Vegan, Gluten-Free Baba Ganoush Without Tahini

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Jolinda Hackett
Updated 09/29/20
Baba ganoush in a bowl with pita bread wedges

The Spruce / Anastasiia Tretiak
Prep: 50 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 95 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
29 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 29
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 1g
Calcium 18mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Baba ganoush is a roasted eggplant dip popular in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, that is traditionally vegan and gluten-free. Many recipes include tahini as an ingredient, but you can make it without tahini. There are myriad local and regional variations of how to do it; there's not really one right or wrong way to prepare this dish. The only truly essential ingredient in baba ganoush 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 naturally 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. Serve it with some wedges of fresh pita bread, or pita chips.

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Ingredients

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

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400 F.

    Ingredients for baba ganoush
    The Spruce / Anastasiia Tretiak

  2. Slice each of the eggplants in half and pierce with a fork in several places.

    Slice eggplants
    The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  3. 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.

    Roast in the oven
    The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  4. 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.

    Scoop out inside of eggplant
    The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  5. 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. Serve and enjoy!

    Process eggplant
    The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak