But what if you didn’t have a BBQ Grill, though?
It’s so easy to roast an eggplant in the oven: just slice it in half, then place it, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking tray. Broil for 15-20 min till the skin looks a bit charred – pull out the rack so you can check more easily. The skin also becomes rather crisp – if you lightly tap it with a spatula, it will feel crusty. Decrease the heat and continue to roast for another 10 min or so. Remove the tray from the oven and cover with a heat safe lid, to let the hot eggplant “sweat”. As the steam from the hot eggplant condenses on the cover, the eggplant stays moist as it cools. After it cools, just scoop out the soft flesh from the charred skin… No “baby-sitting” while it cooks…. No mess to clean up later…… Woww!
Roasting Eggplant in the AirFryer
More recently, I have started using the AirFryer for roasting eggplants, especially if I’m roasting just one eggplant. It does seem rather wasteful to heat up a big oven to roast just one eggplant. The AirFryer is far more energy-efficient, and basically works the same way.
I just have to cut the eggplant into slightly smaller pieces to make them fit more easily in my Instant Pot AirFryer (6qt/6L). It takes a bit longer to cook, though, because my AirFryer only gets up to 400F/200C, rather than the 500F/260C that I can get in my oven.
So…. Perhaps you might wonder….Why didn’t people in India do the same thing? Well, there are multiple reasons….
First of all, the vast majority of kitchens in India do not even have ovens – Yes, even in this day and age! After all, most Indian food is traditionally made on the stove-top, so an oven is not really considered an “essential” appliance. Then there is the cost factor: ovens are major energy guzzlers and energy costs in India are rather steep! So…. Even the folks who do have ovens are often reluctant to use them unless absolutely necessary.
Roasting Eggplant on the stove-top – without making a mess?
So… What to do if you don’t have an oven or AirFryer, and don’t really want to roast the eggplant the way my Mom did? I really wanted to find a practical solution….
I started to think about all that happens during the icky-messy business of stove-top roasting: what creates the mess in the first place? It’s all from the eggplant juices, of course. The juices start to drip from the eggplant… Then begin to burn as they fall onto the open flame, causing splatter… And then the splatter continues to burn some more…!
Hmmmm…. Can we somehow prevent this “drip” that begins the whole messy domino effect? What if we removed the eggplant from the flame just as it started to drip? No drip, no mess… Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Not quite, though…. Would this be enough time to fully cook the inner flesh of the eggplant? Turns out, it is not! To fully cook the eggplant while roasting, one has to slow-roast it on a low flame. If you use a high flame, the eggplant quickly chars on the outside, but remains woefully un-cooked inside.
So then, must we just be resigned to simply deal with the mess left behind by the slow roasting?
“No-Mess”, 2-step Strategy for Roasting Eggplant on the stove-top
Well, what if we could devise a “No-Mess” strategy for roasting the eggplant on the stove-top? Clearly, it was important to char the eggplant skin – it infused the cooked eggplant with a subtle smoky flavor. But does the charring have to happen on the same time-scale as the cooking of the inner flesh? What if we could separate the two processes?
As I experimented with this approach, I did indeed find a pretty good “mess-free” solution. To put it very simply, I char the eggplant quickly on a high flame, then finish cooking it in the microwave or pressure cooker. Beautifully charred and fully-cooked: soft enough to mash with a fork! And best of all, no messy stove to clean-up afterwards!
I shared this idea with Mom and she was kind of skeptical at first….. She was pretty darned sure that her traditional “messy” method would somehow have superior texture and more smoky flavor. What can I say? Old habits…. She did eventually come around, though, if only for its extraordinary simplicity and practicality!
Soft pulp of roasted and skinned eggplant
Roast the eggplant, by whichever method that works for you, then remove the charred skin and collect the soft pulp. There… Now you’re ready to make Baba Ghanouj… or maybe some Baingan Bhartaa…. or whatever else you want to do with it…
Roasted Eggplant Pulp
After roasting, one has to collect the soft pulp. Eggplants roasted on the stove-top have blackened, charred skin. You have to peel this off – as you might imagine, this can get pretty messy too! I recommend keeping a bowl of cold water at hand. Dip your fingers in the water before you start peeling away the charred skin.
