Baba ghanoush (/ˌbɑːbə ɡəˈnuːʃ/ BAH-bə gə-NOOSH, UK also /- ɡæˈnuːʃ/ -⁠ gan-OOSH, US also /- ɡəˈnuːʒ/ -⁠ gə-NOOZH; Arabic: بابا غنوج, romanized: bābā ġannūj listen), also spelled baba ganoush or baba ghanouj, is a Levantine appetizer consisting of finely chopped roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, various seasonings, and tahini. The eggplant is traditionally roasted, baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has a smoky taste. It is a typical meze (starter) of the regional cuisine, often served as a side to a main meal and as a dip for pita bread.

A very similar dish is mutabbal (Arabic: متبل, lit. 'spiced'), which is sometimes said to be a spicier version of baba ghanoush.

The word bābā in Arabic is a term of endearment for 'father', while Ġannūj could be a personal name. The word combination is also interpreted as 'father of coquetry' or 'indulged/pampered/flirtatious daddy' or 'spoiled old daddy'. However, it is not certain whether the word bābā refers to an actual person indulged by the dish or to the eggplant (bāḏinjān or bātinjān in Arabic).

Dishes consisting of mashed eggplant are common in cuisines from west Africa to Russia.

Eastern Arabian cuisine versions of the dish vary slightly from those of the Levant by spicing it with coriander and cumin; those versions might be minimally spiced and topped with thinly chopped parsley or coriander leaves.

In Syria, the dish is often mixed with sheep cheese, which turns it into a creamier dish.

In Turkey, the dish is known as babaganuş or abugannuş. While the ingredients vary from region to region, the essentials (eggplants, tahini, garlic, lemon) are generally the same.

In Armenia, the dish is known as mutabal. The essential ingredients in Armenian mutabal are eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon, and onion; and most Armenians also add cumin.

In Romania, a similar dish is known as salată de vinete ('eggplant salad'). It lacks tahini and is made from finely chopped roasted eggplant, finely chopped onions, sunflower oil (explicitly not olive oil because it would make the dish bitter), salt and, optionally, mayonnaise.

The dish became part of Israeli cuisine during the 1949-1959 period of austerity in Israel, when it was adopted from the cuisines of neighboring Arab countries. It was used as a meat substitute and remained popular after the economic crisis ended, commonly kept on hand for snacks or to serve to unexpected guests, eventually becoming a "cultural icon" according to food writer and historian Gil Marks.

• List of dips
• Eggplant salads and appetizers, an overview of similar dishes prepared around the world
• List of Arab salads
• List of eggplant dishes
• List of hors d'oeuvre
• List of Middle Eastern dishes

• David, Elizabeth (1950). A Book of Mediterranean Food. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-49153-X.
• Levy, F. (2003). Feast from the Mideast. Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-009361-7.
• Trépanier, Nicolas (30 November 2014). Foodways and Daily Life in Medieval Anatolia: A New Social History. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-75929-9.