This easy baba ganoush without tahini uses 5-ingredients: eggplant, yogurt, parsley, garlic and lemon for a flavorful, yet allergen-friendly take on the beloved Middle Eastern dip.
But what is baba ganoush, you ask? Like zaalouk, baba ganoush is a Middle Eastern dip of smoked eggplant. It usually relies on tahini to soften the eggplant's strong flavors.
But what if you have a sesame allergy? Or you just don't like tahini? That's how my family discovered this yogurt-based, easy baba ganoush recipe without tahini (also gluten-free and optionally dairy-free).
If you prefer a more traditional Lebanese baba ganoush recipe, head on over!
Learning to Love Baba Ganoush
As recent newcomers, it took my family time to come around to the presence of pre-packaged pails of hummus, matbucha (a kind of Middle Eastern spicy salsa) and liver-flavoured zucchini, which continued to baffle me for more years than I'd care to admit.
Ever suspicious of anything that wasn't made at home, under strictly controlled conditions and with no chance of diphtheria, my parents had a strict embargo against store-bought salads during our first few years.
Red cabbage in mayonnaise became our entry drug, the closest condiment to the mayo-laden salads of the Russian dinner table. Then followed Israeli hummus and Turkish pepper salad. Tahini remained banned.
But one of the last salads to break the Eastern front of the Prints family was Lebanese baba ganoush. There was just something odd about this salad's sponginess, the smokiness, and the presence of a creamy substance that wasn't actually cream.
My tongue hurt each time I had too much of it, a stern reminder not to indulge in foods beyond the creamy, mayonnaise-y, inoffensive realm of bland Russian food.
But then, I grew up. I tried baba ghanoush in pitas with singed veggie dogs, burning-hot right off the grill; I slathered it on frumpy smoked paprika potatoes, and discovered the sharp tang of this salad was just what the tuber needed; I liked it on sourdough bread with a bit of hummus and pickles, making each bite a zesty, smoky, creamy feast.
But the real revelation came when I learned to make it myself, from good, fresh eggplants, and with full control over the amount of garlic (loads), lemon juice (tons), and yogurt in place of tahini (just a bit) that I put in.
And so, this baba ganoush recipe without tahini was born.
Ingredient Highlight: Roasted Eggplant
As the main ingredient in this smoked eggplant dip, this is important. Choose firm, glossy eggplant with a green fresh top and without any blemishes.
There are many other wonderful eggplant recipes. From creamy roasted eggplant soup to Israeli sabich sandwich recipe with eggplant, there is so many things you can do with roasted eggplant.
Equipment Needed for Homemade Baba Ganoush
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Chef's knife
- Big mixing bowl
How To Make Baba Ganoush without Tahini
Roast the Eggplant
Preheat oven to 400F on the grill setting. Prick each eggplant a few times with a fork, and wrap in tinfoil (each eggplant in its own tinfoil wrap).
Cook for 40 minutes, turning the eggplant over once after 20 minutes. Check for doneness - if a fork gets through the tinfoil and breaks the eggplant's skin easily, they're done. Remove from oven, and let cool.
Meanwhile, chop garlic and parsley finely.
Prepare Cooked Eggplant Flesh for the Dip
Split the eggplant in half and begin to scoop its flesh out into a big bowl, taking care not to get any skin (if any skin gets in, just remove it). Now, this step is important, and this is what will keep your baba ghanoush from being bitter and smoky - remove the big bunches of eggplant seeds from your bowl.
Toss and separate eggplant flesh from the skin of the eggplant with a fork, ensuring all the big strands are separated.
Add the Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley
When eggplant flesh is ready, squeeze out the juice of half a lemon, add garlic, parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and salt. Reserve yogurt or tahini until later. Taste and adjust flavours; your dip should be zesty and garlicky, but not too salty.
Add the Yogurt
When you're happy with the flavour, add the greek yogurt. It will mellow out the flavour a bit, but yogurt will give it a nice tang.
Adjust Seasoning and Enjoy!
Taste again, and adjust flavours - I usually find I have to add a bit more salt.
Serve as a topping for boiled or baked potatoes, with veggie burgers, pita sandwiches, vegan shawarma, or just plain ol' pitas. Alternatively, serve as part of a Mezze platter. Note that it can be served at room temperature or from the fridge.
Storage
Freshly made, this baba ganoush with yogurt recipe will keep in the fridge for 1 week.
It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Top Tips for my Roasted Eggplant Dip
Don't skimp on the lemon juice! It's crucial to the tanginess of this baba ganoush recipe without tahini.
Let your baba ganoush rest in the fridge for an hour before digging in.
Play around with the seasoning - you may like more or less lemon juice, parsley, garlic or even yogurt.
Do not use Japanese or baby eggplants for this recipe.
