Easy Baba Ganoush

dressings & sauces recipes snacks Jul 03, 2021

It’s no surprise to y’all that I love veggies in most any form. Roasted, raw, you name it. But the thing about veggies is that they most often need a little something, something to make them tasty, right? I’m always looking for new spices and herbs to do just that, but I’ve found the best way to make them extra delectable is with some sort of sauce or dip.

When I’m grocery shopping and meal prepping for the week, I always make sure to buy or whip up hummus, a tahini dressing, baba ganoush, etc. to use on veggies, salads and bowls throughout the week. In my Ultimate Meal Prep Guide, I refer to this as “flavor factor” which is an essential component of a well-rounded, nutritious meal, in my opinion.

Before I get into this incredible, Easy Baba Ganoush, let me direct you to some more tasty dips and sauces I have on the site to get you excited about veggies:

This particular recipe, though, is a double whammy as it makes veggies tastier AND is packed with them itself. Baba ganoush is a traditional Lebanese dish popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking made from eggplant, one of my personal favorite veggies.

It resembles hummus in color and texture, but they’re totally unique in the flavor department. The eggplant provides a bit more earthiness versus the nuttiness of hummus (made from chickpeas), but both can be extremely creamy and healthy if made correctly.

Eggplant itself is rich in many nutrients, high in antioxidants and packed with fiber that can help regulate blood sugar, aid weight loss, protect against cancer and more.

In addition to the eggplant, my baba ganoush uses tahini, garlic, lemon juice, EVOO, parsley and spices to make it extra creamy and flavorful. Cumin particularly is one of my personal favorites to add to pretty much anything, especially dips like hummus and baba ganoush.

The only real work you’ll have to put into this recipe is roasting the eggplant to get it soft & tender. Then just throw all of the ingredients into your food processor or blender, and voilà!

Serve this up with some crackers and sliced veggies, or do yourself a favor and make a batch for your weekly meal prep. Hope y’all enjoy .

YIELDS1 Serving

Ingredients

2 small-to-medium sized eggplants
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup tahini
juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup fresh parsley, plus more for topping
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice eggplants lengthwise, and place on a baking sheet. Lightly coat with olive oil, and bake for about 40 minutes, until tender.

2 Allow eggplants to cool for a few minutes, before scooping out the center and placing contents in a high speed blender or food processor.

3 Add garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, cumin, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and well-combined.

4 Place in a bowl, and top with additional chopped parsley, a sprinkle of paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.

5 Serve with pita chips, crackers or sliced vegetables. Enjoy!