Zucchini Baba Ganoush (Smokey Courgette Dip)

This zucchini baba ganoush is smokey, creamy and absolutely the perfect summer dip for making when you've grown too many zucchini! Made with grilled or roasted zucchini, then whipped until creamy with tahini and garlic, it's a great dip to make and eat all summer!

this recipe

Anyone who has grown courgettes or zucchini will know that you always (ALWAYS) overestimate how many you can eat in one summer, and every year you will grow approximately 2 x too many plants. This is why I've come up with this genius way to help avoid food waste by eating them up!

This particular recipe is perfect for using up a glut of zucchini. It's a riff on my favourite classic baba ganoush recipe, but uses seasonal courgettes (aka zucchini). It's also utterly brilliant because it works amazingly with those extra large zucchini that somehow hide from you & try and turn into marrows when you're not looking (so sneaky)

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• 🥒Ingredients:
• 👩‍🍳How To:
• 🌶️Substitutions and Variations
• 🔪Equipment
• 🥫Storage
• ❓FAQ
• 🍋Similar Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🥒Ingredients:

• Courgette/Zucchini: this is a great way to use up odd-sized produce or a garden glut of zucchini. Especially at the end of the summer when everyone's zucchini plants go a little crazy!
• Tahini: this is a Sesame paste that when combined with the zucchini flesh whips up to a lovely creamy dip. Make sure to use a good quality tahini and to give it a good mix to even out the oil and thicker paste.
• Parsley: (optional): Adds a brightness of flavour and is pretty too!
• Lemon Juice: For some zip and zing to balance out the smokey flavour. You could also add lemon zest for added zip.
• Garlic: A single garlic clove is all you need. Adds a little heat and depth of garlicky flavour!
• Flakey Sea Salt: to enhance the flavors.

The other great thing about this baba ganoush-like dip recipe is that it can be made on a gas BBQ or a charcoal grill, so you don't even need to stuff up the kitchen if you choose not to. It works best when you char the outside of the courgette- leaving the inside soft and smoky. You can use your grill to achieve this, but a BBQ works just as well, if not better, which at this time of year it's likely to already be lit ready for some tasty BBQ action.

If you're wanting to make this as part of a Mezze inspired feast, this balila (aka chickpeas cooked with spices) would be amazing, maybe with some Malfouf Cabbage Salad and plenty of pita bread or chopped fresh veggies to scoop it all up.

👩‍🍳How To:

1. Grill or BBQ your zucchini until they're blackened on the outside and soft and squishy in the middle. Use tongs to flip them so they are griddled and slightly blackened all over.
2. Be careful not to over-burn them or there won't be any of their insides left to blend up!
3. Remove the worst of the charred skins.
4. Whizz the cooked zucchini up in your blender or food processor with all the other ingredients! Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as needed.
5. To serve, put the Zucchini Baba bhaganoush onto a plate and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve with pita chips, crackers or fluffy flatbread.

🌶️Substitutions and Variations

Here are some easy little ways to change up this healthy dip recipe:

1. Lightly toast some pine nuts or pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top.
2. Finish the top of the dip with some olive oil and chili flakes.
3. Whip some vegan yoghurt through the dip for extra tangyness
4. Add chopped fresh herbs when whipping up the dip. I usually add fresh parsley, however basil or dill also go well with the zucchini flavor.
5. Swirl some extra virgin olive oil on top, and sprinkle with flakey sea salt for extra magic.

🔪Equipment

You'll need the following to make this zucchini baba ghanoush- A grill, bbq hotplate, oven or air fryer to give the zucchini a lovely smoky char. This recipe does work best over a flame or direct heat, however you can get pretty good results in an oven or air fryer. You'll also need a blender or food processor to blend up the dip.

🥫Storage

This dip keeps well in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. I don't recommend freezing this recipe. Best served at room temperature!

❓FAQ

🍋Similar Recipes

Want some more versatile vegetable dips? Try some of these:

📖 Recipe