Name: Baba Ganoush
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: About 3 cups
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 4 pounds eggplant (about 5 medium Italian); ¼ cup lemon juice; 2 cloves garlic, minced (see note); ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons tahini paste; 1½ teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving; Chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving; Toasted pita bread, pita chips and/or crudités, for serving

Baba Ganoush

Take your appetizer game up a notch with the rich, smoky goodness of baba ganoush—a creamy Middle Eastern eggplant dip that’s perfect for scooping, spreading, and enjoying with all your favorite mezze.

Servings: About 3 cups

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

4 pounds eggplant (about 5 medium Italian)
¼ cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced (see note)
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons tahini paste
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving
Toasted pita bread, pita chips and/or crudités, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 500°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a fork, prick each eggplant all over (spacing the pricks about 1½ inches apart) to prevent them from bursting in the oven. Arrange the eggplant on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until very soft and wrinkled, turning every 15 minutes or so, 45 to 60 minutes. Let the eggplant cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
Cut off the stem ends of the eggplants and then slit them open lengthwise, like a baked potato. Using a soup spoon, scoop out the soft flesh and transfer to a fine sieve set in the sink or a large bowl. Once all of the flesh is in the sieve, pick out any stray bits of skin and discard. Using the back of a soup spoon, press out as much liquid as possible (there will be a lot!).
Transfer the strained eggplant flesh to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, and oil; process until the mixture has a coarse, choppy texture, five to ten 1-second pulses. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Let the dip sit out at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. To serve, use a spoon to make a swirl through the center of the dip and drizzle olive oil into it; sprinkle with parsley and smoked paprika and serve with toasted pita bread, pita chips, and/or crudités.
Note: It's important to mince the garlic before adding to the food processor because the mixture only gets a few pulses in the machine.
Make-Ahead Instructions: Baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it warm to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 210
Fat: 13 g
Saturated fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Sugar: 11 g
Fiber: 11 g
Protein: 6 g
Sodium: 605 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.