This creamy mutabal is an Arabic eggplant dip, also known as baba ganoush. Smoky roasted eggplant is blended with tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil to create a delicious addition to your mezze platter. This Lebanese recipe is delightful as a dip when served with warm pita or fresh vegetables.
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Baba ganoush (mutabal or moutabal in some regions) is a rich and creamy Middle Eastern dip made from roasted eggplants (aubergines), tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. These ingredients give the dip a smoky, tangy flavor.
Eggplant provides fiber and nutrients, while tahini adds protein, making this a healthier alternative to cream-based dips!
If I’m making an Arabic meal for friends, I like to serve this versatile dip as part of a mezze platter. It’s also great as a nutritious everyday dip for vegetables, pita bread, or sandwiches. It can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
➡ If you enjoy Lebanese and Arabic food, try some of my other recipes, such as hummus, muhammara, mujadara, batata harra, Turkish green beans, or chicken shawarma.
Ingredients and Tips
🧂 Ingredients You’ll Need for Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip
💡 Ingredient and Recipe Tips for Baba Ganoush
🫒 Olive Oil: Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil.
🍋 Lemon Juice: Try using freshly squeezed lemon juice for this recipe. It makes a big difference. You can also add some lemon zest for extra flavor. You can use lime juice instead.
🍶 Tahini: Tahini is a sesame paste available at many grocery stores. Get a brand that doesn’t have any additives or fillers. I like to get it at my local Middle Eastern store. You can also order it on Amazon.
🥣 Cumin: I like to lightly toast whole cumin seeds and grind them in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle.
🍆 Eggplant: Use small, firm eggplants if you can find them. You can also purchase roasted eggplant in a jar at Arabic supermarkets. Drain it first before using.
🔥 Smoky Flavor: To add a smoky flavor, as you would get from eggplant grilled over an open fire, add a few drops of liquid smoke. A little goes a long way, so you don’t need a lot. About ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon will do. Add it when you’re mixing everything together.
♨️ How To Make This Arabic Eggplant Recipe
- Grill the aubergines in the oven or over an open flame. Remove the skin, scoop out the pulp, and drain for 10 minutes. Transfer the pulp to a food processor. For a choppy texture, you can also just use a fork.
- Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt.
- Process in 1-second pulses until the dip has a coarse or smooth texture, according to your preference. I like it smooth.
- Transfer to a shallow serving dish and spread it almost to the edge. With a spoon, make a trough in the center. Pour in some extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with paprika, olive oil, and/or chopped parsley.
Mutabal / Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs eggplant 1 kg
- ¼ cup tahini
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- parsley for garnish
- ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke [See Note 2]
Instructions
Grill the Eggplant in the Oven
- Line a baking sheet with foil and grease lightly.
- Pierce the eggplant all over with a fork and place it on the greased foil.
- Grill the 2 lbs eggplant under the broiler until the skin darkens and wrinkles on all sides, about 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
- The eggplant will be soft and begin to collapse when pressed with a spoon. Remove from heat.
- When cool enough to handle, trim off the top and bottom of the eggplant and slit lengthwise.
- Scoop out the hot pulp from the skins and place the pulp in a colander. Let it drain for 10 minutes. You should have about 2 cups of pulp. Transfer to a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher.
Make the dip
- Transfer the pulp to a food processor. Add the ¼ cup tahini, ½ teaspoon garlic, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Process in 1-second pulses until the dip has desired texture. [See Note 1].
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Add the ⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke (or more), if using.
- Transfer to a shallow serving dish and spread it almost to the edge if the dish. Make a trough in the center with a spoon. Pour in some extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with paprika, olive oil, and/or chopped parsley.
Notes
- Use high-quality olive oil and tahini.
- Note 1: Baba ganoush can be smooth or course with some texture. It’s up to individual taste.
- Note 2: Authentic baba ganoush or mutabal is made with eggplant grilled over an open fire. When mixing the ingredients, add a few drops of liquid smoke (about ⅛ to ¼ tsp) to get the smoky flavor.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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