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    Home » Sides

    Sauteed Eggplant

    Published: Jul 12, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Sauteed eggplant is the best way to cook eggplant on the stove, with simple ingredients, and in just 20 minutes.

    This is a classic Italian recipe, and you can eat it as an eggplant side dish, as an appetizer on toasted bread, or mixed with pasta for a healthy and delicious dinner.

    sautéed eggplant
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variation
    • Storage
    • More eggplant recipes
    • More sauteed recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our Best Eggplant Recipes

    Our sauteed eggplant recipe is a classic Italian side dish you can make with eggplants, tomatoes, and a few other simple ingredients.

    It's easy to make in a pan on the stovetop in just 20 minutes, and it's great as a last-minute dinner because you can serve it on its own as a side dish, on top of toasted bread, or use it as a delicious pasta sauce.

    This way of doing pan-fried eggplant with tomatoes is not only tasty thanks to the fresh ingredients but also relatively healthy, as we don't fry the eggplant in oil.

    The tomatoes are scorched on the pan over medium-high heat with a little oil and garlic for a few minutes before adding diced eggplant, which is then sautéed with the other ingredients.

    The eggplant dice soak in the tomato juices and garlic aroma, becoming incredibly flavorful, juicy, and tender.

    Despite its simplicity, this is a fantastic everyday recipe perfect for the whole family. Let's see how to make it.

    Ps. The Italian name of this dish is "Melanzane a funghetto," meaning mushroom-shaped eggplant due to the eggplant dice that vaguely recall the shape of mushrooms.

    pasta with sautéed eggplant
    Penne with sautéed eggplant and olives.

    Ingredients

    ingredients
    Ingredients: eggplant, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh basil.

    Eggplant

    Use globe eggplant, the large ones with an oval shape and dark shiny skin. Italian eggplants also work as they are very similar to globe American eggplants.

    Tomatoes

    We recommend using fresh ripe tomatoes for sauteed eggplant. We prefer cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are also perfect for this recipe.

    Olive oil

    Use extra virgin olive oil for better flavor and nutrition. Alternatively, regular olive oil is also ok.

    Garlic

    To add a mild and pleasant garlic aroma. For this recipe, we prefer fresh garlic to garlic powder.

    Red Pepper Flakes

    To add some spiciness. You can replace them with chili powder or dried chili.

    Salt & Pepper

    We use sea salt or kosher salt to season this dish. We add black pepper for a fragrant aroma.

    Fresh Basil

    Basil is the main flavoring herb in this sauteed eggplant recipe. However, you can add more herbs and spices if you like. Good options are dried herbs such as Italian seasoning mix, dried oregano, or thyme.

    Italian sautéed eggplant

    Instructions

    Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to a large skillet with olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

    halved tomatoes on a pan with oil and garlic

    Fry the tomatoes on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then crush them with a fork.

    crushing fried tomatoes on pan

    In the meantime, wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and slice into 1-inch cubes (2.5 cm). Add the eggplant to the pan along with one cup of water.

    eggplant cubes added to the pan

    Stir well, cover with a lid and saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Take the lid off and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is thoroughly cooked.

    Add fresh basil leaves to the end, stirring them before serving the sauteed eggplant.

    sautéed eggplant with fresh basil

    Serving suggestions

    Appetizer

    Serve sauteed eggplant as an appetizer on toasted bread. You can make bruschetta with larger bread slices or crostini with smaller bread slices. Either way, it'll be delicious.

    bruschetta with sautéed eggplant

    Main course

    Transform this dish into a delicious main course by using it as a sauce for a tasty and nutritious pasta dish.

    All you have to do is cook a short pasta (penne, rotini, rigatoni) al dente, then add it to the pan with the sauteed eggplant alongside a cup of reserved pasta water and a handful of black olives (optional).

    Toss for a minute on medium heat and serve with plenty of fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

    pasta with sautéed eggplant
    Penne with sautéed eggplant and olives.

    Side dish

    This sauteed eggplant recipe was created as a side dish. Try it with one of our easy tofu dishes for a healthy, tasty, and nutritious dinner.

    sautéed eggplant in a bowl

    Variation

    Change the spices of this recipe to transform it into a south-Mediterranean dish. Add a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of paprika to the pan with the tomatoes.

    Then substitute chopped flat-leaf parsley for the basil and you've got yourself a delicious Moroccan-inspired eggplant dish, similar to our delicious zaalouk - Moroccan eggplant salad. Serve with warm pita bread or on boiled rice.

    Storage

    Store sauteed eggplant in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Heat eggplant on a pan or in the microwave. We don't recommend storing this recipe in the freezer.

    This recipe tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make big batches ahead of time and have it ready for the week.

    More eggplant recipes

    Eggplant lover? Us too. Here are some other eggplant recipes you might like:

    • Breaded Eggplant
    • Eggplant Salad
    • Stuffed Eggplant
    • Eggplant Soup
    • Pasta alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)
    • Eggplant Dip - Baba Ganoush
    • Eggplant Pizza
    • Roasted Eggplant

    Or any of our best 35 eggplant recipes, including dinners, lunches, and snacks.

    More sauteed recipes

    Don't want to turn on the oven? Here are some more recipes you can make on the stove-top.

    • Sautéed Zucchini
    • Sautéed Asparagus
    • Pan Fried Artichokes
    • Tofu Mushroom Recipe

    Recipe

    sauteed eggplant

    Sauteed Eggplant

    Author: Nico
    Sauteed eggplant is the best way to cook eggplant on the stove, with simple ingredients, and in just over 20 minutes.
    This is a classic Italian recipe, and you can eat it as an eggplant side dish, as an appetizer on toasted bread, or mixed with pasta for a healthy and delicious dinner.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 4 votes
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 126 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
    • 2 cloves garlic crushed
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 large eggplant
    • 1 cup water
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 15 leaves basil

    Instructions
     

    • Cut cherry tomatoes in half and add them to a large skillet with olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
      halved tomatoes on a pan with oil and garlic
    • Fry tomatoes on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then crush them with a fork.
      crushing fried tomatoes on pan
    • In the meantime, wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and slice into 1-inch cubes (2.5 cm). Add the eggplant to the pan along with one cup of water.
      eggplant cubes added to the pan
    • Stir well, cover with a lid and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      Take the lid off and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the eggplant is thoroughly cooked.
      Add fresh basil leaves to the end, stir, and serve.
      sautéed eggplant with fresh basil

    SERVING SUGGESTIONS

    • APPETIZER: Serve sautéed eggplant as an appetizer on toasted bread. You can make bruschetta with larger bread slices or crostini with smaller bread slices. Either way, it'll be delicious. Link in notes.
      bruschetta with sautéed eggplant
    • MAIN COURSE: Transform this dish into a delicious main course by using it as a sauce for a tasty and nutritious pasta dish.
      All you have to do is cook a short pasta (penne, rotini, rigatoni) al dente, then add it to the pan with the sautéed eggplant alongside a cup of reserved pasta water and a handful of black olives (optional).
      Toss for a minute on medium heat and serve with plenty of fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
      pasta with sautéed eggplant
    • SIDE DISH: This sautéed eggplant recipe was created as a side dish. Try it with one of our easy tofu dishes for a healthy, tasty, and nutritious dinner.
      sautéed eggplant in a bowl

    Video Recipe

    Sauteed Eggplant | tasty eggplant in just 20 mins

    Notes

    Link to homemade crostini and bruschetta.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Sauteed Eggplant
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 126 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 632mg18%
    Carbohydrates 15g5%
    Dietary Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 721IU14%
    Vitamin B6 0.2mg10%
    Vitamin C 30mg36%
    Vitamin E 2mg13%
    Vitamin K 21µg20%
    Calcium 36mg4%
    Folate 52µg13%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 35mg9%
    Zinc 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    « Breaded Eggplant
    Chickpea Pasta With Eggplant »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Therese

      August 29, 2022 at 2:09 am

      5 stars
      I love this dish. It was super easy to make but tasted like I spent all evening making it. I am eating it as a side dish tonight and putting it on penne pasta tomorrow.

      Reply
    2. Therese

      August 29, 2022 at 2:07 am

      5 stars
      I love this recipe. It was super easy but tasted like I spent all evening making it. I am eating it as a side dish tonight and adding it to penne pasta tomorrow!

      Reply
      • Nico

        August 29, 2022 at 6:37 am

        Hi Therese, I am delighted to hear that!! Thanks so much for coming back and leaving a comment. Cheers, Nico

        Reply

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