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Delicious, creamy, 30-minute Baba Ganoush recipe with an authentic smoky flavor. Two ways to make it: with or without a food processor!
Baba Ganoush is probably my second #1 favorite appetizer after hummus. It’s creamy, delicious, and a little bit smoky.
The ingredients of Baba Ganoush (or I like to call it Baba for short 😊) are essentially the same as in hummus except that we substitute chickpeas for eggplant.
How to Roast the Eggplant
Now, the most authentic way to roast the eggplant for Baba Ganoush is on a charcoal grill. Charcoal gives the eggplant the signature smoky flavor. But…if live in an apartment or simply don’t want to use a charcoal grill, what do you do?
Roast the eggplant in the oven! It’s seriously the easiest way to make the eggplant for this recipe. I tried the stovetop method and broiling to test but roasting is still the quickest, healthiest way that tastes superb.
Tip: To enhance the flavor of our Baba, we will also roast garlic along with eggplants.
After roasting the eggplant, let it cool for a few minutes. Then scoop out the middle flesh with a large spoon. This is GOLD!
No Food Processor, No Problem!
If you don’t own a food processor or a high-speed blender, you can still make this amazing recipe! Here’s what you need to do:
- Mash the eggplant flesh with roasted garlic with a fork. It will be easy to do since everything is cooked.
- In a separate bowl, whisk tahini and lemon juice until combined well. You don’t want any lumps in your tahini. If you’re working with cold tahini, microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften it a bit.
- Add tahini-lemon mixture to mashed eggplant and garlic. Add sea salt, chopped celery, and liquid smoke. Stir well.
- Enjoy!
How to Get the Smoky Flavor
In my opinion, Baba Ganoush must be smoky to be Baba Ganoush. That’s what makes it so unique.
To get that signature smoky flavor, I’ve decided to use liquid smoke. You only need 1/4 of a teaspoon, a little bit goes a long way.
You can find liquid smoke in many supermarkets in the U.S., you don’t need to go to specialty markets for this. If you live in Europe or Australia, you can find it on amazon. In Asia, liquid smoke is often referred to as “wood vinegar”.
If you can’t find liquid smoke near where you live or online, don’t worry! Here are some substitutes you can use:
- Smoked paprika
- Chipotle powder
- Ground smoked tea such as Russian Caravan
Ways to Enjoy Baba Ganoush
- Scoop with pita chips
- Spread on sourdough bread (yum!)
- With pita wedges
- With carrot and celery sticks
- With cucumber rounds and bell pepper strips
- In place of mayonnaise in a sandwich
- In a salad
- With falafels
Delicious, creamy,
30-minute Baba Ganoush recipe with an authentic smoky flavor. Two ways to make it: with or without a food processor!
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
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Preheat oven to 425 F / 220 C.
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Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush each side with olive oil, sprinkle generously with sea salt and a little pepper. Place on a baking sheet. Wrap garlic cloves in aluminum foil and add a teaspoon of olive oil. Place on the same baking sheet as eggplants. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn eggplants halfway through at 10-minute mark.
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Let eggplants and garlic cool for 3-5 minutes until they are not too hot to handle. Then using a large spoon scoop out the middle flesh of the eggplant.
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In a food processor, combine eggplant flesh, garlic cloves, cilantro, tahini, lemon juice, sea salt, and liquid smoke. Blend until everything is well combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste and add more salt if necessary. If you’d like a stronger smoky flavor, add another 1/4 tsp of liquid smoke and blend.
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If you don’t have a food processor, use this method instead: Mash the eggplant flesh with roasted garlic with a fork. It will be easy to do since everything is cooked. In a separate bowl, whisk tahini and lemon juice until combined well. You don’t want any lumps in your tahini. If you’re working with cold tahini, microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften it a bit. Add tahini-lemon mixture to mashed eggplant and garlic. Add sea salt, chopped celery, and liquid smoke. Stir well.
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Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information (per 1 tbsp): Calories: 46 Fat: 3.8 g Saturated fat: 0.5 g Carbohydrates: 3 g Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g Sugar: 1.2 g Sodium: 160 mg Protein: 0.8 g
My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!
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