Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus


Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus

Anytime I visit a Mediterranean restaurant

that offers Hummus AND Baba Ghanoush, I get them both. I ALWAYS tell myself that I need to learn how to make Baba Ghanoush.

I never do.

And now, I’ve decided to just cancel that idea (or put it on hold) and make a combination of both the Hummus and Baba Ghanoush because lets be real, I want BOTH and ultimately will mix them together on my plate.

To make this even better,

I have opted to create this recipe oil-free. It is perfect for those following a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle or just don’t want the extra calories/fat.

What is Hummus? What is Baba Ghanoush?

Hummus is a spread or dip made, most commonly, with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. You will see it featured in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines.

In the U.S. grocery stores, you can find it with many other additions like Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Pine Nuts, Olives, Sriracha, Everything Bagel seasoning or even Artichoke Spinach.

I personally like to make my own hummus but we often will purchase it. I have two companies that are my favorites and I like an original, regular hummus. My recommendations are Cedar’s and if you like non-traditional flavors, check out Roots Hummus. They have some of the most eclectic flavors I’ve ever seen.

Baba Ghanoush has essentially the same ingredients as Hummus except cooked Eggplant replaces the Chickpeas. You will see it in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants as well. Different countries may add or change out different ingredients so double check the one you try is vegan.

Unfortunately, I cannot recall ever seeing Baba Ghanoush in the grocery. This may be why it is such a treat when I see it on a menu or why I’m so excited for this recipe now.

What ingredients do we need?

Garlic. You will need a full bulb of garlic as we will be roasting the whole thing alongside the Eggplant.

Eggplant. Did you know Eggplant is a fruit? How about that! It’s also in the nightshade plants which include potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Look for a medium size eggplant that is smooth and shiny. Dull skin shows it is passing its prime and may be turning bitter.

Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans. For this recipe, I have used canned chickpeas, drained. But you are more than welcome to cook your own from scratch.

Tahini. Tahini is a seed butter made from ground and toasted sesame seeds. It is most commonly found in hummus and baba ghanoush but I also make dressing recipes using it.

Lemon Juice. Fresh juice from an actual lemon is recommended but you can use bottled lemon juice. You will need 2 lemons.

Cumin. Ground cumin can be found in many recipes including curries, hummus, chili and Mexican dishes. I have included it in my Sweet & Spicy Enchiladas, Vegan Taco Pizza and my easy Chana Masala recipe.

Salt. “Salt is born of the purest parents: the sun and the sea” – Pythagoras

Paprika or Smoked Paprika. To sprinkle on top when serving. I prefer smoked paprika.

How do we create this hummus?

Roasting the Eggplant and Garlic

We first roast the Eggplant and garlic. This super simple process will take 60-90 minutes, which includes prep time and cool time.
Make sure to pre-plan for time.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Move one of your oven racks to the middle then line with foil or parchment paper.
  2. Wash your eggplant with cold water. Towel dry.
  3. Peel as much of the garlic bulb while still keeping all cloves intact. Cut about a 1/4″ off the top of the bulb then check that each clove on the sides is slightly exposed. Wrap in foil. (see pics below)
  4. Place the eggplant and garlic on the foil or parchment paper. Bake until very tender; will take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Mine was perfect at exactly 1 hour.
  5. Remove both. Open up foil from the garlic. Slice down the middle of the eggplant. Let cool until you can easily handle them.
Blending your Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus
  1. With your cooled garlic, use your hands to squeeze all of the garlic out of the clove wrappers. Squeeze on to a plate to ensure you do get any wrappers in it.
  2. Cut the top of the eggplant off then peel the skin off.
  3. In a food processor that can hold at least 6 cups (this will make 4 cups but you do need the extra room to ensure all of your ingredients initially fit), add the roasted garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Blend on low.
  4. Scrape down the sides with a spatula then add the rest of your ingredients. Blend well until combined and creamy; again, scraping down the sides as needed.
  5. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for a couple days.

What to serve your Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus with…

  • The simplest would be to serve it with crackers, preferably pita crackers or chips.
  • Make a sandwich with it. Two pieces of your favorite bread, slather some hummus on, sliced apple, grated carrot and some greens. YUM!
  • With the most obvious–a Mediterranean plate full of falafel, greens, chopped tomato, sliced cucumber and vegan feta. Our favorite is Violife’s Feta.
  • Or in a random veggie bowl like I made in the pic below. I filled my bowl with spring greens then topped it with rice, sliced cherry tomatoes, shaved carrots, mushrooms marinated in a little soy sauce then air fried with the cauliflower. Top it all with the Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus. I mix the hummus into everything–it acts as my dressing. You could also sprinkle some Balsamic Vinegar on as well.

I hope you enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus

Recipe by Jen HortonCuisine: Middle Eastern, MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes
Blend Time

5

minutes
Calories

141

kcal

The perfect combination of hummus and baba ghanoush! A blend of roasted garlic, eggplant, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and cumin. Vegan & Oil Free

Ingredients

  • garlic bulb, (an intact head of garlic)

  • eggplant, 1 medium (about 1 pound)

  • chickpeas/garbanzo beans, 1 15oz can, drained

  • tahini, 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp

  • lemon juice, 3 tbsp (approximately 1 1/2 lemons)

  • cumin, 1/2 tsp

  • salt, 1 tsp

  • smoked paprika (can also use paprika), 1/8 tsp to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions

  • Roasting the Eggplant and Garlic
  • Preheat oven to 350 degree. Move one of your oven racks to the middle then line with foil or parchment paper.
  • Wash your eggplant with cold water. Towel dry.
  • Peel as much of the garlic bulb while still keeping all cloves intact. Cut about a 1/4″ off the top of the bulb then check that each clove on the sides is slightly exposed. Wrap in foil.
  • Place the eggplant and garlic on the foil or parchment paper. Bake until very tender; will take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Mine was perfect at exactly 1 hour.
  • Remove both. Open up foil from the garlic. Slice down the middle of the eggplant. Let cool until you can easily handle them.
  • Blending your Roasted Garlic Eggplant Hummus
  • With your cooled garlic, use your hands to squeeze all of the garlic out of the clove wrappers. Squeeze on to a plate to ensure you do get any wrappers in it.
  • Cut the top of the eggplant off then peel the skin off.
  • In a food processor that can hold at least 6 cups (this will make 4 cups but you do need the extra room to ensure all of your ingredients initially fit), add the roasted garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Blend on low.
  • Scrape down the sides with a spatula then add the rest of your ingredients. Blend well until combined and creamy; again, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Notes

  • We first roast the Eggplant and garlic. This super simple process will take 60-90 minutes, which includes prep time and cool time. Make sure to pre-plan for time.
  • This recipe should yield 4 cups which means 1 servings = 1/2 cup.
    To decrease the calories/fat even more, you can do 1/4 cup servings which will give you 16 servings total at
    71 calories | 3.6 F | 8.1 C | 2.8 P

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