Lebanese Baba Ganoush recipe with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts is an elegant, modern version of an authentic Middle Eastern recipe.
Modern Baba Ghanoush
I grew up in Israel, where the Lebanese baba ganoush recipe is basically the ULTIMATE baba ganoush recipe to try. I grew up eating, breathing and making this delicious dip!
In my basic 4-ingredient recipe, I follow the traditional Lebanese moutabal very closely - but with a major improvement. I top it with fresh pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and diced parsley, which gives it a beautiful look and a fresh, zesty and vibrant taste.
What is Baba Ganoush?
Baba ganoush is a smoked eggplant dip. Along with hummus, zaalouk and lavosh crackers, it often makes up a delicious part of a typical mezze platter.
My baba ganoush is an easy 4-ingredient dish that I learned to make when I lived in the Middle East. Grilled eggplant, tahini, garlic and lemon juice come together in this simple, vegan and gluten-free appetizer. They are then topped with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and parsley for a beautiful, elegant and modern appetizer.
What’s in a name
Baba ghanoush, baba ganouj, baba ghanouj or baba ganoush - they are all the same dish!
Baba ganoush vs. Moutabal
The Baba ganoush origin is Lebanon, where it is actually almost universally called moutabal! I know, I know, confusing, but let me try to break it down simply:
Moutabal is usually a Lebanese eggplant dip made with tahini Lebanese baba ganoush is often made without tahini (see my baba ganoush without tahini).
What’s so special about this Lebanese baba ganoush recipe?
This simple baba ganoush Lebanese recipe is yours to try if you want a recipe that is:
- Authentic - I grew up on this recipe, so you can bet I know an authentic baba ghanoush recipe!
- Easy to make - requires no special ingredients or equipment (no food processor required!)
- 4 basic ingredients (and a few optional garnishes)
- Adaptable - you can play with the quantities and toppings you like
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Tasty
- Freezer-friendly
- Keto
- Elegant - when topped with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts, this humble Middle Eastern eggplant dip becomes the star of the feast!
Ingredients
You need the following simple ingredients to make my recipe:
- Eggplant - as the main ingredient in this smoked lebanese dip, the eggplant you choose needs to be at the peak of freshness! Choose firm, glossy eggplant with a green fresh top and without any blemishes.
- Tahini - arguably, good tahini is as important as eggplant in making epic baba ghanoush. Go for 100% sesame seed tahini without any additives.
- Lemon juice - fresh is best, but bottled lemon juice is also fine
- Garlic - optional, but good for a tasty meal
The following things are optional when you make baba ganoush, but will go a long way towards making this the BEST baba ganoush youve ever had:
- Parsley - you can use either parsley or cilantro
- Pomegranate seeds - fresh pomegranate seeds add a burst of sweetness and freshness that goes really well with this smoked dip
- Pine nuts - they add a nutty flavor and beautiful look to our baba ganoush recipe
- Olive oil - for drizzling on top of this recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Chef's knife
- Big mixing bowl
Directions to make this Easy Baba Ganoush Recipe
Prepare the Eggplant in the Oven:
Preheat oven to 450F. Prep a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Wash the eggplants well. Place the eggplants on the baking sheet, and transfer to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while cooking the eggplant. Let the oven-roasted eggplants cool. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin from the eggplant.
Mix eggplant with the rest of the ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients with the flesh from the cooked eggplant. Combine the tahini, salt, lemon juice and, if using, minced garlic and finely diced parsley. Mix very well to combine (you can use an immersion blender for this as well).
Refrigerate
Cover with plastic wrap and let Lebanese baba ganoush sit in fridge for at least 1 hour for flavors to meld. After an hour, mix everything again, taste and correct seasoning.
Serve baba ganoush
For serving, drizzle Lebanese baba ganoush with olive oil, and top with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and more parsley.
How to Make Grilled Baba Ghanoush Smoky Eggplant Dip
The basis of traditional Lebanese baba ganoush is char-grilled roasted eggplant. It gives the dish a special smoked flavor when you roast the eggplant.
To achieve this special Middle Eastern taste, grill the eggplant on an open gas flame (using thongs!), or on a charcoal BBQ. Pro Tip: Every summer, I fire up the charcoal BBQ, roast a bunch of eggplants, remove the skin, and freeze their eggplant flesh. Then I can make this baba ghanoush, baba ganoush recipe without tahini and zaalouk all year round! Enjoy the alternatively smokey eggplant dip!
Storage
Freshly made, this recipe will keep in the fridge for 1 week. It can also be frozen without any garnishes for up to 6 months.
Top Tips for making the best baba ganoush
Top Tip
Choose a freshly cut medium-large eggplant that is firm, tight and without blemishes. The top part should still be bright green and not at all dried up.
- Choosing the right eggplant is crucial for making this authentic baba ganoush recipe. Older eggplants have more seeds and therefore, more bitterness.
- If, after roasting, you see that your eggplant has a lot of seeds in it, remove the seeds and toss them out. Those parts are bitter and will ruin your authentic baba ganoush.
- Giving baba ganoush time to rest in the fridge is crucial for deep, rich flavor that is fully cohesive and smooth.
- Taste and correct the seasonings after your baba ghanoush has had time to rest. Only then will you know if you need more salt, lemon juice or garlic.
- Serve cold or in room temperature - it’s good both ways!
- Do not use Japanese or baby eggplants when making baba ghanoush.
- For a smooth texture, use a food processor or blender - though I don’t think this is necessary!
- If you don’t like tahini, try my baba ghanoush without tahini.
What to eat with baba ganoush
You can serve baba ganoush with pita bread, pita chips, gluten-free lavosh crackers, or raw vegetables like carrots and cucumbers.
You can also serve it as part of a mezze platter, with lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
For other smoked dishes, If you don't keep kosher, you can try pairing it with a smoked pork butt.
For more Middle Eastern dip recipes:
You May Also Like These Eggplant Recipes:
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.
4-ingredient Lebanese Baba Ganoush Recipe with Pomegranate seeds and pine nuts
Equipment
- Fork
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Prep a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Wash the eggplants well. Arrange eggplants on the baking sheet, and transfer to the oven to bake for 20-40 minutes, until eggplants are fully softened and collapsin on themselves. Let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove flesh from the skin. If there are a lot of seeds, discard seedy parts.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flesh from eggplant, tahini, salt, lemon juice and, if using, minced garlic and 3 tablespoons of finely diced parsley. Mix very well to combine (you can use an immersion blender for this as well).
- Cover with plastic wrap and let Lebanese baba ganoush sit in fridge for at least 1 hour for flavors to meld.
- After an hour, mix everything again, taste and correct seasoning.
- For serving, drizzle Lebanese baba ganoush with olive oil, and top with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and more parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Moop Brown says
This baba ganoush looks really tasty and I love the addition of the pomegranate seeds and pine nuts on top as well.
Hayley Dhanecha says
It's bank holiday here in the UK and we are firing a BBQ this evening, making this delicious dip for our guests. SO delicious!
Jaime A. says
We made this baba ganoush and it was so delicious. The smokey flavros came through and it was amazing. Loved the pomegranate crunch too.
kseniaprints says
The pomegranates are my favorite touch 🙂