Baba Ganoush ♥ (Recipe for Middle Eastern Eggplant Spread) (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for baba ganoush? ›

Baba ganoush is a Mediterranean eggplant dip made from roasted or grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Like hummus, it's delicious with pita or fresh veggies, but its silky texture and irresistible smoky flavor set it apart.

Yogurt in place of tahini

This recipe uses yogurt instead of tahini, which adds creamy texture to the dip. To make this baba ganoush vegan-friendly, I'll use an unflavored yogurt such as soy or coconut. However, you could use something like Greek Yogurt or another alternative in it's place.

Classic baba ganoush is made by roasting eggplants until soft, scooping out the insides, and mashing with tahini, garlic, and spices. Served with pita or cracker, this eggplant dip is a great snack or party appetizer. Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019.

Homemade baba ganoush can be stored in the fridge in a tight-lid container for about 4 days or so (some say up to a week, but mine never lasts that long).

Baba Ghanoush may taste bitter due to factors like the choice of eggplant, insufficient roasting, or the use of too much garlic, lemon juice, or low-quality tahini.

In Arabic baba means father and ghanoush means spoiled. This Spoiled dad dip is the creamier companion to hummus. Popular in Arab countries throughout the Middle East, it is also a common appetizer on the Sephardic Jewish table.

For the creamiest result, add the oil slowly in a thin stream as it blends instead of just adding it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. If your Baba Ganoush tastes bitter, add a half teaspoon of baking soda at a time and blend well (tasting in between) to remove bitterness from the dish.

3) Health – Both dishes are very healthy, but baba ganoush has a slight edge here with more vitamins from the eggplant and a lower calorie count. 4) Big meal to come – Get baba ganoush, it's less filling than hummus.

If you prefer chickpeas over eggplants, then hummus it is. If eggplants taste better for you, then baba ganoush. Nonetheless, there is actually no need to choose between the two. If you don't have a specific preference, it is okay if you choose both—both can go well with pita bread after all.

baba ghanoush

The Arabic term for the dish means “pampered daddy,” the person in question being, legend has it, a sultan spoiled with a concoction invented by a member of his harem.

What culture eats Baba Ganoush? ›

Baba Ghanoush is eaten in many Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, Lebanon and extending as far as the territorial reach of the Ottoman empire. But Baba Ghanoush also is big in Brazil and West India. Romanians and Greeks also consume the appetizer.

Undercooked eggplant is often bitter, especially if you're using a thick-skinned globe eggplant commonly found at most grocery stores. Peel the skin or taste and cook the eggplant for a little longer if that's the case.

I like to serve my baba ganoush with sturdy raw veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber rounds and bell pepper sticks. Toasted pita wedges or pita chips are great, too. For a full Mediterranean spread, serve this baba ganoush with herbed hummus or tahini sauce and fresh salads.

Yes, baba ganoush is healthy. The main ingredient is eggplant, which is low in calories and carbohydrates and high in fiber. It's also a good source of vitamins and minerals like potassium and vitamin K. It's also lower in calories than hummus since it's mostly made of eggplant versus chickpeas.

Baba Ghanoush is delicious. Made with eggplant that's been fire roasted (either on a hot grill or under a broiler) to the point of shriveling, it can be served as a side dish. Typically, though, it's a cold or room temperature spread, served with pita bread or crostini or crusty French bread… or a spoon.

One main difference between baba ganoush and hummus is baba ganoush's main ingredient, which is eggplant. In hummus, chickpeas are the primary ingredient. Although the difference seems simple, it makes a huge difference in the taste. Baba ganoush has an earthy taste while hummus has a more nutty tone.