This hearty dish of Stewed Eggplant In Tomato Sauce is a speedy and delicious way to enjoy eggplants. It takes no more than 45 minutes to cook and prepare. And is rich in flavorful spices.
Stewed Eggplant turns so soft and mellow cooked inside this delicious tomato sauce with Eastern flavors. Eggplant is a strong flavored, meaty vegetable that is often used as a substitute for meat in Vegetarian dishes. And there is a good reason for that. As it's very filling and equally tasty to meat.
So this Eggplant stew can proudly stand next to a meat stew like this Greek beef stew in tomato sauce.
Eggplant Stew Flavor And Ingredients
What makes this Eggplant stew so yummy is the tomato sauce that's flavored with delicious spices. Such as cumin, allspice berries, and paprika. But also the fire-roasted red pepper gives a nice sweetness and a hint of smokey flavor that goes so nice with eggplants. And of course, a good amount of garlic couldn't be missing from this recipe.
How To Make Stewed Eggplant
To make stewed Eggplant first you need to saute (more like pan-frying inside the cooking pot) the eggplants in olive oil until they get some color all over. This will help to soften the eggplants and also boost their flavor a lot. As fried eggplants are so tasty if you haven't tried them already.
One thing to keep in mind is that eggplants tend to absorb oil a lot. So if you notice that all of the oil is gone from the pot (guess where it has gone) then don't hesitate to add a bit more. As oil is needed to properly saute the eggplants and give them some color.
Then you can remove the eggplants from the pot and proceed with sauteing the onions and garlic. Add the fresh tomato to the pot after you have grated it on a box grater. This way you can discard the skin of the tomato and keep only its juicy flesh.
Add also the tomato paste, spices, and flavorings. Cook and stir until everything turns into a thick sauce. Then add the eggplants into the pot coat them with hot water and simmer until the sauce thickens. It takes about 20-25 minutes.
SERVE WITH 🠯
You can serve this stew with grilled pita bread for a more Middle-Eastern dinner, or together with grilled bread. If you want a gluten-free alternative, opt for Basmati rice or even brown rice, both go great with this dish and will soak up all of the delicious sauce.
Another way to enjoy this stewed eggplant is to serve it as a sauce over pasta. Simply by mashing the eggplant gently with a fork once cooked. Whole wheat penne is more than ideal for this, as it will give an extra earthy flavor to this dish!
Stewed Eggplant In Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 550 grams (about 2 medium-sized) eggplants
- 1 medium-sized (110 grams) red onion finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves cut into chunky pieces
- 1 large (300 gram) ripe tomato grated on box grater
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- ⅓ teaspoon sugar
- ⅓ teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 large (110 grams) fire roasted sweet red pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- OPTIONAL: cayenne pepper to serve with
Instructions
- Slice off the tops and bottoms of the eggplant. Then cut into chunky bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a good splash of olive oil in a medium-sized cooking pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the eggplants and cook flipping occasionally until deep golden all over. If needed add an extra splash of olive oil as they tend to absorb it quickly.
- Remove the eggplants from the pot and set them aside.
- In the same pot heat another splash of olive oil. Drop the heat to medium and sautee the onions and garlic.
- Add the grated tomato, tomato paste, sugar, cumin, allspice, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook stirring every now and then with a wooden spoon, until the grated tomato drains out and starts to thicken. Then transfer the eggplants into the pot. And pour enough hot water to cover.
- Cook for about 20-25 minutes partly covered over medium-low heat or until sauce thickens sufficiently. Towards the last 5 minutes of cooking stir in the red pepper and parsley.
- Serve together with grilled bread or Pita bread. Or even over Basmati rice, brown rice, or quinoa.
Nutrition
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