The Best Baba Ganoush Recipe: A Chef Shares Her Savory Recipe for Creamy Delicious Buttered Eggplant Dip Snacks Appetizers

Baba ganoush is a delicious appetizer or side dish of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origin made with aubergines (eggplant), tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, pine nuts and plenty of garlic. There are so many ways to prepare aubergine, but my favorite is this smokey, rich and creamy eggplant dip hailing from areas of Mesopotamia. Serve with flatbread and a variety of freshly cut raw vegetables. Also delicious on roasted meats.

Cuisine: Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 large aubergines, slashed with a sharp knife length-ways 4 to 5 times, washed and dried
• 2 - 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and cleaned
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• juice of 1/2 a lemon (or more to your taste)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces unsalted butter (or vegan substitute)
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced chives
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, for garnish

Here’s how you make it:

1. Lightly oil the aubergines. Place them on a hot, well-oiled grill. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, turning often until well charred and completely soft. Cool, split them open length-ways and scrape the fleshy meat into a bowl.
2. Place aubergine flesh in a food processor with garlic, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Pulse. Season with sea salt, to taste.
3. Place butter in a small pan and bring to a very low simmer. Use a spoon to discard any white milky fat solids that rise to the top.
4. Place the eggplant mixture in a shallow bowl and run the back of a spoon over the top in a spiral or a zig-zag formation (like frosting a cake).
5. Pour the warmed clarified butter on top, taking care to leave white solids behind in the pan.
6. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, chopped chives and dust with smoked paprika.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily. Inspire and be inspired.