My new title should be “Queen of the nondescript looking beige dips”. But guys, this Baba Ghanoush is SO, SO good. A little garlicky, a little lemony, and after all what else are you going to do with all of the eggplants that have come in your CSA this summer? (no really, what ARE you going to do? I need ideas. Stat.)
Jump to Recipe
I was surprised when so many people picked eggplant as their least favorite vegetable. Really? I bet I can change your mind. I’ve been getting bunches in my CSA and I’ve been so excited about them!
I was eating this the other night at work (with some raw veggies) and everyone kept asking me what it was. When I said “Baba Ghanoush” that didn’t seem to clear things up. So for everybody out there…Baba Ghanoush is a Lebanese eggplant dip (also spelled Baba Ganoush or Baba Ghanouj). Some people call it hummus’ creamier cousin. But many Whole30-ers aren’t currently eating chickpeas, so maybe they’ll like this better (I know I’ll be eating it on repeat when I start my next Whole30 in January!).
The other beauty of this dip? It’s so EASY! I throw an eggplant on the grill while grilling dinner and after 20 minutes or so it’s a little charred, a little smoky, and ready for using. Mix it with a little garlic, a little lemon, a little tahini, and you have yourself the perfect dip. (you can also roast your eggplant if you’d rather). Serve with fresh raw veggies (I particularly like peapods and watermelon radishes) or pita chips and you’ve got yourself the perfect snack.
On to the recipe:
Baba Ghanoush
This grilled eggplant dip is perfect for cut veggies or pita chips! A little garlicky, a little lemony, perfectly smooth.
Ingredients
- 1 cup grilled eggplant (1 large eggplant)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons Tahini
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- parsley, cilantro, dill or sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
-
Heat grill to 400°F.
-
Place whole eggplant on grill, close cover, and grill for 15-20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.
-
Remove from grill (eggplant should be charred on the outside and very soft).
-
Allow eggplant to cool.
-
Remove the insides of the eggplant from the skin and put in a glass measuring cup (discard skin). (Short of a full cup? Have more than a full cup? No worries, just scale other ingredients appropriately)
-
In the bowl of food processor, pulse garlic until minced. Add warm eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, and salt. Process until smooth. Taste and add additional lemon, tahini, or salt to taste.
-
Garnish with parsley, cilantro, dill, or sesame seeds.
-
Serve with raw vegetables or pita chips.
Recipe Notes
I have also made this using roasted eggplant. Instead of using the grill, roast your eggplant in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. You miss out on a little of the smoky flavor, but the dip is still delicious. And if roasting makes your life easier, who am I to judge?
[SOME OF THE LINKS IN THIS POST ARE AFFILIATE LINKS AND WE WILL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU MAKE A PURCHASE AFTER CLICKING ON OUR LINK. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR WORK HERE AT WITH TWO SPOONS!]
Here are a few tools that will help you make this grilled eggplant dip!
Cuisinart’s 14 cup Food Processor. Absolute workhorse. I use mine almost daily.
As an ER MD, I despise grill brushes with metal bristles. Although not super common, I’ve now seen several caught in people’s throats after they fell off of the brush and lodged in the food. This grill brush looks crazy and my husband thinks I’m nuts, but even he is happy using this brush (that does not have bristles!). Bonus, the set includes a grill tongs!
These 4 ounce Ball jars are perfect for taking small quantities of this grilled eggplant dip to work. Pair with a bag of cut raw veggies and you have the perfect healthy snack.
Looking for a different kind of dip? No problem, here are a few of our favorites.
The Only Dill Dip You’ll Ever Need
Check out what else we have going on here at With Two Spoons! Join us on Social Media @WithTwoSpoons and Subscribe to get all of the latest recipes right into your inbox!
[…] Baba Ghanoush– Did you get eggplant in your CSA (more about CSAs here!) and have no idea what to do with it? Griling it makes it smoky and delicious. Make this great dip perfect for dipping vegetables, pita chips, or spreading on grilled bread. […]