Eggplant Hummus (Baba Ganoush)
Eggplant is one of the few vegetables that I remember my dad eating as a kid. That, and parsnips. I’ve never really been fascinated by the taste of eggplant but then again, I never tried it roasted or in a dip. Roasted eggplant is a completely different experience as it brings out a little smoky sweetness giving a dip, like this eggplant hummus, amazing flavor. You can also use smoked salt in this dip for a little extra smokiness. Eggplant hummus is just like a traditional hummus recipe but with eggplant used instead of the chickpeas! The taste and texture ends up being very similar to traditional hummus but with more veggie value.
The first time I had eggplant hummus was in a Lebanese deli paired with pita bread. It was pretty fantastic! I actually didn’t know it was eggplant at first because it’s also knows as baba ganoush, which is what it was called on the menu. Baba ganoush (or eggplant hummus) starts by roasting the eggplant until it is completely soft. I roasted mine on the grill at medium heat but a broiler or plain oven roasting will also do the trick. I like the slight smokiness that the grill imparted into the dip. Then you simply scoop out the soft eggplant and put it into a blender or food processor with tahini, lemon, cumin and garlic and you have a dip that’s aimed to please. Serve this vegetarian dip with additional veggie dippers or pita bread! This can also be topped with a few tablespoons of chopped kalamata olives.
- 1 large eggplant, whole roasted
- 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked salt or pink himlayan salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley, as garnish
- drizzle of olive oil, as garnish
- sprinkle of smoked paprika, as garnish
- 2 tablespoon chopped kalamata olives, optional, as garnish (omit for low sodium)
- Prick the eggplant multiple times with a fork and then roast the eggplant whole either on the grill at medium heat or in the oven at 400 degrees until it feels quite soft and skin is blackened.
- Let cool until cool enough to handle.
- Once eggplant is cooled, cut in half and scoop out all of the flesh. Discard the stem and skin.
- Place eggplant with all other ingredients except garnishes into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
- Top with a drizzle of olive oil, paprika, parsley and kalamatas as desired.
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