Some of the black stuff will stick to your fingers… Dip your fingers in the bowl of water to wash it off and continue peeling. Likewise, use wet fingers to wipe off any black stuff that is stuck on the surface of the eggplant. What next? Your peeled eggplant is now ready to be chopped and mashed.
How about collecting the pulp from oven-roasted eggplant? This step too, is much easier with oven-roasted eggplant than what is described above. Just use a spoon to gently scoop the soft flesh away from the skin. Scrape the skin just a little, to collect as much pulp as you can…. why waste it?
Mash the eggplant pulp
Regardless of your roasting method, you now have to mash the pulp. I like to chop it with a knife first, then mash the chopped pulp with a fork. Some folks run it though a food processor to make it smooth, but I prefer to fork-mash – I like the slightly uneven texture this gives to the Baba Ghanouj.
Once you’ve roasted the eggplant and mashed the pulp lightly with a fork, your major work is done….. Now you’re all ready to make Baba Ghanouj in a snap!
Do Ahead: Roast the eggplant and freeze the pulp!
So… maybe you’re wondering….. “Can I do all this ahead of time?” Short answer? YUP!! I do it all the time. I roast the eggplant whenever I’m not rushed for time. Or… If I happen to find some good-looking eggplants on sale…. Well, I have to get some then, don’t I? I roast the eggplant, more than one, usually, collect the pulp, mash it and then… Freeze!
This roasted eggplant pulp freezes beautifully! Perfect for advance prep when you’re planning a party and don’t want to be rushed on the day of the event.
I like to measure out 1 cup portions and freeze them separately. That way, I can take out just as much as I need, and the smaller 1 cup portions are so easy to thaw too! Also, I can then use one portion to make Baba Ghanouj, and another to make my beloved Baingan Bhartha!
Then, when the craving hits.. or its Party-Time……. Just pull out your stash, thaw in the microwave while you gather up the ingredients, and there… Your Baba Ghanouj will be ready in less than 10 min… 15 tops!
Whip up the Tahini with lemon juice & watch ‘magic’ happen!
So, before I mix everything together, I like to whip the Tahini with lemon juice… and love watching the magic that happens! When you mix the ‘liquid’ lemon juice to the thick and pasty Tahini, you think it might become sort of runny…. But guess what.. It doesn’t! Quite the opposite, in fact….. It actually becomes quite stiff…. how’s that for some fun little ‘magic’!
Then, when you whisk in some water, little by little, it does start becoming more runny, and soon makes a beautifully smooth, fluffy and creamy sauce. Of course, if you’d rather not have some fun watching nature do some lovely tricks, then sure…. Just throw everything together and be done with it!
There’s yet another reason to whip the Tahini first… it also impacts the texture of your final dish. Your Baba Ghanouj will likely be fluffier than if you simply throw everything together and give it a quick stir. If you’re making a large batch, you might want to use a food processor to whip up the Tahini – it will be a little easier on your wrist muscles!
Now add the roasted eggplant pulp, stir a bit, then add the remaining ingredients… a gentle stir… and Voila! Baba Ghanouj…. ready for you to enjoy!
Other Eggplant recipes… Middle-Eastern recipes….
Are you looking for interesting, easy to make, delicious and nutritious recipes? Eggplant dishes… Middle-Eastern dishes…
Here are some links to recipes you might want to check out …..
- Eggplant with Pomegranate Molasses – Roasted eggplant… Middle-Eastern style
- Eggplant Fritters – pan-fried, not deep-fried – Indian-style Pakodas
- Eggplant (Baingan) Sabji – Indian-style curry, with potatoes, tomatoes and onions
- Fast and Easy Hummus – the much-loved chickpea dip from the Middle-East
- Lentil Hummus – with almond flour to make it nutty
- Tabouli with Steel-Cut Oats – no cracked wheat, so it’s gluten-free!
Make them, share them … enjoy…. please also post a review and star rating.. Thanks a bunch!
