Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush

When it comes to dips, baba ganoush is one of my favourites, and this roasted garlic version is next level! It’s rich, smoky, and wonderfully creamy—the perfect balance of simplicity and bold flavours. What makes this version stand out is the addition of roasted garlic. While traditional baba ganoush usually relies on the smoky aubergine to carry the flavour, the roasted garlic brings a new depth and sweetness that pairs beautifully with the aubergine’s natural smokiness.

If you’re looking for an easy yet impressive dish to serve with flatbreads or as part of a mezze platter, this Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush is the one to make. With just a handful of ingredients, you’ll transform aubergines into a dip that feels indulgent yet fresh. Added bonus: it comes together with minimal effort.

Table of Contents

Roasted garlic baba ganoush, topped with olive oil and spices.

Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush: Ingredient Breakdown

  • Aubergines: The foundation of baba ganoush. Charred until their skins are blistered and blackened, then peeled to reveal soft, smoky flesh.
  • Garlic bulb: Roasted to bring out its natural sweetness. Adds depth and richness to the dip.
  • Good-quality tahini: Smooth and pourable, tahini gives the baba ganoush its creamy texture and earthy flavour. (See my notes below on picking the best tahini!)
  • Extra-virgin olive oil: Used in the dip and for drizzling on top. Adds richness and a fruity bite.
  • Lemon juice: Provides essential acidity, balancing out the richness of the tahini and olive oil.
  • Ground cumin: A warm, aromatic spice that complements the smokiness of the aubergine.
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley: Chopped finely for garnish, adding freshness to each bite.
  • Za’atar (optional): A Middle Eastern spice blend that adds an extra hit of flavour on top of the baba ganoush.
Charring aubergines over a gas hob.
Charring aubergines over an open flame makes them nice and smoky!

Charring the Aubergines: Getting That Smoky Flavour

The secret to a truly delicious Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush lies in how you cook the aubergines. The smokiness is the star of the show, and the gas hob method is unbeatable for achieving it. Placing the aubergines directly on the flame allows them to blacken quickly, infusing the flesh with that unmistakable smoky flavour. The aubergines collapse into themselves, becoming incredibly soft while their skins blister and burn.

If you don’t have a gas hob, don’t worry. The oven grill method is still a great alternative. It takes a bit longer, but you’ll still get a lovely char on the aubergines. While this method won’t produce quite the same intensity of smokiness, it’s miles better than just roasting the aubergines without any charring at all.

Whichever method you choose, after the aubergines are charred, cover them with cling film to steam. This makes it much easier to peel away the burnt skins, leaving only the soft, smoky flesh behind.

Draining the aubergine flesh is another key step that’s often overlooked. Aubergines contain a lot of water, which can dilute the flavour of the baba ganoush. By letting the flesh sit in a sieve for a few minutes, you concentrate the flavours, ensuring a rich, intense dip.

Charred aubergines, ready to be peeled.
This is what the aubergines will look like post charring.

Roasted Garlic Makes Baba Ganoush Ever Better!

Roasted garlic is a game-changer in this recipe. Instead of using raw garlic, which can sometimes be harsh and overpowering, roasting mellows its flavour, bringing out its sweetness. The result is soft, caramelised cloves that melt into the baba ganoush, creating a silky smooth texture and adding a layer of complexity.

To roast the garlic, simply cut the top off a garlic bulb to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap it in foil. After 45 minutes in the oven, the cloves will be soft, golden, and ready to squeeze out. The gentle sweetness from the roasted garlic complements the smokiness of the aubergine beautifully.

Great Baba Ganoush Requires Great Tahini

Tahini is an essential ingredient in this Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush, but not all tahini is created equal. Poor-quality tahini can be gritty, thick, and bitter, ruining the overall balance of the dip. The good stuff, on the other hand, is smooth, silky, and pourable, with a well-balanced, nutty flavour. It makes a world of difference.

I always recommend opting for Middle Eastern brands when it comes to tahini. They tend to have a much better flavour and texture compared to the supermarket own-brand versions, which can often be disappointing. A few of my favourite brands include Baracke, Al Nakhil, Al Taj, or Belazu. These deliver the kind of creamy consistency you want in baba ganoush.

Roasted garlic baba ganoush, topped with olive oil and spices.

Blending It All Together: The Perfect Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush

Once your aubergine is drained and your garlic is roasted, the rest of the process is simple. Mash the aubergine flesh with a fork, and combine it with the roasted garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and cumin. Season generously with salt and mix vigorously until the mixture is creamy and emulsified. This step ensures everything is well combined, giving you that perfect dip consistency.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed—baba ganoush should have a balance of smokiness, sweetness from the garlic, richness from the olive oil, and a slight tang from the lemon.

Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush: Serving Suggestions

This Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush is incredibly versatile. I love serving it as a dip with warm flatbreads or alongside an array of crunchy crudités. For garnish, a sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a burst of colour and freshness, while za’atar gives an extra layer of spice and texture if you want to add a bit of flair.

Storing Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush

If you’re making this Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush in advance, it stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container, covered with a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil to prevent it from drying out. I recommend bringing it to room temperature before serving, as the flavours are more pronounced when the dip isn’t ice cold.

Final Thoughts

This Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush is the perfect balance of smoky, creamy, and rich, with layers of flavour that make it so much more than just a simple dip. From the charred aubergine to the sweet roasted garlic and the silky tahini, each ingredient brings something unique to the table, creating a dish that’s perfect for sharing. Whether you’re serving it as part of a mezze spread, dipping in flatbreads, or enjoying it with some crunchy crudités, this baba ganoush is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Give it a go, and don’t forget to seek out that good-quality tahini—it truly makes all the difference.

More Dips For You To Try!

If you love this Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush, why not try one of my other delicious dip recipes? I’m sure you’ll love them! 

  • Sweet Potato Hummus: A creamy blend of roasted sweet potatoes and traditional hummus for a sweet and savoury twist.
  • Smoky Aubergine and Red Pepper Dip: This smoky aubergine and red pepper dip is my take on kyopolou, a delicious Bulgarian aubergine dip. It’s smoky and a little zingy, and it’s one of those dishes that gets better over time, making it the perfect make-ahead dish for your next summer get-together. 
  • Guacamole: Who doesn’t love guacamole?! Serve with tortilla chips for a perfect snack or starter, dollop it on tacos and burritos, or get creative and use it as a sandwich spread – the possibilities are endless!
  • Caramelised Onion Hummus: Smooth hummus infused with the rich sweetness of caramelised onions, perfect for dipping or spreading.
  • Roasted Tomato and Mushroom Loaded Hummus: Homemade classic hummus, topped with juicy roasted tomatoes and mushrooms seasoned with raw el hanout.
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Roasted Garlic Baba Ganoush

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Baba ganoush is a rich, creamy, and smoky aubergine dip originating from the Levant region. I love adding roasted garlic to mine – its deep, rich sweetness pairs so beautifully with the smoky aubergine flesh.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 aubergines
  • 1 large garlic bulb
  • 4 tbsp good-quality tahini (see Notes)
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • ½ tsp ground cumin

To serve: 

  • small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • za’atar, optional
  • flatbreads and/or crudités

Instructions

  1. Gas hob method: place the aubergines directly over a gas burner set to high. Cook, turning frequently, until completely blackened and collapsing, around 10 minutes.
  2. Oven method: heat your oven grill to high. Place the aubergines on a foil-lined baking tray and prick all over with a fork. Grill, turning occasionally, until blackened and blistered on the outside and completely softened in the middle, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the strength of your grill. Note: this method won’t yield as smoky an aubergine as the open flame method, but it’s better than simply roasting it.
  3. Whichever method you use, transfer the charred aubergine to a large bowl, cover with cling film and leave to steam for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the burnt skins.
  4. Mash the flesh with a fork and transfer to a sieve to drain – this will concentrate the flavour of your baba ganoush.
  5. In the meantime, you can prep the roasted garlic. Heat your oven to 200°C / fan 180°C. Remove the papery outer layers of the garlic bulbs, ensuring you don’t loosen the cloves or remove all of the skin. Using a sharp knife, cut the tips off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves.
  6. Place each of the garlic bulbs on a small piece of aluminium foil. Drizzle with oil, wrap up into a parcel, place on in a small baking tin and roast for 45 minutes.
  7. Remove the garlic bulbs from the foil and leave to cool for 15 minutes, then squeeze out the garlic cloves.
  8. Place the drained aubergine flesh, roasted garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon and cumin in a medium mixing bowl and season generously with salt. Mix vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, or until creamy and emulsified. Taste and adjust the salt level to your liking.
  9. Transfer to a bowl, top with the fresh parsley, a sprinkle of za’atar and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, then serve with flatbreads and/or crudités and enjoy.

Notes

  1. Not all tahini is created equal. Poor-quality tahini is thick, clumpy, gritty, and bitter. Good-quality tahini is smooth, pourable and balanced, not bitter. Where possible, I recommend avoiding supermarket own-brand tahini and opting for Middle-Eastern versions instead. Some of my favourite tahini brands are Baracke, Al Nakhil, Al Taj and Belazu.
  2. Storage: the baba ganoush will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

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Hello!

Hi! I’m Zena. A recipe developer with a love for big, bold flavours and vibrant, colourful dishes. Expect lots of easy, delicious recipes, influenced by global flavours and techniques. Happy cooking!

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