This Easy Vegan Eggplant Stew is very simple and tasty. There is one extra step that makes the eggplant meaty, tender, and so soft.
This Eggplant Stew is my go-to recipe when I have a few eggplants in the fridge. Made with sweet onions and colorful bell peppers, this tasty stew is filling, hearty, and it makes a great addition to any meal.
Eggplant is a wonderful vegetable (though technically, it’s a fruit) and I cook it quite often. This Vegan Eggplant Stew is very versatile and easy to make, but you do have to be patient because you’ll need to salt it and wait overnight for it to drain. Why? I will explain below.
Why to Salt Eggplant?
Many recipes suggest salting the eggplant and letting it drain before rinsing and proceeding to cook. In my opinion (and after countless experiments), this is not necessary in most recipes. Salting eggplants is supposed to draw the bitterness out, but most eggplants found in grocery stores are not bitter to begin with. I’ve tried grilling, roasting, and frying salted vs. unsalted eggplants, and there was no noticeable difference in the results. The only recipe I found where salting the eggplant actually makes a difference is this Eggplant Stew. When you let the eggplant sit in the salt overnight, the eggplant gets much creamier and gains a more luscious texture. So, I recommend NOT to skip this step in this recipe.
Read more here: Why Salting Eggplant is a Thing?
Main Ingredients
- Eggplants. When shopping for eggplants, choose smaller ones as they tend to be sweeter, less bitter, have thinner skin and less seeds.
- Bell Peppers. I like using multicolored peppers. Any color works.
- Onions. I like yellow onions best, but sweet or white onions can also be used.
- Oil. Extra virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or unrefined sunflower oil are best to use.
- Herbs. Fresh cilantro, parsley, or dill can be used here.
- Garlic. Adjust the amount of garlic to suit your tastes.
- Seasonings. Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
How to Make Vegan Eggplant Stew
1. Peel the eggplants, slice them into ½-inch-thick circles, and then into thick sticks.
2. Place the eggplants into a large bowl, add the salt, and mix well. Transfer the salted eggplants to a large colander, place a mixing bowl underneath, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
3. When ready to cook, remove the eggplants from the fridge and rinse well. Let them drain while you move to the next step.
4. Add oil to a large skillet and sauté the onions and bell peppers for 5 minutes.
5. Add the red pepper flakes and the rinsed eggplants. Cook over medium heat for about 30-35 minutes, until the eggplants are very soft. (If you see that the eggplants are starting to stick to the skillet while cooking, you can add a splash of water or a bit more oil.)
6. Add the pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Cook for 1 more minute and then turn off the heat.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
Eggplant. I like to peel the skin off the eggplant, but feel free to keep it on, if you prefer.
Salt. Because the eggplant is “marinated” in salt overnight, it absorbs it, so usually, there is no need to add extra salt. However, if you don’t soak it long enough, or just like things on the saltier side, go ahead and add some extra salt at the end of cooking.
What Skillet to Use. You can use a non-stick or stainless steel skillet. If a stainless steel skillet is used, the eggplant may start sticking to the pan at some point, so you can add some water or extra oil to prevent that. Also, if you don’t have a large enough skillet, you can use a Dutch oven instead.
Herbs. Be generous with the fresh herbs. They add a lot of flavor. Also, use the herbs you like most. Fresh cilantro, parsley, and dill all work really well here.
How to Serve
You can serve this Vegan Eggplant Stew in a few ways:
- Over rice, bulgur, quinoa, pasta, or couscous.
- As is. With a slice of crusty bread.
- As a cold salad (yes, it tastes great when cold, too).
- As a sandwich. I love making a nice sandwich with some fresh lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and eggplants.
How to Store and Reheat
This stew will last up to 4-5 days in the fridge. You can serve it cold or reheat it on the stovetop.
More Delicious Recipes to Try:
If you’ve tried this recipe or any other recipe on Cooktoria, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you take some photos of it, share them with me on Pinterest. I check every single one!
Video Tutorial
Vegan Eggplant Stew
Ingredients
- 3 small eggplants
- 2 tbsp. salt
- 3 bell peppers any color
- 1 medium onion
- ⅓ cup olive oil or other oil
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Peel the eggplants, slice them into ½-inch-thick circles, and then into thick sticks.
- Place the eggplants into a large bowl, add the salt, and mix well. Transfer the salted eggplants to a large colander, place a mixing bowl underneath, and leave it in the fridge overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove the eggplants from the fridge and rinse well. Let them drain while you move to the next step.
- Add oil to a large skillet and sauté the onions and bell peppers for 5 minutes.
- Add the red pepper flakes and the rinsed eggplants. Cook over medium heat for about 30-35 minutes, until the eggplants are very soft. (If you see that the eggplants are starting to stick to the skillet while cooking, you can add a splash of water or a bit more oil.)
- Add the pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Cook for 1 more minute and then turn off the heat.
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