Name: Grilled Baba Ganoush
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 2 eggplant; 3 green onions; 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped; 3 tablespoons tahini; 1 lemon, juiced; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Za'atar, smoked paprika, olive oil and chopped parsley for garnish; Serve with grilled or warm pita bread and vegetables of choice.

Grilled Baba Ganoush is a traditional Middle Eastern dip that’s perfect to serve as an appetizer, snack or spread. You’ll love the smoky flavor the grill gives the eggplant! Vegan, gluten-free and so delicious!

There’s no shortage of Mediterranean and Greek recipes here on Recipe Runner. Along with Mexican and Southwest inspired recipes they are my favorite to make and eat. These Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki sauce are one of my favorite recipes on the blog.

You’ll find everything from salads, to variations of hummus and even tacos! The one thing that was missing that I’ve been wanting to make was baba ganoush and not just any baba ganoush, Grilled Baba Ganoush.

I figured since it was summer I might as well keep the oven off and grill the ingredients. I also suspected that grilling would add a nice smoky flavor, which I happen to love. If you aren’t familiar with baba ganoush, here’s the scoop.

What is Baba Ganoush?

Baba ganoush, which is also spelled baba ghanoush is a Middle Eastern eggplant based dip. It also contains tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and various spices. It’s most often served as an appetizer with pita bread, but can also be used as a spread or added to other dishes.

Traditionally the eggplant is baked or broiled until the pulp in the middle is soft. Since I grilled mine, it also imparted a smoky flavor. The process of grilling eggplant is extremely easy. Simply clean the eggplant then place it on the grill grates. The skin doesn’t need to be oiled.

The grilling process starts over direct heat, depending on the size this will take about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes you’ll want to move them over to indirect heat otherwise the skins will be charred before the flesh is soft. Cook the eggplant for another 20-30 minutes, again this will depend on the size. Once cooked, let them rest for 10-15 minutes or until they’re cool enough to handle.

There is a fair amount of seeds in an Italian eggplant, which is what I used. Removing the seeds is up to you, I chose to remove mine. The cooked eggplant, green onions, garlic, tahini, lemon juice and spices all go into the food processor and are puréed until smooth. Once smooth drizzle in the olive oil with the food processor running. Taste for seasoning and then it’s ready to be served.

I like to top my baba ganoush with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of za’atar and smoked paprika. The dip is best served with warm or grilled pita bread. One of these days I’ll try to make homemade pita bread, until then I just look for the freshest local brand I can find. Middle Eastern grocery stores are a good place to look and it’s often baked right there.

Got leftover baba ganoush? Use it to make a Baba Ganoush Flatbread or this Spaghetti with Smoky Eggplant Sauce, and this falafel bowl for lunches is a no-brainer!

Grilled Baba Ganoush

Yield: 10-12 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 eggplant
3 green onions
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons tahini
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Za'atar, smoked paprika, olive oil and chopped parsley for garnish
Serve with grilled or warm pita bread and vegetables of choice.

Instructions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place eggplants and green onions onto the grate. Grill onions for approximately 3 minutes or until lightly charred and just tender. Turn occasionally. Remove from grill and cut into chunks.
Grill the eggplants over direct heat for 10-15 minutes or until skin is well charred, turn occasionally. After 10-15 minutes, move them to the indirect heat, the cool side of grill. Cover the grill and cook for another 20 minutes or until soft and tender. Cool 10 minutes or until they can be handled.
Remove the eggplant skin and scoop out the flesh. Remove the seeds if desired (I did this). Place the eggplant flesh, grilled green onions, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the food processor on drizzle in the olive oil and purée until combined. Taste for seasoning then serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil, za'atar seasoning, smoked paprika and chopped parsley. Best served with grilled or warm pita bread or vegetable of choice.