Extra Smoky Eggplant Dip (Baba Ganoush)

🍆 Extra Smoky Eggplant Dip 🍆
Baba Ganoush

Baba ganoush is a beloved Middle Eastern dip that celebrates the smoky, earthy flavors of roasted eggplant.

At its core, baba ganoush is made from charred or roasted eggplant, which is blended with tahini (sesame seed paste), garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. The result is a creamy, slightly tangy, and nutty dip with a hint of smokiness, thanks to the roasted eggplant.

Here, the traditional ingredients are used but for extra smokiness a few drops of natural hickory liquid smoke are added. Fans of smoky foods will swoon over this recipe.

Served with pita, cucumber, radish, and gluten-free crackers, this is a terrific vegan appetizer to serve before Thanksgiving (or any) big dinner. With wide appeal, it has tons of flavor, color, and crunch and won’t fill up your guests before the main event.

Extra Smoky Eggplant Dip Recipe

Ingredients

1. 3 cups roasted eggplant puree
2. 1  – 2 garlic cloves, minced (start with one only)
3. 2 T. lemon juice
4. 1/3 c. tahini
5. 1/4 t. fine sea salt
6. 1/2 t. ground cumin
7. 1/2 t. smoked paprika
8. 3 T. olive oil
9. 2 T. parsley, chopped
10. a few drops of Lazy Kettle Brand All Natural Liquid Smoke

Method

Place first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine. Gradually add olive oil until everything is well-mixed and somewhat smooth.

If there is time, let eggplant dip sit in refrigerator, covered, for a few hours so the flavors can meld.

Before serving, let the cold dip warm up a bit at room temperature. Then taste for seasoning. Add a second garlic clove, more lemon juice, salt, and spices if desired.

When baba ganoush is allowed to rest, the flavors of its ingredients—tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and spices—have time to blend. This resting period allows the sharpness of the garlic to mellow and the smokiness of the eggplant to integrate with the tangy and nutty elements, resulting in a more harmonious and rounded flavor profile. Refrigeration also helps the dip thicken slightly.

To finish, fold in the fresh chopped parsley. Then add a few drops of natural liquid smoke. Taste for smokiness, add another drop or two if desired.

To Serve

• good tasting olive oil
• smoked paprika
• pomegranate arils
• pita bread, sliced into triangles
• cucumber, sliced thick enough to dip
• radishes, halved

Spoon the eggplant dip into a serving bowl(s). Drizzle olive oil on top. Dust with smoked paprika. Garnish with pomegranate arils. Serve with pita, cucumber, and radishes. We also served it with surprisingly good crispy sea salt gluten-free crackers.

Notes

Roland Roasted Eggplant Purée has no artificial colors or flavors. It is smoky and pleasantly earthy, with a rustic yet smooth texture.

Lazy Kettle Brand All Natural Liquid Smoke is 100% salt-free, concentrated liquid smoke. Lazy Kettle captures the steam rising from burning hickory, it condensates then the droplets are bottled. The ingredients are simply 100% pure smoke in an aqueous base.

While baba ganoush can be frozen, we don’t recommend it as eggplant has a high water content, and when frozen and thawed, it can release some of this water. This makes the dip slightly more watery and alters its creamy texture.