As an ultra fan of hummus, I proclaim this roasted eggplant hummus the second-best thing. You can char or bake the whole eggplant which gives it a smoky, deep flavor that is just fabulous! Ready in 45 minutes, it's a flavorful and healthy dip recipe!
Versatile and delicious
I can eat hummus every single day. Or something along those lines. I am a true fan.
I used to be a purist. I would stick to the original recipe I got from a friend, with real chickpeas (not from a can), tahini, no oil in the mix but only to serve, and so on.
Despite my efforts, other ingredients like eggplant puree found their way into it, and I also declared myself a fan of those variations, like the avocado hummus.
Before we dive into this super easy recipe, should we say it's eggplant hummus or chickpea baba ganoush? I guess both work.
This is a fantastic dip as part of a charcuterie board or served on its own with homemade crackers or warm pita bread (whole or baked chips).
What our readers are saying:
Simply FABULOUS! A new favorite for SURE. (Jeanette)
I roasted the eggplant in the oven. This is such an easy recipe, and the results are delicious. Thank you! (Karen)
Love this recipe. I used 4 fresh from the garden Japanese eggplants and one head of garlic, roasted both. Made it to the exact recipe, and it was awesome! Thanks! Easy Peasy! (Bea)
The eggplants
I use Italian eggplants, which are the most common and popular.
When raw, they are bitter, astringent, and a bit sandy—not much to like, in my opinion. And I can't think of a good way to eat them raw. But bake or char them, and wow! They become this fantastic, soft, fleshy thing with an attractive, smoky flavor.
How to choose good eggplants: They should be firm, have a shiny and smooth surface, and be even-colored.
Prepare the eggplants
They can be baked in the oven or charred on an open flame. I prefer the charring method, but don't get me wrong: both make a super flavorful eggplant hummus.
Charring:
This is my absolute favorite way of cooking eggplants for hummus. Why? Because the smoky flavor is much deeper. And I think that is what makes all the difference. And it's done in 10 minutes or so.
- Put the whole, unpeeled, raw eggplant over an open flame, a burner in this case, but you can do it on the grill, too. It will be somewhat messy if you do it directly, with bits of charred skin falling off the eggplant and sticking to the burner or grill. But that is cleaned in no time after you're done. Trust me. I wouldn't do it this way if I had to spend ten minutes scrubbing the burner afterward.
- You can cover the burner with aluminum foil or use a heat diffuser, which is necessary if you have an electric stove. I do it directly and then clean it up with a wet cloth. It takes thirty seconds.
- The skin starts to char, and, with the help of kitchen tongs, you turn it periodically so that all sides are charred.
- It might take more or less depending on the size of the eggplant, so it's best to use a low/medium flame. You need to cook the inside before the skin becomes a mess. Make sure the inside is soft. You can feel it when you poke with the same tongs.
- You must keep turning and holding it over the flame until it's all charred and soft. It doesn't matter if the skin falls in some parts and the flesh is directly over the flame.
- The charred skin is easily removed with a spoon or smooth-bladed knife. The pulp is chopped before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
These are the kitchen tongs I use and love.
Baking:
Another way of cooking the eggplants is by baking them in the oven. This is probably the most common way. The results are also great.
- I like to line the oven pan with aluminum foil so I don't have to scrub it afterward.
- The eggplant is cut in half, and a crisscross pattern is made with the tip of a knife. Some freshly ground pepper, a little salt, a drizzle of olive oil (image above, left), and into the oven for 45-60 minutes.
- It takes a while, much more than the charring does. But the flavor is amazing.
- Garlic: the recipe calls for roasted garlic cloves, so I just pop the whole head of garlic, top cut off (image above), and drizzle with olive oil.
Once the eggplant is roasted long enough for the flesh to darken and soften, the pulp comes off easily with a spoon.
The oven is the best way to prepare the eggplants if you have other things to do while making this step, as you simply pop the pan in the oven and wait.
It's really hard to overbake the eggplant, though you might need to check on the garlic clove as it will be ready before.
Mixing
This step is as easy as putting all the ingredients in a bowl and processing them until smooth.
- Immersion blender: this is my favorite way because it's fast and I can use any jar or bowl to do it.
- Blender: I like how it makes it ultra smooth, but it's hard to take all of the hummus from the jar after it's blended.
- Food processor: this will make a chunkier or not-so-smooth hummus in my experience. Which is great if you're going for a more rustic dip.
Kitchen Notes
- Eggplants: use firm, unblemished, shiny ones. Those are signs of a good eggplant.
