Baba Ganoush Without Tahini
This simple recipe for a delicious and creamy baba ganoush without tahini is the perfect dip to pair with a variety of mezze. The roasted eggplant is blended with a range of spices, fresh lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and a spoonful of yogurt for a savory and incredibly moreish dip that you'll just keep going back for!
This baba ganoush recipe is insanely easy to make, and it tastes so, so, SO much better than any roasted eggplant dip I've ever bought. Now that I've perfected this recipe (paired with the fluffiest of homemade flatbreads), I will never buy a baba ganoush dip again - and I'm willing to bet you're going to feel the same after tasting it.
I love pairing this baba ganoush dip with my homemade falafels, a fresh tabbouleh salad, pillow-soft flatbreads, hummus, and crispy batata harra! What an absolute feast, one of my all-time favorite meals!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This recipe for a creamy baba ganoush without tahini is so simple - it contains less than 10 ingredients, many of which you'll already have in your pantry, and requires barely any cooking time.
We roast up an eggplant or two, then blitz it (without the skins) with the lemon juice, garlic, and yogurt until smooth and creamy. If you're an eggplant skeptic, you'll be converted after this recipe.
This recipe uses no tahini, so people with sesame allergies and those who just don't like/have tahini can still enjoy the dip!
This dreamy recipe is also perfect served as a snack plate, like my favorite harissa roasted chickpeas which I served with whipped feta, baby cucumbers, and radishes.
Ingredient Notes
The only tools you'll need for this recipe are a baking tray, a blender of some kind (I swear by my NutriBullet still), and a spoon. That's it!
The ingredients are almost just as simple:
- Eggplants: Eggplant forms the foundation of every classic baba ganoush recipe. We roast them whole, pricked with a fork a couple of times, and the result is a wonderfully tender and soft eggplant. We scoop the flesh out of its skin and into the blender for this recipe.
- Garlic: I like the added punch fresh garlic contributes to this baba ganoush recipe - use a clove or two, but adjust to your own tastes!
- Lemon juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice, added to your blender and then over the top of the dip, is a must!
- Spices: I use a combination of cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in this recipe. For more spice, you could add a little cayenne pepper.
- Olive oil: You'll want a good quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe; it really does make a difference. Drizzle a little more over the top of the dip just before serving.
- Yogurt: This creates that creamy texture for a baba ganoush without tahini. I like to use a plain Greek yogurt, but use any natural yogurt you have to hand.
Why Baba Ganoush Without Tahini?
Traditionally, baba ganoush is made from eggplant, garlic, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice blended together.
As you probably know, tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. Sesame is the ninth most common food allergy amongst children and adults in the US, so it makes sense to want a recipe that removes this altogether.
This baba ganoush without tahini recipe is perfect if you're allergic to the sesame in tahini, if you just don't like the taste, or if you're making the dip for a social occasion and want to be sure people with potential food allergies can still enjoy your food safely!
How to make baba ganoush (without tahini)
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions and quantities for this recipe. Here are all the steps you need to follow (you won't believe how easy this simple recipe is):
Step 1: Roast Your Eggplants
Prick the skins of your eggplants a couple of times with a fork or knife - taking care not to pierce the eggplant too deep. Place on a lined baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at around 375 degrees for 45 minutes. The skin of the eggplant will have wrinkled and the vegetable will reduce in size.
Step 2: Scoop out the flesh
Leave the eggplants to cool for 10 minutes or so before cutting them in half lengthways and scooping the 'flesh' of the eggplants into your blender, discarding the skin.
Step 3: Add remaining ingredients and blend
Add your garlic cloves, lemon juice, spices (cumin, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika), virgin olive oil, and yogurt of your choice, to the blender with the eggplant and blend. I like my baba ganoush to be smooth and creamy, but you can blend it for less time for a chunkier dip.
Other tahini substitutions
Yogurt is my favorite substitution to make a fantastic baba ganoush with tahini. It adds a mild touch to the flavorful dish and is perfect for supplying that creamy texture that makes this dip so moreish. However, you could also consider using:
- Mayonnaise or sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Nut butter (e.g. almond, cashew, or peanut butter)
- Roasted or mashed chickpeas
- White beans (e.g. cannellini, navy beans)
FAQs
Baba ganoush is a Middle Eastern dip made from roasted eggplants, garlic, lemon juice, and various other ingredients like tahini, parsley, or yogurt. It's usually served with pita bread or vegetables for dipping.
Some people are allergic to sesame seeds, which is the main ingredient in tahini. Others may not like the taste of tahini or simply want to try a different variation of baba ganoush.
Yes, you can freeze this baba ganoush recipe. I would recommend popping the dip straight into a freezer bag, and freezing for up to 3 months. Just allow the dip to defrost fully before you serve. Note, the freezing process might cause the liquids in this dip to separate slightly.
I love this recipe simply paired with homemade flatbreads and other dips, such as hummus, olive tapenade, and tzatziki. This can also be a fantastic recipe paired with other mezze, such as falafel, tabbouleh, and batata harra. It could even be used as a dressing for this vegan greek salad.
Baba ganoush is generally considered a healthy dip option, as it is low in calories, high in fiber and vitamins, and contains heart-healthy fats from olive oil. However, the nutrition content may vary depending on the specific recipe and serving size.
There are many variations of baba ganoush without tahini that you can try, such as adding roasted red peppers, cumin, paprika, or harissa for a spicy kick. You can also experiment with different types of yogurt or nut butter to find your preferred flavor.
This recipe uses yogurt instead of tahini, which adds a creamy texture to the dip. To make this baba ganoush vegan-friendly, I'll use an unflavored yogurt such as soy or coconut. However, you could use something like Greek Yogurt or another alternative in its place.
Baba Ganoush Without Tahini
This easy baba ganoush dip without tahini is absolutely delicious. A creamy roasted eggplant dip with lemon juice, virgin olive oil, and plenty of flavour.
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon yoghurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 °C | 375°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Prick the skin of your eggplants with a fork or knife - around 10 times or so - and place them on your baking paper.
- Roast the eggplants whole in the oven for 45 minutes. The skin of the eggplants will be slightly charred, wrinkled, and almost collapsing in on itself. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before handling.
- Carefully cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the flesh, placing it in your blender.
- Add the rest of your ingredients (garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, spices, and yogurt) and blend until you reach your desired consistency - I like a smooth and creamy baba ganoush but some people prefer it a little chunky!
- Add a drizzle more olive oil over the top of the baba ganoush and a sprinkle of paprika.
- Serve with your favorite mezze or with flatbreads to dip!
Notes
This baba ganoush dip can be enjoyed warm or cold and will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serve with flatbreads, falafel, hummus, and other mezze foods for a delicious meal!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 123Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 192mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
