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    Home » Appetizers

    The Best Baba Ganoush (Moutabel)

    Published: Oct 27, 2022 Updated: Oct 27, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Baba Ganoush

    This baba ganoush is the best! Also called moutabel, it’s a creamy, tangy, smoky and savory roasted eggplant dip. The perfect appetizer or side.

    Baba ganoush in a bowl topped with smoked paprika and olive oil, with cherry tomatoes and pita breads on the side.

    Having previously lived in the Middle East (Dubai) for many years I can tell you I’ve eaten a LOT of baba ganoush. And I absolutely love it.

    It’s really one of the most awesome dips available. And it’s not just great as a dip, but also as a spread or topping. I love it on top of a baked potato or spread on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise or vegan butter.

    One of the perks of living in Dubai was being able to buy this ready-made at all supermarkets. It’s usually called ‘moutabel’ in Dubai.

    Luckily, it’s so easy to make at home that you can throw a batch together anytime. It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free and tastes amazing.

    And if you love this baba ganoush then you’ll also love our eggplant dip (made a little differently), and our hummus (also the best).

    And for more eggplant recipes check out our eggplant tofu stir fry and our vegan eggplant parmesan.

    Baba Ganoush Ingredients:

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make baba ganoush.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Head of garlic – we roast a whole head of garlic for this baba ganoush. Since the eggplants need to roast anyway, it’s the perfect time to just add in a head of garlic to roast at the same time.
    • Tahini – should be a high quality, good tasting brand of tahini.
    • Lemon juice – should ideally be freshly squeezed for the best tasting result.
    • Smoked paprika – adds the smoky flavor.
    Baba ganoush in a bowl topped with smoked paprika and olive oil, with cherry tomatoes and pita breads on the side.

    How To Make Baba Ganoush

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Remove the outer flaky layers of a head of garlic, leaving the inner skins intact. Use a knife to chop off just the tips of each clove. Place the head of garlic into foil and pour over 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Use your fingers to rub the oil around the sides of the garlic so that the garlic is covered with the oil and then close it up in the foil.
    • Poke holes in your eggplants with a fork and place the eggplants and the foil wrapped head of garlic onto a parchment lined baking tray.
    Two photo collage showing head of garlic in foil and then on a parchment lined baking tray with three whole eggplants.
    • Bake in the oven at 465°F for 45 minutes.
    Two photo collage showing baked eggplants on a baking tray and then the garlic unwrapped from the foil.
    • Once baked, let the eggplant and garlic cool on the tray. When cool, pop the roasted cloves of garlic out of the skins.
    Two photo collage showing the roasted garlic popped out into a bowl.
    • Slice the eggplants in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
    Two photo collage showing scooping out the flesh from baked eggplants.
    • Place the eggplant flesh and roasted garlic into a food processor along with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, cumin, smoked paprika and salt.
    • Process until smooth.
    Two photo collage showing ingredients for baba ganoush in a food processor and processed.
    • Your baba ganoush is ready to serve!
    Baba ganoush in a bowl topped with smoked paprika and olive oil, with cherry tomatoes and pita breads on the side.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve topped with smoked paprika and drizzled with olive oil, with raw veggies on the side or pita breads for dipping.

    It’s also GREAT served as a dip for chips! Or use it as a healthy spread for sandwiches instead of using vegan butter or mayonnaise.

    Pita bread dipped into a bowl of baba ganoush.

    Storing Tips

    Keep it stored in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days.

    It’s also freezer friendly. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and then stir very well before use.

    Pita bread dipped into a bowl of baba ganoush.

    More Delicious Vegan Dips

    • Vegan Tzatziki
    • Roasted Garlic Hummus
    • Vegan French Onion Dip
    • Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Baba ganoush in a black bowl topped with olive oil and smoked paprika.

    Baba Ganoush (Moutabel)

    This baba ganoush is the best! Also called moutabel, it's a creamy, tangy and savory roasted eggplant dip. The perfect appetizer or side.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Dip
    Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 144kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 1 Head Garlic
    • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
    • 1 ½ Pounds Eggplant (680g)
    • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice Freshly squeezed
    • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    • ⅓ cup Tahini (80g)
    • ¼ teaspoon Cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ½ teaspooon Salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 465°F (240°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Remove just the outer flaky layers of the head of garlic, leaving the inner skins intact. Using a knife chop off just the tips of each clove. Place in foil and pour over 1 teaspoon of olive oil and rub it around the sides so that the garlic is covered with the oil and then close it up in the foil.
    • Poke holes in your eggplants with a fork and place the eggplants and the foil wrapped head of garlic onto the parchment lined baking tray. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
    • Once baked, let the eggplant and garlic cool on the tray. When cool, pop the roasted cloves of garlic out of the skins. Slice the eggplants in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.
    • Place the eggplant flesh and roasted garlic into the food processor along with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Process until smooth.
    • Serve topped with smoked paprika and drizzled with olive oil, with raw veggies on the side or pita breads for dipping.

    Notes

    1. Keep it stored in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days.
    2. It’s also freezer friendly. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and then stir very well before use.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Taylor says

      November 08, 2022 at 1:22 am

      Loved it! So savory! Should have made a double batch!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 09, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Awesome! Thanks so much Taylor!

        Reply
    2. Lauren McIntyre says

      January 31, 2021 at 6:00 pm

      what food processor do you recommend?? slowly working my way through this website; hoping to say ive made everything one day xD on some julie & julia ish!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 01, 2021 at 10:34 am

        Hahaha, I love that! We actually don’t have an amazing food processor it’s quite small, and a fairly basic Kenwood model that I don’t think is widely available anymore. Nonetheless it still works well! We do need to replace it one of these days but I haven’t yet done the research to have a solid recommendation in that respect.

        Reply
    3. Alyssa says

      January 16, 2021 at 6:52 pm

      Very tasty! I changed it a bit by broiling the eggplant for 12 minutes (to char the skin), then pressure cooking for 5 min, and blended with skin on. Garnished with sumac, yum! Thanks for sharing!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 17, 2021 at 12:18 pm

        Awesome! Thanks for sharing Alyssa!

        Reply
    4. Lynn says

      November 18, 2018 at 7:14 pm

      Questions….

      1. Trying to watch salt intake. Any alternatives to sea salt or low-sodium options?
      2. How long can the baba ganoush stay in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 19, 2018 at 2:42 pm

        Hi Lynn, you could use a low sodium salt, it’s added ‘to taste’ so you can use as much or as little as you want. It does need a little salt or it would taste quite bland, but you can use a small amount of a low sodium option. It lasts 2-3 days in the fridge. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sonny says

      June 12, 2018 at 7:17 pm

      Hi Alison, recipe is awesome, one question can the garlic be replaced with something? As we are no onion and garlic on top of being vegan!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 13, 2018 at 2:26 pm

        Hi Sonny, you can leave it out, it would be fine without it. I have another similar recipe coming soon as well for eggplant dip that doesn’t have any garlic so keep an eye out for that one! But this one should be fine without the addition of the roasted garlic. All the best! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Angela says

      March 18, 2018 at 1:03 am

      Easy as you said! Creamy and yummy!!! I did 3 garlic pods! Thanks for such a great recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 18, 2018 at 6:52 am

        Great stuff! Thanks for sharing Angela! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Cathy says

      October 21, 2016 at 9:54 pm

      Thanks for a complete step by step recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 23, 2016 at 2:17 pm

        Sure Cathy! You’re totally welcome! 🙂

        Reply

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