This creamy Baba Ganoush is an delicious staple to include in your summer meal prep rotation to enjoy the nutrients of eggplant!
What is Baba Ganoush?
Baba Ganoush is an eggplant dish that popular in many Middle Eastern countries. The dish contains mainly olive oil and eggplant, and you may commonly see variations that include tahini, garlic, and or lemon juice to add depth of flavor.
Other cultures take their own spin on Baba Ganoush as well, and you may come across Greek versions that include olives and mint or Indian versions that include curry!
If you haven’t tried it before, it’s similar in consistency to a hummus, but instead of chickpeas, it’s made out of eggplant, a non-starchy carbohydrate.
How to Serve Baba Ganoush
If you have never made Baba Ganoush before, you are in for a surprise! It’s both simple to make and versatile to add to any dish for added flavor and a creamy texture.
The flavors are deep and complex and packed with nutrients. Roasting the eggplant at a high temperature creates a wonderfully subtle smokey flavor, and mint and tahini add a perfect nutty freshness to the dish.
The real kicker to Baba Ganoush is its versatility. There are numerous ways we have personally enjoyed it and here are a couple of our favorites.
- Dip — with roasted vegetables, raw vegetables, fruits (grapes, apples, pears are fantastic)
- Appetizer — dollop the baba ghanoush in the center of a plate surrounded by pita bread, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, tomatoes, onions, etc.
- Salad dressing — add 1 tablespoon olive oil + 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to about 2 tablespoons baba ghanoush and whisk together for a thick and creamy salad dressing.
- Condiment — use for dipping proteins such as chicken, fish, beef, eggs, beans, tempeh, tofu. For a comprehensive guide to animal proteins check out our Guide to Eating Animal Proteins.
- Sauce — stir together 1/4 cup baba ghanoush + 1/4 cup almond milk for a wonderful creamy sauce for quinoa, gluten-free pasta, lentils or rice.