Special Diets
This light and refreshing low calorie Baba Ghanouj recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. You can easily make a vegan version, by replacing the dairy sour cream with your preferred plant-based sour cream.
If you don’t have a plant-based sour cream easily available where you live, perhaps you might want to try one of the following options…. I hope one of these alternatives works for you and please do let me know how it turns out.
- Coconut/cashew cream stirred with a tiny bit of lemon/lime juice – of course, these would not be nut-free substitutes.
- Silken tofu mixed with lemon/lime juice and a bit of olive oil – this would not be soy-free
- Just omit the sour cream and use an extra 2 tsp of Tahini instead; do add the extra Tahini, and extra lemon juice as well, when you’re making the creamy Tahini sauce. Your dish will definitely have a stronger Tahini flavor, but will at least meet your dietary needs.
So… when you see some gorgeous looking eggplants in the store…. Bring some home and make yourself some creamy and delicious Baba Ghanouj! Have it with Pita… Have it on crackers.. any kind, but my favorite is the Swedish-style crispy Rye…. Dip some crunchy celery sticks in it… Use it as a creamy sandwich spread….. or…. Maybe just scoop some up and pop it into you mouth, all by itself! Yumm!
As always, a request… please post a review and star rating… (just scroll all the way down, past the recipe directions) … Many thanks!
Enjoy!
Baba Ghanouj – Creamy and Easy To Make
Equipment
- Oven / AirFryer / BBQ Grill preferred for roasting eggplant If not available, OK to use stove-top – see directions for "mess-free" stove-top roasting
- Wire-grid for stove-top roasting sturdy stainless steel cooling rack; or use Chapati/Papad-roasting grid
- Microwave oven – if using mess-free stove-top roasting method If not available, see Recipe Notes for alternate cooking method in pressure cooker or frying pan (non-stick coated or heavy bottom stainless steel)
- Microwave safe glass/ceramic bowl/plate for cooking the partially cooked eggplant after charring it on the stove-top
Ingredients
- 1 cup Roasted eggplant – fork-mashed – leave a little texture about 1 medium-large eggplant; see different methods for roasting – Oven/AirFryer or stove-top
- 1 1/2 tbsp Tahini – sesame butter if not available, check Recipe Notes for using Sesame seeds instead
- 1 tbsp Lime/Lemon juice – freshly squeezed preferred if not available, OK to use bottled juice; adjust to your taste preference regarding tartness
- 1-2 tbsp Water use as needed to adjust consistency
- 1/2 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1 tsp Garlic: finely grated/minced or pounded in a mortar and pestle (optional) 1-2 cloves; if not available, OK to use Garlic powder: about 1/8 tsp, add more if you like; OK to omit if you prefer to avoid garlic; also omit if using chilli garlic paste
- 1 tsp Fresh Red Chilli paste – store-bought or home-made optional Sambal Oelek, if available, is excellent; I've used home-made red chilli paste here; if using chilli-garlic paste, then omit adding fresh garlic
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper – freshly crushed preferred
- 1/2 tsp Dried Mint leaves – optional if using fresh mint – roughly hand-tear 8-10 leaves , save a few leaves for garnish
- 2 tbsp Sour Cream – optional for Vegan option – use your preferred plant-based Sour Cream
Instructions
Roast the eggplant: See following directions for using Oven, AirFryer or Stove-top
- Oven Method:Wash the eggplant, slice in half lengthwise. Place on parchment lined baking tray, cut side down. Use scissors to trim the parchment close to the eggplant – to minimize risk of paper catching fire while broiling!Adjust rack position in the oven for broiling – Place tray on the rack and broil on Hi (500F / 260C) for 10-12 min till skin starts to char. Note: the edges of the parchment paper will begin to blacken too. Lower the rack to the center of the oven and continue to broil for 10 min longer. Turn the oven off – leave the tray in the oven for 5 min.
- Flip one piece over to check browning on bottom. Poke with a knife in a few places to ensure it is cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Cover for 5-7 minutes to let it "sweat". This traps moisture and prevents the eggplant from drying out too much as it cools; it also makes it easier to scoop out the cooked pulp from the skins.
