Naturally vegan and gluten free, baba ganoush is the perfect dip to serve as an appetizer with some pita bread and raw veggies.

Baba Ganoush

Summer is still going strong here in Chicago. Let’s take the best of it to enjoy the last seasonal fruits and veggies that Mother Earth has to offer in Summer, before switching to the pumpkin season (I love pumpkins but I am mentally not prepared for fall yet). Among my favorite summer veggies, there are zucchinis (you’ve got to try my chocolate chip zucchini bread – my new favorite this summer), and there are eggplants. I love eggplants, I have always have. Probably cause they absorb so much olive oil and it tastes soooo good!

But anyway, if you are curious about eggplant recipes, there are a few on the blog already, such as the easy eggplant & goat cheese stacks, the vegan eggplant shakshuka, and also the easy eggplant chickpea curry I just posted last week. All of these recipes are vegetarian, naturally gluten-free, and taste delicious. My husband (wow, is it the first time I write “husband” on the blog since we got married?… it feels so weird) was begging me to prepare a baba ganoush for quite a while, because he’s totally crazy about it. So as soon as I got the occasion, I took it!

Baba Ganoush

I knew it was easy to prepare but oh gosh, I didn’t know it was that easy! You need 3 ingredients only + some olive oil. That’s it (haha, I just wrote “that’s eat” in the first place!). Really, you have no excuse to buy a pre-made baba ganoush. Here I first sliced the eggplant into thin slices, placed them onto a baking tray covered with parchment paper, and drizzled some olive oil. Another option would be to cut the eggplant in two, lengthwise, make some cuts in the flesh using a knife and roast it in the oven. It will take a little bit longer time to cook, maybe 15 minutes or so. Just be careful not to burn the surface and make sure the flesh is tender inside. In the end, this method makes it easier to remove the flesh that you can simply spoon, leaving the skin out. I prefer the first method, but it’s just a matter of personal choice and time.

Sorry, I need a little break now. It’s almost time for dinner here, and talking about baba ganoush makes me hungry. So let me just grab the bowl and some crackers. After all, there is no better way to talk about a dish than eating it at the same time, right?

Baba Ganoush

And, I’m back! I enjoyed it with my favorite Swedish multi-seed crispbread “knäckebröd” that I baked the other day again. Just delicious. Oh, and I’m gone again, let me take some more. It seems I will never finish to write the recipe, it’s too good to even take the time to share it. Ok, back again, now focus. Where were we again? Oh yes, the crispbreads. It’s actually quite unusual to eat baba ganoush, which is a Mediterranean dish, with Swedish crispbread. But eh, I love fusion, and the two go hands in hands together.

Traditionally, you would rather serve your baba ganoush with some raw veggies or pita bread to dip into it. I also like to prepare some homemade pita chips, that are a little crispy. It doesn’t take long to prepare and it gives a nice contrast in texture. I shared the pita chips recipe together with my roasted cauliflower hummus, so just grab the recipe if you want to prepare some. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m starving and can’t wait to try my baba ganoush again. But before that, I leave you with the recipe of course. Enjoy!

Baba Ganoush

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Baba Ganoush

  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 1 small bowl 1x
  • Category: Appetizers
  • Cuisine: Around the world

Naturally vegan and gluten free, baba ganoush is the perfect dip to serve as an appetizer with some pita bread and raw veggies.

Ingredients

Scale

For the baba ganoush:

  • 1 medium/large eggplant
  • Olive oil
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 lemon (juice)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons tahini
  • Black pepper

For serving:

  • Olive oil
  • Pine nuts (optional)
  • Pita bread/pita chips*

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to high broil, and place the rack almost on top. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  2. Thinly slice the eggplant. Sprinkle with salt and place in a colander to drain any excess liquid. Rinse, and pat dry.
  3. Arrange eggplant slices onto the baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle sea salt on top.
  4. Roast for about 5-10 minutes, turning once or twice, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown.
  5. Remove from the oven, and wrap eggplant slices in foil to lock in moisture.
  6. After 5 minutes, peel away most of the skin of the eggplant (a little is OK) and add flesh to a food processor. It should be soft and tender and the skin should come off easy.
  7. Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and mix until creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Transfer into a bowl, drizzle some olive oil and add some toasted pine nuts on top. Serve with pita bread/chips and raw veggies.

Notes

* You can find my recipe of pita chips here: http://www.delscookingtwist.com/2017/01/24/roasted-cauliflower-hummus-and-pita-chips/

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Baba Ganoush, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!

Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush