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Vegetables · Fruiting vegetables

Eggplant

Glossy purple nightshade (aubergine, brinjal) with spongy flesh that turns silky when roasted, fried or stewed.

Also called: aubergine, brinjal, baingan, patlıcan, berenjena, melanzane, nasu

Around the world: patlıcan (tr) · baingan, बैंगन (hi) · nasu, 茄子 (ja)

56 recipes with it

What it is

Eggplant is a fruit eaten as a vegetable, with smooth, shiny skin from deep purple to striped, white or green and pale, spongy flesh with small seeds. Large globe types suit roasting and moussaka; long slim Asian types are sweeter with thinner skin; small round Indian brinjals are stuffed whole. It must be cooked.

Solanum melongena

How it’s used

  • Charred whole and mashed into baba ghanoush or baingan bharta
  • Fried or grilled slices for moussaka and parmigiana
  • Stewed in curries and ratatouille
  • Stir-fried with garlic sauce
  • Stuffed (imam bayıldı, bharwa baingan)

Characteristics

Taste
Mild and slightly bitter raw; rich, smoky and sweet cooked.
Texture
Spongy raw; creamy and silky when fully cooked.
When cooked
Soaks up oil like a sponge; salting or roasting first reduces absorption. Undercooked eggplant is rubbery.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying, Suitable for grilling, Suitable for baking

Varieties

  • Globe
  • Japanese / Chinese long
  • Indian round
  • Thai (small green)
  • Graffiti / striped

Storage

At room temperature. Keep in a cool spot and use within a few days; refrigeration for long can cause brown, soft patches.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
25 kcal
Protein
0.98 g
Carbohydrate
5.88 g
Fat
0.18 g
Fibre
3 g
Sugars
3.53 g

USDA FoodData Central: Eggplant, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Zucchini — In ratatouille, curries and grills; holds shape more and is less creamy.

Related ingredients

Recipes with eggplant

See all 56

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More fruiting vegetables