What is the secret to cooking eggplant?

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour . This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Which cooking method is appropriate for eggplant?

Fried or baked eggplant is delicious, but they are not the only ways to cook eggplant. Try it sautéed, stir-fried, grilled, or broiled .

Is it necessary to peel eggplant before cooking?

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it . Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

What happens if you don't salt eggplant before cooking?

Salting: Salting removes excess liquid and some of the bitterness . Today's eggplants are bred for mildness, though, so it's not as important as it used to be (if you are frying eggplant, salting will ensure a creamy texture and rich flavor). This method works for eggplant slices, cubes, or planks.

What is the healthiest way to eat eggplant for weight loss?

Eggplants are high in fiber and low in calories - they can contribute to a healthy, low-calorie diet. However, eggplant can absorb a lot of oil during frying and cooking. Anyone who wants to lose weight should prepare the dish in another way, such as boiling or even eating it raw .

Why do you soak eggplant in vinegar?

Why do you soak eggplant in water and vinegar? Soaking eggplant in water and vinegar helps remove some of the vegetable's natural bitterness . This step also helps preserve some of the skin's color so it stays a vibrant purple even after cooking.

What are the 7 ways to cook eggplant?

You can't eat eggplant raw, but you can cook eggplant in many ways: boil, steam, sauté, stir-fry, braise, bake, deep-fry, grill, broil, and microwave .

How do you get the most flavor out of eggplant?

Salting: One common method is salting the eggplant slices or cubes before cooking . This process helps draw out the bitter compounds and excess moisture. Here's how to do it:Slice or cube the eggplant as desired. Sprinkle salt over the eggplant pieces and let them sit for about 30 minutes.

How do you cook eggplant so it's not spongy?

“The absorptiveness of eggplant can be reduced by collapsing its spongy structure before frying ,” he writes. Which you can do by microwaving it before frying (!) or salting slices that'll draw out the water and close up those air pockets, giving you a firmer flesh to work with.

Why do you soak eggplant in milk?

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy , since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

Easy Eggplant Recipe (One-Pan Dinner) - Alyona’s Cooking (2024)

Wondering what to make with eggplant? This quick and easy pan-fried eggplant recipe is a one pan meal that’s delicious! Packed with veggies and grain it’s healthy and super tasty! Make this easy eggplant recipe!

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This is the ultimate eggplant recipe to have! Made from basic ingredients and cooked in one-pot, this EASY eggplant recipe can be served SO many ways! It goes as a meal alone, side, spread, salad–you name it! Delicious HOT or COLD!

Perhaps this can even make a good canning recipe! I’m loving this easy eggplant recipe! Altered from Sveta’s Recipes this vegetable blend eggplant dish comes together easily and requires just some stirring once it hits the skillet. My mother-in-law has made it numerous times this past month and it’s probably because this eggplant recipe is quick and tasty to put together. It’s one of those dishes you could enjoy eating cold or hot.

The skillet roasted method creates creamy eggplant chunks and the rice gives a nice little boost of texture to the pillowy soft veggies. The ultimate eggplant recipe to have because it consists of basic ingredients and tastes, “eating out of the spoon DELICIOUS”!

INGREDIENTS for easy eggplant recipe:

3 small eggplants, cut into chunks
4 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 large red peppers, cut into chunks
2 carrots, grated
1 1/2 TBSP vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP salt
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup uncooked white rice (jasmine or Botan Calrose Rice)

NOTE: Add 2 jalapeno peppers to make it on the spicy side.

How to make this easy eggplant recipe:

1. Combine all the ingredients into a deep non-stick skillet or pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil 8 minutes, stirring often.

2. Then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes mixing occasionally. The mixture should darken in color and veggies should be very soft.

3. Serve warm or cold. Keep refrigerated.

DO YOU HAVE TO PEEL EGGPLANT BEFORE YOU COOK IT?

No, but it is said that the skins on an older and bigger eggplant become more bitter so it is best to eat the skins on smaller (younger) eggplants. The skins should get tender during the cooking stage so it’s really a matter of preference and how much dark texture you want to see in your dish.