- Make several deep cuts – sideways – in the eggplant halves, but don't cut through the skin on the bottom. This cuts the fibers in the cooked flesh to a shorter length, so that the pulp doesn't look stringy. Then use a spoon to easily scoop out the soft-cooked pulp.
- Mash the pulp a bit – a fork works really well – to break up lumps, so that it mixes in more easily to give a creamy texture to the Baba Ghanouj.
- Air Fryer MethodThis is very similar to the oven method: you may need to cut the eggplant a little differently so that it fits in your AirFryer basket. I have cut mine into 3 pieces sideways. Use a parchment liner under the eggplant to prevent it from sticking to the roasting plate. Place the eggplant on the cut side (not on the skin side).AirFry at 400F for 10 min
- It will look lightly browned. Use tongs or sturdy spoon/spatula to flip the pieces over. AirFry at 400 for another 10 min.
- Check with a fork to see if it is cooked soft. If it is not soft-cooked, AirFry at 400 for another 5-6 min. Slice through the center of each piece, vertically through the flesh, and lay flat, skin side down.
- Make deep cuts in the flesh without cutting the skin, first in one direction then sideways – see picture.
- Scoop out the soft-cooked pulp. Mash with a fork before proceeding with the recipe.
- Stove-top- Microwave Method – "Mess-Free"Place a wire-grid on the stove-top burner. Cut the eggplant in half , lengthwise, then place it on the grid , cut side up. Start grilling it at high heat. The goal is to quickly char the eggplant, without cooking it too much – to prevent the mess created by juices dripping onto the burners. Use a sturdy pair of tongs to move the pieces around as they cook – about 2-3 min. They will start looking a bit burnt
- Flip them over to char the cut side on high heat – again, move them around a little – for 2-3 min.
- The cut side should look as shown in the picture. Flip again and continue to cook on high heat. the skin side until it starts to char and split a little – it will take 2-3 min
- Transfer to a plate, skin side up – see the charred and split skin in the picture.
- Keep a bowl of water nearby, and wet your fingers as you peel away the charred skin; the water will wash off any charred bits sticking to your fingers. Chop the partially cooked eggplant – it will still be firm and not very soft (although some parts might be soft). Finish cooking the pieces in the microwave: ( OR See Recipe Notes for alternate cooking methods and detailed directions)Place in a microwave-safe glass/ceramic plate/bowl, cover and cook in the microwave to finish softening the eggplant. Cook first on Hi for 1 min then at 40% power for 7-8 min. Check to see if the pieces are fully cooked and soft, otherwise continue to cook on 40% power for another 3-4 min (as needed)
- Mash the pieces with a fork to ensure they are fully cooked.
Make Baba Ghanouj
- Grate or finely mince 1-2 cloves of fresh peeled garlic.
- Place Tahini and lemon juice in a medium bowl; use a spoon/fork to whisk together, adding water as needed (1-2 tsp at a time) till mixture is creamy and fluffy.Note: I find it easier to do this with a spoon or fork than with a wire whisk; much easier to clean too!
- See the next few pics to get an idea of how the mixture looks as you whisk it
- It is actually quite interesting – almost like 'magic' – to watch how the mixture changes in appearance during this process – at first, rather surprisingly, it becomes quite stiff!
- Then, when you add a bit of water and continue to whisk, it starts to become softer and creamier.
- Creamy Tahini – it is now ready for you to add everything else.
- Add the chopped and lightly mashed eggplant to the creamed Tahini and mix gently.
- Add all the seasonings to the eggplant-tahini mixture: sour cream, fresh red chilli paste, black pepper, dried mint (or fresh mint leaves), garlic and salt. For vegan Baba Ghanouj, use your preferred plant-based sour cream
- Stir gently to mix- use a light hand so the creaminess is not lost. Taste test and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Top with a little olive oil, maybe some Sumac, red chilli powder or paprika…. and serve with warm pita. You can also use it as a sandwich spread for your favorite sandwich, or serve it alongside crackers, crudites, etc. This would be a great addition to your charcuterie board too!
- Enjoy!
Notes
No Microwave available?
Using the “No-Mess Stovetop Roasting” method, but don’t have a microwave? No worries..You can finish cooking the partially cooked eggplant by one of the following methods:- Pressure-cooker:
- Place partially cooked eggplant pieces in a small stainless steel bowl;
- Prepare the pressure cooker for pot-in-pot cooking /pressure steaming,
- Place a trivet/rack in the pressure cooker pot
- Add 1-2 cups water – the water should not come above the trivet
- Place the bowl on the trivet in the cooker
- Close the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 min at full pressure.
- Allow natural pressure release
- Remove the bowl from the cooker, mash the cooked pulp with a fork
- Continue with main recipe directions
- Frying pan on the stove-top:
- Use a non-stick coated or heavy-bottom stainless steel pan
- Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and bring to a boil
- Spread the partially cooked eggplant pieces over the water
- Do NOT stir!
- Cover and cook on hi for 30 seconds, then decrease heat to low, cook for 8-10 min.
- Remove cover after 3-4 min
- insert a small spatula under the eggplant to check for sticking /burning
- Splash 2-3 tbsp water, replace cover and continue to cook until eggplant is soft-cooked
- Mash with a fork
- Continue with main recipe directions
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No Tahini available? Use Sesame Seeds instead:
- Lightly roast 1 tbsp white sesame seeds (hulled) on a heated skillet for 1-2 min till he seeds start to pop. Do not over-roast – it will give a burnt taste to the dip. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely.
- Brown sesame seeds OK too; do not use black sesame seed
- In a small coffee/spice grinder, pulse-grind the roasted and cooled sesame seeds to a coarse powder.
- if the seeds are warm, they tend to release oil while grinding, which makes it become a bit sticky and everything sticks to the grinder jar.
- When this happens, add 1 -2 tbsp water, mix well with a spoon and continue to grind till you get a fluffy paste. Transfer to the bowl in which you’re going make the dip.
- Stir in 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice till smooth.
- Now you can start following the main Recipe directions, using this thick sesame paste instead of the creamy Tahini
Storing Leftover Baba Ghanouj
Store leftover Baba Ghanouj in lidded glass/ceramic container. I do not recommend storing in plastic containers. In Refrigerator: Use within 2-3 days.- Top with fresh olive oil and other garnish
- Be aware that freezing will affect the texture of the dip – it will not be quite as fluffy (as before) when you thaw the frozen Baba Ghanouj.
- Do let it thaw completely before serving –
- Do not try to speed up the thawing by putting it in the microwave on defrost power !
- Mix well before serving
- Top with fresh olive oil and other garnish before serving
Wowww amazing at the details you give and the various methods. Amazed at your patience and infusing your special flavours. Liked the idea of mint and chilli paste ….
Even the storing, freezing part .
I use a iron tawa, apply a drop of oil all over the Brinjal and cook it dry turning it over until it cooks and diminishes. Then for a final char-touch, I put it on the gas stove …
Thanks, Usha for your kind comments and star rating. Yes, I’m familiar with the method of roasting the eggplant on an Iron Tava. Not everyone even has an iron tava these days, though
Also, the Tava gets burned from some of the juices that ooze out while cooking. Somebody has to clean that! I must say, I don’t enjoy that part at all! So I try to find ways to do this that will not create the extra “after” work and also minimize my “baby-sitting” while the eggplant cooks ! 🙂
Hands down my favorite recipe!
Thank you, Pratibha. Its one of my favorites too! 🙂
Great minds 😃
Thanks for the 5-star rating, Pratibha! 😃
Thanks for so many options for roasting the brinjals.
Looks simple and delicious.
I’ll make this soon
Thanks, Meghana. Hope you like it!
I love your explanation with stories behind each recipe. I broiled the eggplant in toaster oven and it came out perfect.
Thank you.
Thank you, Swarna! I’m so glad it worked out well for you. Thanks for your kind comments and the star rating as well! Hope you try some other recipes too!.