Lebanese Baba Ganoush ~ Vegan Recipe
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Vegan Baba Ganoush Lebanese recipe from scratch, a creamy Middle Eastern Levantine dip (originally Lebanese) meaning “ spoiled dad “ or as the French call it “caviar d’aubergines” or eggplant caviar. Made with roasted eggplants, tahini, lemon, garlic and smoky spices, this eggplant dip is easy to make, dairy free + gluten free!
How to Make the Best Baba Ganoush Lebanese Recipe
- Cooking the eggplant! The most crucial step of this recipe is cooking the eggplant. It must get soft and most importantly smoky. So the best way to achieve that deep flavor throughout is to cook them on the grill, cast iron skillet or under the broiler until charred all over. Roasting in the oven is also an option but will lack in the smokiness so consider that. Allow them to sit until cool enough to handle before peeling the charred skins.
- The texture! I prefer to hand chop the eggplants and keep a little texture in my dip while still creamy. If you want a super smooth fine creaminess feel free to bring out the food processor to get the job done, but really it’s totally unnecessary extra dirty dishes.
- The spices! Earthy, smoky spices is what gives this Lebanese dip its authentic flavors: cumin and smoked paprika in a tiny amount elevate this dip to epic status. Don’t overdo it, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
- The creaminess! It’s all in that tahini aka sesame butter. Choose an organic one that lists whole sesame seeds as the only ingredient.
FAQ
- Can you freeze babaganoush ? Yes, once completely cooled transfer the dip to a freezer proof lidded container and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- What can i substitute for tahini ? Tahini is a classic ingredient in this dip but can easily be substituted with creamy cashew or walnut butter. Alternatively a store bought vegan mayo, sour cream or cultured coconut yogurt also work great.
- Can I make it oil-free ? Yes you can omit the olive oil in the recipe and replace with more tahini, cashew butter or cultured coconut yogurt if available.
what to eat / serve with:
Pita chips
Fresh crunchy veggies: cucumber, red bell peppers, radishes, tomatoes etc.
Pita bread & quinoa flatbread
Falafel
Crusty bread
Potato flatbread
Wraps.
baba ganoush vs hummus
The main difference between the two classic appetizers is that hummus is a dip made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans) while baba ganoush is made with roasted eggplant. The rest of the ingredients are essentially the same. They can both be used as a spread or dip, are fiber and protein rich and of course super delicious.
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P.S. If you make this recipe please report back, leave a comment rating below, snap a photo and tag me with #VeggieSociety on Instagram, it always makes my day ~ Florentina Xo’s
Vegan Baba Ganoush Lebanese Recipe
Best Vegan Baba Ganoush, a Lebanese recipe from scratch meaning “ spoiled dad “ or as the French call it “caviar d’aubergines” or eggplant caviar. Made with roasted eggplants, tahini, lemon, garlic and smoky spices.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Italian eggplants medium size
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (omit or replace with tahini for WFPB + Plantricious compliance)
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 large cloves garlic grated
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1-2 tbsp Italian parsley or fresh dill chopped
- 2 tsp sesame seeds optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Use a sharp knife and poke each eggplant in a few spot. Place on top of the hot skillet. Cook until charred on all sides then transfer to a bowl to cool off. ( The eggplants can also be cooked on the outdoor grill, under the broiler, charred on open flame or baked in the oven. The open flame method is really messy and the oven method lacks the smokiness so keep that in mind when deciding which cooking method to use.)
- Once cool enough to handle peel the charred skins off of the eggplant and discard. Place the eggplant in a fine strainer and allow the extra moisture to drain over a bowl.
- Once drained transfer the roasted eggplant meat to a cutting board and using a sharp knife chop it up finely. Alternatively this can be done in the food processor, I prefer some texture in my dip so I like to do it by hand.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the tahini with the olive oil and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the garlic, cumin and smoked paprika then add the roasted eggplant and parsley.
- Use a spatula to combine everything until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with sea salt and add more lemon juice if desired.
- Serve as a dip garnished with sesame seeds, fresh herbs and chili flakes for some attitude. Serving ideas: pita chips, pita bread, crusty bread, fresh veggies: bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Notes
- Oil-Free WFPB & Plantricious Adaptation - Replace the olive oil in the recipe with more tahini, cashew butter or cultured coconut yogurt.
- Smoky - To add extra smokiness to your baba ganoush you can add a tiny bit of liquid smoke, however this won’t be necessary if you char the eggplants first.
- What can i substitute for tahini ? Tahini is a classic ingredient in this dip but can easily be substituted with creamy cashew or walnut butter. Alternatively a store bough vegan mayo, sour cream or cultured coconut yogurt also works great.
- Serving ideas: pita chips, pita bread, crusty bread, fresh veggies: bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Nutrition
Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 893mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 347kcal
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How long and what temp to bake in the oven. Thanks!
Preheat oven to 400″F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Poke the eggplants in a couple of places with a sharp knife and bake whole for about 45 minutes or until they collapse. Allow to cool off before scooping out the flesh and discarding the skins. Keep in mind this method won’t make them smoky so you might wanna add some liquid smoke or up the smoked paprika.
Without a doubt the best thing I’ve made with eggplants, it’s really delicious and perfect bring to a cook out. Great recipe, thanks for sharing.
Have you ever canned this? Would love to make a nice batch and can it for winter snacking
Hi Arlene, I have not canned this, what I like to do instead is grill and chop the eggplants and freeze that in individual portions, then whenever you’d like to make this it will be freshly made with all the spices and flavors and creaminess. Just remember to thaw out the eggplant in the morning or overnight. Hope that helps, let me know if you try it ~ Florentina
Wow! Soo good, and easy!! I cooked the eggplant on my griddle….worked really well!! The rest of it came together quickly and will be a new app to take when invited to a potluck!!!