Eggplants are a food I have historically avoided putting in my mouth. I am not a fan of their slimy texture or bitter taste. Years ago, I tried my hardest to get myself to like eggplant by eating it in the form of eggplant parmesan.
Nothing says a last-ditch effort to like a vegetable like having it breaded and fried and smothered in parmesan and eaten with pasta.
And even that didn’t make an eggplant lover out of me, so I called it quits and have been avoiding them ever since.
But! Baba ganoush is winning me over to team eggplant. It doesn’t make any sense. Baba ganoush is EGGPLANT. On paper, we shouldn’t like each other.
But we do. We really do.
Things are serious.
Eggplant is winning over my tastebuds slash heart.
This is an easy way to make baba ganoush at home. Eggplants are dry roasted in the oven and then strained and put in a food processor with all the garlic and olive oil and lemon juice and tahini and everything gets swirled around to get the PERFECT consistency.
It’s smoky and creamy and the most addictive combination of garlic and lemon and you will want to dip everything in your life into it.
This recipe will give you about a cup of baba ganoush. If you’re making it for a party or just to have around to eat, I would triple or quadruple the recipe.
Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the halved eggplant – cut sides down – on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Cover with foil and allow to cool for 15 minutes.When eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape the insides into a strainer, discarding as many seeds as you can. Drain for 5 minutes.Transfer drained eggplant to a food processor. Add olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Pulse 10-12 times, until ingredients are combined and baba ganoush is creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.Chill completely. Drizzle with olive oil prior to serving.
