Lebanese Baba Gannouj (baba ganoush) is a simple eggplant dip made of just a few ingredients. The eggplant is charred to get the authentic flavor of baba gannouj.

Baba means father in Arabic (and I loved calling my dad that)—so just for that reference to Dad-love alone do I adore my baba gannouj, not to mention the truly fabulous flavor of roasted smokey eggplant mashed up with tahini and lemon and garlic.

What is Lebanese Baba Gannouj?

Think of baba gannouj as very similar to hummus. The difference: hummus is made with chickpeas, baba gannouj with eggplant. That foundational ingredient (chickpeas or here, eggplant) is mixed with garlic, lemon, tahini and salt to make a luscious dip or foundation for toppings. That’s it!

The eggplant in baba gannouj is char-roasted, peeled, deseeded, and then mashed.

Baba Gannouj is an integral plate in the mezze (small plates) of Lebanese cuisine. Silky, smokey eggplant pairs beautifully with the very few yet flavor-packed ingredients in this recipe. Like hummus, this dip is so good to scoop up with a pita chip, cracker, or veggie.

Ingredients for Baba Gannouj

The beauty of this recipe is that it achieves so much flavor with so few ingredients and a simple method. Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Globe eggplant. These are the larger, deep purple eggplant. When you squeeze your eggplant at the market, there should be little to no give. Look for unblemished, shiny skin.
• Tahini. Stir tahini well before you use it, as it can separate during storage. We want to avoid a spoonful of oil and make sure we have thick, luscious, emulsified tahini paste.
• Garlic. Adjust to your taste—I use a big clove. Rather than mince it with a knife, I grate the garlic with a microplane grater. Very fast and easy. Fresh garlic will tastes so much better than jarred prepared minced garlic.
• Fresh lemon juice. Fresh is best!
• Salt.
• Extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle the EVOO over top to finish the baba gannouj. There’s no oil in stirred into the dip itself, keeping it light.
• Finishing touches. I love to sprinkle pomegranate seeds or fresh herbs on baba gannouj, which alone does not offer a whole lot of color on the plate! Though these are optional, pomegranate seeds impart a gorgeous color atop baba gannouj, along with that pop of sweet-tart flavor that is excellent with the smokey eggplant.

How to make Lebanese Baba Gannouj in 3 Simple Steps

Step 1: Char the eggplant by poking a few holes in them with a knife or skewer (so the skin won’t burst). Cook them on a hot grill, over a low flame on a gas burner, or under the broiler. If you’re broiling the eggplant, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet a few inches under the broiler. Whatever the heat source, turn the eggplants over halfway through cooking (use tongs) to char them evenly. When the skin is blistered and the eggplant is very soft, remove them from the heat. Under a medium-heat broiler, this takes about 30 minutes.

Step 2: When the eggplant are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off with your fingers and cut away the stem end. Open the eggplant and pull out the lines of seeds, which loosen easily, and discard them.

Step 3: Chop or mash the eggplant. In a bowl, combine the eggplant with the tahini, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then spoon the baba gannouj onto a plate or bowl. Make some swirls in the top of the dip with the back of the spoon, and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, and serve with pita chips, crackers, and vegetables.

Tips for making excellent Baba Gannouj

Making baba gannouj isn’t too tricky, but here are a couple of tips:

Make your baba gannouj by hand! You may be tempted to use a blender or processor for baba gannouj, but mashing or crushing by hand with a spoon yields the texture we’re looking for here. We end up with little pieces of eggplant in the finished dish rather than a smooth puree.

There are just a few ingredients in baba gannouj, so use the best of everything. This is the time to grab your better olive oil (“finishing oil”), and to use fresh garlic, lemon juice, and eggplant.

How to serve Baba Gannouj

Baba gannouj is so dippable! Crudité and good pita chips are winners. It’s also very good as a foundation for toppings, eaten like a bowl-style meal with sauteed vegetables, chicken, lamb, or a little salad with chickpeas on top.

How to store baba gannouj

The best way to store baba gannouj is in the fridge. Place the dip into an airtight container and seal the container well. Baba gannouj will keep this way for up to four days. Allow it to sit on the counter for fifteen minutes or so before serving to bring it up to room temperature. Stir well before serving and add a little lemon juice if needed, to loosen.

More recipes like this

• Muhammara – roasted red pepper and walnut dip
• Hummus, or hummus kwarma (with spiced lamb on top)
• Labneh Green Goddess