The Best Baba Ganoush with Blistered Tomatoes and Feta

Get your grill nice and hot over medium-high heat. Slice your eggplant in half lengthwise and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the eggplant cut side down (skin side up) directly on the grill grates.

Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your eggplants, until the skin is nice and charred and the inside is soft and scoopable. You want that smoky flavor, so don’t be afraid to let them get a little blackened!

While the eggplant is cooking, toss your cherry tomatoes in a grill-safe skillet with a generous drizzle of EVOO. Pop the skillet on the grill and let the tomatoes cook for 8-10 minutes, until they’re softened, blistered, and just about ready to burst. They’ll caramelize slightly and bring the best flavor.

Once your eggplants are cooked, scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a colander set over a bowl. Let it drain for at least 10 minutes — this is key! Eggplant can hold a lot of moisture, and draining it helps prevent watery baba ganoush. You can gently press it down with a spoon to help things along.

Add the drained eggplant to your food processor or high-speed blender along with the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and smoked paprika. Pulse a few times to get things going, then slowly stream in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil while blending.

Finish with a few more pulses until it’s smooth but still has a little texture. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Don’t skip the salt — it brings all those roasted flavors to life. Serve with pita bread, crackers or fresh veggies!