- Charring: if you use this method, it's better to use medium/small eggplants because they will soften inside faster.
- Ratios: I give you my favorite recipe, but the ratio of eggplant, garlic, and other ingredients can be varied according to your taste. I like it with a lot of eggplant pulp, which means more lemon. the same with salt and pepper. Your taste is what matters.
- Storing: it lasts several days in the fridge; cover or wrap it well.
- Uses: it's a great spread for sandwiches, as a dip with pita chips and wraps before a meal.
- Dried garbanzo beans: if using dried beans, put ¾ cup dried chickpeas in a medium bowl, cover with water by an inch or two, and soak overnight. They will absorb most or all of the liquid. Drain, put in a saucepan and cover with fresh water. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until soft, about 1 hour. Drain and cool. Makes 2 cups cooked chickpeas.
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Eggplant Hummus
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tahini, sesame seed paste
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained if canned or ¾ cup dried and cooked until tender, see notes, below
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup eggplant pulp, about 1 medium
- ⅓ cup warm water, or more if needed
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- olive oil, for garnish
- ground paprika or cumin, smoked or regular, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
For the hummus:
- Put ¼ cup tahini, ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice and 1 garlic clove in a medium bowl or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Cover and process until smooth. I use the immersion blender a lot for this; it's easier to clean than the large processor.
- Add 2 cups cooked chickpeas, 1 cup eggplant pulp, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the ⅓ cup warm water, one tablespoon at a time, and process. Check consistency and add all of the water if necessary. The mixture will thicken when it's refrigerated.
- Check and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the hummus to an airtight container and refrigerate.
- To serve, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with ground paprika or cumin and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley. It keeps for a week in the refrigerator.
For the eggplants:
- Charring method: put 1 medium whole, washed eggplant directly on the burner flame. The skin starts to char and, with the help of kitchen tongs, you turn it periodically so that all sides are charred.
- It might take more or less depending on the size of the eggplant, so it's best to use a low/medium flame. You need to cook the inside before the skin becomes a mess. Make sure the inside is soft. You can feel it when you poke with the same tongs.
- You need to keep turning, even hold it over the flame until it's all charred and soft. It doesn't matter if the skin falls in some parts as the flesh is directly over the flame.
- Baking method: cut eggplant in half and put it on an oven pan lined with aluminum paper (for easier cleaning).
- Score each half in a criss-cross pattern, drizzle with olive oil, and add some salt and black pepper.
- Roast in a 180ºC (350ºF) oven for about 45 minutes or until the pulp is very soft and golden. Let cool and scrape the pulp with a spoon.
Notes
Makes 2 cups cooked chickpeas.
Edith says
Roasted the eggplant in the air fryer came out so nice. Great flavor
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks for the heads-up Edith! Will add it to the recipe card as an alternative.
Carrie says
Really good! I add extra lemon juice and two roasted eggplants total for maximum flavor.
Karen says
I roasted the eggplant in the oven. This is such an easy recipe and the results are delicious. Thank you!
Elena says
We love hummus and we love baba ganoush. This sounds like a perfect combination. Can't wait to try it.
Paula Montenegro says
Let me know how it goes if you do Elena!
Linda says
If I roast the garlic, how many cloves should I use?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Linda, you can use more than one, depending on how much garlic flavor you want. I would use two or three.
laura says
I found that the amount of lemon was too much in this recipe, I would use just 5 tablespoons next time
Jeanette Lee says
Simply FABULOUS! a new favorite for SURE.
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks so much for letting me know Jeanette! Have a great week.
Laura says
Hello,
Sounds a very lovely recipe
Can it be done by itself with out the chickpeas?
Or green peas instead?
Thank you
Laura chavez
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Laura! It can, but it won't be hummus without the chickpeas, it will be baba ganoush and it's also fantastic! I never tried it with peas, so can't comment on that. Have a great week.
Bea Perez says
Love this recipe. Made it for my niece visiting from CA. I used 4 fresh from the garden Japanese eggplants and one head of garlic, roasted both. Made it to the exact recipe and it was awesome! Thanks! Easy Peasy!
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to hear this Bea! Thanks for the comment.
susan | the wimpy vegetarian says
I am totally ON THIS!! We're going to a pot-luck on Labor Day, and I'm totally making this!!!! I think I'll make extra, and put it in a pretty jar and take extra to her as a gift! LOVE THIS!
Paula Montenegro says
So nice to see your comment Susan!
Dannii says
What a great twist on humus. I have to try this!