Eggplant Curry

Learn the secrets to Eggplant Curry, a classic Indian recipe made with eggplant, fresh onions and tomatoes, and lots of warm spices. While most Indian dishes cook for hours over a low flame, this Eggplant Curry is ready in 30 minutes or less, and it’s wholesome and flavorful without being heavy.

Meggan’s notes

If you didn’t grow up in an Indian kitchen but love the spices and flavors, this Eggplant Curry recipe is a great recipe to add to your rotation. As a classically-trained chef, I love to tackle ingredients and techniques of unfamiliar cuisines, breaking down the important information so its easy to understand.

The secret to a proper Eggplant Curry is cooking the onions first, separately, then adding in plenty of fresh green chili, garlic, and ginger. Finally, bloom the spices in the tender vegetables and add fresh tomatoes (not canned) with a pile of sliced eggplant.

This Eggplant Curry recipe is full of flavor and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy. It’s a great way to eat more vegetables an interesting way, and the method you learn here can be applied to many other vegetables. Eggplant Curry is also great for the freezer, so if you make a large batch, you can save some for future hearty, veggie-filled meals.

Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Green chilies: Look for long, slim “Indian” or “finger” chilis. Or, substitute serranos or even jalapeños. For a milder flavor, remove the seeds.
• Ginger: Store the whole root ginger in the freezer, as-is and grate it when you need it using a box grater or microplane grater. To peel the ginger, scrape of the skin with the tip of a spoon or use a sharp knife. 
• Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes are a key ingredient in many Indian recipes. Resist the urge to use canned tomatoes, even whole ones. Extra tomato paste added to the pot is acceptable as long as the bulk of your tomatoes are fresh (this is what I learned from several Indian parents in my area).

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in green chili, garlic, and ginger and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes longer.

3. Stir frequently to avoid scorching. Add tomatoes, cover, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in tomato paste, coriander, cumin, turmeric, sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Stir frequently until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

5. Stir in water and eggplant. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until the eggplant is tender and falling apart, about 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Season to taste with salt (I didn’t add any additional salt), garnish with cilantro, and serve with yogurt and naan bread.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of eggplant curry, enough for 4 servings, 1 ½ cups each.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Make ahead: Slice all the vegetables, including eggplant, onions, tomatoes, garlic, and ginger up to 2 days in advance. Store separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
• Freezer: Pack cooled curry into freezer-safe containers. Label, date, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or on the stove to 165 degrees.

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.