Baba Ganoush is a blended salad of cooked eggplant enhanced with garlic, sesame paste or mayonnaise, and lemon juice. It’s a delicious spread on bread, and is a staple on Israeli tables.
Chef Laura’s note on eggplant: Once the eggplant has roasted, scoop the flesh into a colander and allow liquid to drain out for at least an hour or up to 1 day. The liquid is bitter and dark and waters down the baba, so best not to skip this step. Can keep this in the fridge for a day or two.
How To Choose and Cook Eggplant
Baba Ganoush
Servings
6 Servings
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants roasted and flesh scooped and drained
- ½ cup tahini or mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil such as Colavita extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Garnishes: evoo sea salt
Instructions
- Mash together eggplant, tahini (or mayo), evoo, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. (I actually like mine a little chunky.) Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. Garnish with a drizzle of evoo and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Note-This recipe was updated in 2017, this is the original recipe:
- Wrap a large eggplant completely in foil. Place on the floor of a 375 ̊F oven for forty minutes. Scoop out the meat of the eggplant and place in food processor or blender with 6 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tahini sesame paste or mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Pulse until smooth. Top with paprika (optional)
Your ingredient list says 3 cloves of garlic but the directions mention 6. Can you clarify?
You can but it sometimes gives a bitter taste
I left the skin on last time I made it, darker in color, it tasted great. Any reason I shouldn’t peel it?