Creamy Baba Ghanoush – with a great hack!

I’m a late joiner to the “I ❤ eggplant”  club. Having grown up with a French mother, I was no stranger to vegetables of all types, including Brussels sprouts and cauliflower hearts, but eggplant was never on the menu. That all changed when I sampled a friend’s baba ghanoush dip. This smoky spread, creamy and light with a mild citrus tang, is the perfect accompaniment when eaten with fresh challah, warm pita bread or crunchy crudités. Preparing this dip does require a few steps, but never fear, I have an amazing hack that will allow you to make this luxurious, savory spread, in five minutes flat.

Creamy Baba Ghanoush

Grilling the eggplant over a gas fire or barbecue produces the compelling smoky flavor in baba ghanoush. After grilling, I bake the eggplant in the oven for another 30-45 minutes and then allow the eggplant to drain to remove any bitter juices from the flesh. Scraping the flesh from the charred skin produces about 1 1/2 cups of eggplant, just enough for a single recipe of this creamy dip.
However, there is an easier way to go about this process. On a whim, I recently purchased a jar of fire-roasted grilled eggplant at my local supermarket. With the addition of a little freshly grated garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice and a few tablespoons of mayonnaise, I’m able to enjoy this appetizer spread with almost no advance preparation. This recipe for baba ghanoush is adapted from the recipe in Adina Sussman’s wonderful book of Israeli cuisine, Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen.

If you are preparing the baba ghanoush conventionally, preheat the oven to 375 F. Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the grate over the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler.) Place the eggplants on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Place the eggplants in a colander to allow the liquid to drain away. This should take about one hour. If you are really pressed for time, you can also place the eggplants in a salad spinner to remove the liquid. Scoop the flesh of the eggplant from the charred skin. You should get about 1 1/2 cups of eggplant flesh.

Should you choose not to go this route and use prepared flame-roasted grilled eggplant, begin here. 

Assemble your ingredients. Conventional baba ghanoush is made with tahini. Baba mayo is lighter and creamier than traditional baba ghanoush and has its own share of devotees, myself included. Mash together eggplant, olive oil, grated or minced garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice, until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Chill for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Serve with pita bread, crackers, challah, or cut up vegetables.

Print Recipe

Baba Ganoush

Vegetables and Sides

By Adina Sussman, Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 3 minutes – Cooking Time: 60 minutes – Total Time: 63 minutes

Baba ghanoush, a smoky spread, that is creamy and light with a mild citrus tang.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, charred, baked, drained and cooled OR 1 1/2 cups prepared flame-roasted grilled eggplant (I used Galil brand)
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (low-fat is fine)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, finely minced or grated with a microplane grater
• 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

If using fresh eggplant...

1

Preheat the oven to 375 F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover the stovetop with a sheet of aluminum foil around the base of the element of your gas stove to save time cleaning up.

2

Turn the element of the gas burner on high. Prick the eggplants with a fork and place them on the grate above the gas burner, turning the eggplants with tongs every few minutes, so that they char evenly . If you have an electric stove or don't feel like cleaning your stovetop, char broil the eggplants under the broiler. Turn the eggplants to char evenly. When the eggplants are charred, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

3

Bake the eggplants at 375 F. for 30-45 minutes until they are completely soft and can be pierced easily with a knife. Place the baked eggplants in a colander and allow the liquid in the eggplants to drain. This should take about an hour. Scoop the flesh of the eggplant from the charred skin and chop finely. (It really mashes easily with a fork.)

If using prepared flame-roasted grilled eggplant, you can join the fun here...

4

In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the prepared eggplant. Season with more salt if desired. Allow the baba ghanoush to chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Notes

For classic baba ghanoush: 2 medium eggplants, 3 tablespoons pure tahini paste, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 clove garlic, grated or minced finely, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Prepare as outlined above.