IS SALTING THE EGGPLANTS REQUIRED BEFORE COOKING?

No, but it supposedly helps with the bitterness by releasing its natural juices after the addition of salt. If choosing to salt before using, some draining, rinsing, and patting dry is required and in my opinion, that’s an extra procedure to be doing so to avoid bitter-tasting eggplants opt for smaller ones (younger) at the store.

HOW DO YOU COOK AN EGGPLANT?

There are SO many ways to cook eggplants. They could be baked (hollowed out and stuffed with meat, rice or other fillings) stewed, fried, roasted, pickled, grilled, and pan-fried. They do contain 92% of water and are capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fat and sauces, making for some rich dishes.

PrintRatePin

Easy Eggplant Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 38 minutes minutes

Total Time: 58 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Alyona Demyanchuk

This is an easy eggplant recipe to have using a melody of fresh vegetables! It's such a simple dish cooked in one pot and can be served in so many ways, including as a meal alone, a side dish, tasty spread, or cold salad--you name it! Delicious HOT or COLD!

Equipment

1 12-inch deep skillet
See Also
Keto Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake - Divalicious Recipes South African Curry and Rice - aninas recipes Skillet Greens With Runny Eggs, Peas and Pancetta Recipe Best Zucchini Brownies Recipe (Flourless!)- TBMW

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs eggplants (3 small eggplants, cut into chunks)
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes (4 medium sized, diced)
1 onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
2 large red bell peppers (cut into chunks)
2 carrots (grated)
1 1/2 TBSP white distilled vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP salt
1 1/2 TBSP granulated sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup white rice (jasmine rice or short-grain white rice)
2 Jalapeno peppers* (diced)

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients into a deep non-stick skillet or pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil 8 minutes, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes mixing occasionally. The mixture should darken in color and veggies should be very soft.
Serve warm or cold. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

Jalapeno peppers are optional if you like mild heat.

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 1servingCalories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 1328mgPotassium: 580mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 4597IUVitamin C: 72mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg

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111 comments

- Sherry
- October 21, 2023
I have made this about 3 times. Delicious. Even our teen grandchildren liked it. They kept saying to a sibling, try it, it’s good. Sounding slightly surprised.😜. I love that I have all the ingredients and it’s stinking easy. Thanks for this recipe.
- Reply
- Lydia McCollum
- August 7, 2023
I made this recipe today with eggplant, peppers and tomatoes from our garden and it was delicious! It was easy to prepare and my husband said it’s a keeper. He even said he’d choose it over eggplant parmesan I made last week!
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
  August 8, 2023
  That’s wonderful! I’m happy you enjoyed the dish!
  Reply
- Martha Adamd
- July 12, 2023
I was very skeptical of this dish, but it turned out really good. A good summertime dish and it was so easy to prepare
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
  July 17, 2023
  Happy to hear that, Martha.
  Reply
- Barbara
- January 30, 2023
Absolutely delicious. I am learning to cook tasty meals and this is great. That small amount of vinegar and I added Candy Crisp Jalapenos. It added the sugar and the heat all at once. I used Rice Vinegar as I didnt have distilled and it has an asian dish flavor. Thank you.
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
  January 31, 2023
  Interesting Barbara! Thanks for sharing!
  Reply
- Liz
- January 4, 2023
Great recipe! I love it. Easy to make and you can make to your own preferences.
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
  January 4, 2023
  Wonderful, Liz!
  Reply
- Catalina
- November 19, 2022
Could I replace the rice for quinoa?
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
  November 21, 2022
  I think that would be fine.
  Reply
- KJ HENISA
- September 15, 2022
So Good. I was a little hesitant about not sauteeing the Onions, etc first but it worked fine. I know these veggies would produce enough liquid to cook everything. I did added a pinch of cinnamon & cumin plus 1 tsp of oregano & Italian seasoning each. This could also be a main course with a protein added in. Thanks for this recipe. I get Japanese eggplants all the time at my nearby farmers market. I make a lot of mixed fresh veggie sautés .
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
  September 15, 2022
  You are welcome, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
  Reply