Babaganoush Dip

Our raw babaganoush dip is a low carb, low calorie snack that is also Keto friendly. This Mediterranean inspired babaghanoush recipe is sure to please that savory craving for something delicious and nutritious.

I love eggplant and in this recipe I used small locally grown Italian eggplants, but you can use any type you prefer. The deep aubergine color of this variety of eggplant should be smooth and shiny. You can peel the skin off or leave it on, but I have a slight sensitivity to it, so I removed the skin.

The trick to making a raw eggplant dish is slicing it across as opposed to lengthwise. This takes away a couple of steps from traditional eggplant preparation techniques by eliminating that pesky stringy element. Also, since this recipe requires time in the dehydrator, it also removes the need to salt and drain.

I spent many Saturday nights helping my mother prepare the eggplant for Sunday’s supper. It never made it to the table as my dad and I would nibble on it for lunch long before the dinner bell rang.

RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Babaganoush Dip

3 cloves garlic (crushed)

2 small eggplants (peeled)

2 tblsp tahini

1 lemon (juiced)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp salt

Cucumber slices

Slice peeled eggplants into 1″ thick circles or cubes. Place eggplants in a bowl with all ingredients except the tahini, using only a 1/4 cup olive oil. Toss until ingredients are well mixed and set aside covered for 1-2 hours.

Spread eggplant and whatever is left in the bowl on a silicon sheet. Set the dehydrator to 135 degrees for 4 hours. Eggplant should be soft to the touch. If you cut it too thick, just leave it in longer, too thin you can take it out sooner. Remove eggplant from the dehydrator and blend with remaining olive oil and tahini.

*Serve with cucumbers, carrots, celery or whatever strikes your fancy. Garnish with pimentos, tomatoes or homemade olives. Spread the babaghanoush on lettuce and roll it up with your favorite veggies for raw sandwich rolls…you’ll have to excuse me, that’s exactly what I’m going to do right now. Enjoy!