Baba ganoush — dip de berenjena ahumada
The smoky sibling of hummus: whole eggplants charred over an open flame until the flesh collapses and tastes of smoke, then mashed with tahini, lemon, garlic and good olive oil. Silky, smoky and tangy, it's a mezze cornerstone scooped up with warm pita. The whole dish lives or dies on properly charring the eggplant.
Char whole eggplants directly over a gas flame or under a hot grill, turning, until the skin is blackened all over and the flesh is completely soft and smoky. Cool, then scoop out the flesh and drain off the bitter liquid. Mash (don't purée smooth) with tahini, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt, then stir in olive oil. Spread on a plate, pool with more olive oil, and finish with parsley, sumac and pomegranate. Scoop with warm pita.
- Char the eggplant over a live flame until the skin is fully blackened — that smoke is the whole point.
- Drain the cooked flesh well so the dip isn't watery.
- Mash rather than blitz to a paste — baba ganoush should have some texture.
Equipment
- Gas flame or grill/broiler
- Colander or sieve
- Bowl and fork
Ingredientes
Dip
- 2 large eggplants (aubergines)
- 60 g tahini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1–2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp salt, to taste
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
To serve
- Chopped parsley, sumac
- Pomegranate seeds (optional)
- Warm pita or flatbread
Elaboración
- PASO01
Set the whole eggplants directly over a gas flame (or under a hot grill/broiler) and char, turning, until the skin is blackened all over and the flesh feels completely collapsed and soft, 15–20 minutes.
- PASO02
Let the eggplants cool enough to handle, then split and scoop out the soft flesh. Put it in a colander or sieve and let the bitter, smoky liquid drain off for a few minutes.
- PASO03
Put the drained flesh in a bowl and mash with a fork (don't purée to a smooth paste). Mix in the tahini, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt.
- PASO04
Stir in the olive oil and taste, adjusting lemon, garlic and salt until it's smoky, tangy and savoury.
- PASO05
Spread on a plate, swoosh the surface, and pool with more olive oil. Scatter with parsley, a dusting of sumac and pomegranate seeds. Serve with warm pita.
Make ahead
An ideal make-ahead mezze — it actually improves after a few hours as the flavours meld. Char and mash a day ahead, refrigerate, and finish with fresh oil, herbs and sumac when serving.
Storage
Keeps 4 days refrigerated, covered, with a film of olive oil on top. The flavour deepens; bring back to room temperature and re-drizzle with oil before serving. Not suitable for freezing (the texture turns watery).
Variations
Oven-roasted
No gas flame? Roast whole pricked eggplants at a high heat until collapsed — less smoky, so add a tiny pinch of smoked paprika.
Extra smoky / mutabal
The richer 'mutabal' adds more tahini (and sometimes yogurt) for a creamier dip.
With pomegranate molasses
Drizzle a little pomegranate molasses for a sweet-tart finish.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Preguntas frecuentes
How do I get baba ganoush smoky?
Char the whole eggplants directly over a live flame (a gas hob or grill) until the skin is completely blackened and the inside is collapsed and soft. That direct-flame charring is what gives baba ganoush its signature smoky flavour — oven-roasting is milder, so add a pinch of smoked paprika if you go that route.
Why is my baba ganoush watery?
The cooked eggplant flesh holds a lot of liquid. After scooping it out, let it drain in a sieve or colander for several minutes (some people press it gently) to remove the bitter, watery juices before mixing — this gives a thick, silky dip rather than a runny one.
What's the difference between baba ganoush and mutabal?
They're closely related smoky eggplant dips. Baba ganoush is the broad name; mutabal (common in the Levant) is typically richer and creamier, with more tahini and sometimes yogurt. Both start with charred eggplant, tahini, lemon and garlic.
How is it different from hummus?
Hummus is made from chickpeas; baba ganoush from smoky charred eggplant. Both use tahini, lemon and garlic and are served as mezze dips with pita, but baba ganoush is lighter, smokier and silkier, while hummus is denser and nuttier.
Should I blend it smooth?
Traditionally no — baba ganoush is mashed with a fork to keep some texture, which suits its rustic, smoky character. You can pulse it briefly for a smoother dip, but avoid puréeing it to a completely smooth paste, which makes it more like a creamy mutabal.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.