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Fresh Falafel, Pita, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, and More!
Recipe
1 hr 15 min

Baba Ghanoush

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Baba Ghanoush
Author: Matthew Fairman

Recipe By Matthew Fairman

Published on August 11, 2024

This creamy, smoky roasted eggplant dip is easy to make and infinitely customizable.

Time

1 hr 15 min

Yield

Serves 6

Why This Recipe Works

Baba ghanoush—which originated in Lebanon and has become increasingly well-known worldwide—is a deeply flavored dip made from fire-roasted eggplant enriched with tahini and seasoned with lemon and garlic. The bedrock technique for baba ghanoush is cooking the eggplant over an open flame until the skin is charred (it gets discarded) and the interior is meltingly tender. For our version, we pierced the eggplant skins to encourage moisture to evaporate and to prevent them from bursting open. Then, we placed them either under the broiler or on the grill. After about 30 minutes, the eggplants were fully tender and smoky. To temper the pungency of the raw garlic, we combined it with the lemon juice and salt and let it sit while the eggplants cooled. Whisking a generous amount of tahini (along with olive oil) into the eggplant ensured that the dip was rich and creamy. To account for the eggplants' variable size and water content, we seasoned the dip to taste with additional lemon juice and salt before serving.

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) eggplants
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced to paste
1 teaspoon table salt
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Poke each eggplant about 6 times with paring knife.
  2. FOR THE OVEN: Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-high.
  3. Place eggplants on prepared sheet (or directly on cooking grate) and broil (or grill, covered) for 20 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and flip eggplants (or flip eggplants on grill). Return sheet to oven and broil (or grill, covered) for 10 minutes. (Skin should be charred and have aroma of burning leaves.) Transfer eggplants to plate and let cool completely, about 30minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt in medium bowl and let sit while eggplants cool.
  5. Working with 1 eggplant at a time, split lengthwise on 1 side through skin and peel back skin to expose flesh. Using spoon, scoop out eggplant flesh; discard eggplant skin. Chop eggplant flesh fine with chef's knife and transfer to bowl with lemon juice mixture.
  6. Add tahini and 2 tablespoons oil to eggplant mixture and whisk to combine. Let baba ghanoush sit for 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend, stirring occasionally. Season with extra lemon juice and salt to taste. Spread baba ghanoush in shallow bowl and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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Baba Ghanoush

Recipe By Matthew Fairman

Published on August 11, 2024

Time

1 hr 15 min

Yield

Serves 6

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients

2 (12-ounce) eggplants1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced to paste1 teaspoon table salt¼ cup tahini¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Poke each eggplant about 6 times with paring knife.
  2. FOR THE OVEN: Adjust oven rack 8 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-high.
  3. Place eggplants on prepared sheet (or directly on cooking grate) and broil (or grill, covered) for 20 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and flip eggplants (or flip eggplants on grill). Return sheet to oven and broil (or grill, covered) for 10 minutes. (Skin should be charred and have aroma of burning leaves.) Transfer eggplants to plate and let cool completely, about 30minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, garlic, and salt in medium bowl and let sit while eggplants cool.
  5. Working with 1 eggplant at a time, split lengthwise on 1 side through skin and peel back skin to expose flesh. Using spoon, scoop out eggplant flesh; discard eggplant skin. Chop eggplant flesh fine with chef's knife and transfer to bowl with lemon juice mixture.
  6. Add tahini and 2 tablespoons oil to eggplant mixture and whisk to combine. Let baba ghanoush sit for 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend, stirring occasionally. Season with extra lemon juice and salt to taste. Spread baba ghanoush in shallow bowl and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
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