Vegan, Gluten-free Baba Ganoush Without Tahini

By Jolinda Hackett

Updated 09/09/18

Eggplant dip with parsley and whole grain flat bread
OlgaLepeshkina / Getty Images
Ratings (27)
  • Total: 50 mins
  • Prep: 50 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
29 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
1g Protein
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Baba ghanoush is a roasted eggplant dip popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is commonly known to have tahini as an ingredient, but you can make baba ganoush without it. Actually, not all baba ghanoush recipes call for tahini. Like most ethnic recipes, there is a myriad of local and regional variations, and there's not really one right or wrong way to prepare this dish. The only truly essential ingredient in baba ghanoush is eggplant (which is roasted to achieve the dish's signature smoky taste). Everything else varies from recipe to recipe. 

This baba ganoush recipe has no oil and no tahini, making it a fat-free vegetarian and vegan appetizer or dip that you can enjoy anytime. In addition, all of the ingredients are gluten-free, but you will probably want to read the ingredients on your onion powder carefully to see if there are any gluten-containing hidden additives. 

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-sized eggplants
  • Optional: olive oil for drizzling
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 5 cloves minced garlic (preferably roasted)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Steps to Make It

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Slice each of the eggplants in half and pierce with a fork in several places. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until soft. If you're not worried about added fat, you can drizzle the eggplants with a bit of olive oil first.

Once the eggplants are soft, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Scoop out inside of eggplant into the bowl of a food processor or blender, discarding the skin.

Process eggplant with remaining ingredients until smooth. You can also mash all the ingredients together with a fork if you prefer a slightly chunkier texture.