Easy and Delicious Baba Ganoush
Being on the keto diet means we can’t enjoy a lot of the scrumptious veggie dips we’re used to, like hummus, for one. Baba Ganoush is an absolutely wonderful replacement. So much so you won’t even miss hummus anymore. Promise.
This simple recipe calls for a few ingredients and is ready to serve in under an hour. Honestly, the worst part is waiting for the eggplants to cool enough to prepare this dish.
Ingredients for Baba Ganoush
Here is the list of the ingredients you’ll need for this super simple dish. The pomegranate arils are optional, but I would recommend using them. They make the dish look so regal and beautiful!
- 2 large Italian eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
- 4-5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- ยผ c. tahini
- 3 T. fresh lemon juice
- 1 T. fresh parsley, chopped
- 5 T. quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 T. pomegranate arils
- Vegetable cruditรฉs, to serve
PinHow to make Baba Ganoush
Place the top oven rack in the center position and preheat oven to 425ยฐF. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpatโข baking mat. Set aside.
Arrange the eggplant halves on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven without overcrowding. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and appears to be collapsing. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
When cool enough to handle, gently scoop out the eggplant interior into a mess strainer set over a large bowl. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves to release the edible interior into the strainer.
Press down on the eggplant and garlic with the back of a large spoon to release as much liquid as possible. Remove the strainer and discard the liquid in the bowl. Wipe dry before adding the eggplant mixture to the same bowl.
Add the tahini, fresh lemon juice, parsley, and one-quarter cup olive oil to the bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper to taste, and stir vigorously to combine.
Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining olive oil and the pomegranate arils. Serve immediately with a selection of vegetable cruditรฉs and/or gluten-free pita or crackers, if desired. Enjoy!
Baba Ganoush
Ingredients
- 2 large Italian eggplants cut in half lengthwise
- 4-5 cloves garlic unpeeled
- ยผ c. tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 5 tbsp quality extra virgin olive oil divided
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp pomegranate arils
- Vegetable cruditรฉs to serve
Instructions
- Place top oven rack in center position and pre-heat oven to 425ยฐF.ย Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpatโข baking mat. Set aside.
- Arrange the eggplant halves on the prepared baking sheet without overcrowding and place in the oven. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender and appears to be collapsing. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- When cool enough to handle, gently scoop out the eggplant interior into a mess strainer set over a large bowl. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves to release the edible interior into the strainer, as well.ย
- Press down on the eggplant and garlic with the back of a large spoon to release as much liquid as possible. Remove the strainer and discard the liquid in the bowl. Wipe dry before adding the eggplant mixture to the same bowl.
- Add the tahini, fresh lemon juice, parsley, and one-quarter cup olive oil to the bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir vigorously to combine.
- Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining olive oil and the pomegranate arils. Serve immediately with a selection of vegetable cruditรฉs and/or gluten-free pita or crackers, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
You can substitute the tahini for any of these kinds of butter, but remember that the taste may change slightly > almond butter, macadamia nut butter, sunflower seed butter, avocado, and even ghee. I would recommend avocado or sunflower seed butter to be honest.