For more of a smoky flavor, fire up the charcoal BBQ and roast a bunch of eggplants in one batch. Remove the skin, and freeze their flesh.
Recipe
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Tangy and creamy baba ghanoush without tahini
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants medium sized
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- juice of ½ - 1 lemon start with half, and add up to a whole lemon, to taste
- a handful of chopped parsley about 1-2 Tbs
- ½ - 1 Tb salt start with half, and add up to taste
- 1 Tb lactose-free yogurt regular yogurt, vegan neutral yogurt, or tahini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F on the grill setting. If you're oven doesn't go high on the grill setting, set to 400F at bake. Prick each eggplant a few times with a fork, and wrap in tinfoil (each eggplant in its own tinfoil wrap).
- Cook for 40 minutes, turning the eggplant over once after 20 minutes. Check for doneness - if a fork gets through the tinfoil and breaks the eggplant's skin easily, they're done. Remove from oven, and let cool a bit in tinfoil.
- Meanwhile, chop garlic and parsley finely.
- Remove tinfoil. Split the eggplant in half and begin to scoop its flesh out into a big bowl, taking care not to get any skin (if any skin gets in, just remove it). Now, this step is important, and this is what will keep your baba ghanoush from being bitter and smoky - remove the big bunches of eggplant seeds from your bowl. Toss and separate eggplant flesh with a fork, ensuring all the big strands are separated.
- When eggplant flesh is ready, squeeze out the juice of half a lemon, add garlic, parsley, and salt. Reserve yogurt or tahini until later. Taste and adjust flavours; your dip should be zesty and garlicky, but not too salty. When you're happy with the flavour, add the yogurt or tahini; both will mellow out the flavour a bit, but yogurt will give it a nice tang. Taste again, and adjust flavours - I usually find I have to add a bit more salt.
- Serve as a topping for boiled or baked potatoes, with veggie burgers, meat (if that's your thing), or just plain ol' pitas.
Mom says
Ksenia, you forgot to add that before the salad red carrots was salad with caviar, white or red is what we are reconciled with the annual salads and opened the door to new experiments in the supermarket!! And the rest - cool it is written !!
Dina says
Nice article! I have always charred the eggplant, then baked,then made it rich with tahini and lemon and very little garlic to keep the smoky flavour at the front. I never tried to make it with yoghurt/ mayo, so I'm going to try that now. Thanks for the charming tips!
( also landed in Middle East, also had to decipher markets and souks and language , and well, everything! 24 years ago now. )
I NEVER buy homous, I only make it at home.
kseniaprints says
The yogurt is amazing - I love it. But it does tone down the smokiness,
And good on you for never buying hummus - it is so much better made fresh! I just find that I'm too lazy most of the time... As good hummus requires quite a production. Sigh.
Alyssa says
I have never tried making baba ghanoush, only had it in restaurants. Thanks for such an easy to follow recipe, really helps boost my confidence in the kitchen. It turned out great and im excited to make it again!
Emily says
This was so delicious and so easy to make. Such a tasty and healthy snack with pita bread!
Emily says
Hi Ksenia, you may want to review all the comments for this post, especially the one from Mom, in case you missed it 🙂
Colleen says
I've always made baba ghanoush with tahini, but lots of people have allergies, so this recipe is perfect for taking along to gatherings. Thanks for sharing!
veenaazmanov says
Your recipe sounds so easy and quick yet bursting with flavors. Yogurt makes it Silky smooth and healthier too. Cant wait to try this recipe soon.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
Yogurt-based baba ganoush is excellent! They turned out so good and tasty. Highly recommended!
Maggie says
I had been looking for this recipe. Saw this and wanted to give it a try. it did not disappoint. We loved it! So so yummy.
Deborah says
Such a wonderfully delicious vegan recipe. I gobbled it up and had leftovers to spare.
Katie Crenshaw says
This baba ghanoush recipe is excellent. It was my first time making it with yogurt and I loved the added richness. The flavor combination was incredible.
Amy Casey says
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made it for one of my personal chef clients that is allergic to sesame. They absolutely loved it ~ and I did too!
Enri Lemoine says
I love baba ghanush, and I love to make it with Japanese eggplants (my favorites), but I always make it with Tahini. I already save this recipe to give it a try. You got me with those beautiful pictures.
Chandice says
Having lived in Ukraine, I developed a love for eggplant in ragu. So I wanted to learn how to make more eggplant dishes and this was at the top of my list. Perfection, thank you so much!!
Amy Liu Dong says
This dish looks so easy and delicious. I am so excited to make this for everyone!
inks says
Just found this non-tahini recipe. It looks delicious. Can’t wait to try but how much eggplant did this yield after roasting? In cups or weight please. Medium size is hard to judge sometimes.
Thank you!
kseniaprints says
About 2 cups!