This one-pot eggplant stew braises eggplant with chickpeas, tomatoes, and warm spices for a comforting Greek-style vegan dinner.
A One-Pot Vegan Dinner with Bold Greek-Style Flavor
Eggplant can do so much—roast it, grill it, stuff it, even turn it into fries. In this simple stew, it braises until velvety and nearly melts into a warmly spiced tomato base, all in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
This is the kind of vegan dinner I love: plenty of fresh vegetables, a few pantry staples, and one pot. Chickpeas give it enough heft for dinner, while extra virgin olive oil and warm spices bring bold, Greek-style flavor to every spoonful.
How to Choose and Prepare Eggplant for Stew
Eggplant sometimes gets a bad reputation for being spongy or bitter. A few simple cues will help you choose a fresh one and prepare it for braising:
- Look for smooth, glossy skin. Choose an eggplant that is firm and evenly colored, without wrinkles, bruises, or soft brown spots. The stem should also look fresh rather than dry or damaged.
- Check its weight and firmness. A good eggplant should feel heavy for its size. When you press the skin lightly, it should spring back rather than stay deeply indented.
- Consider smaller eggplants. You’ll need about 1½ pounds for this recipe, either one large globe eggplant or two smaller ones. Smaller eggplants tend to have thinner skin, fewer seeds, and less bitterness.
- Leave the skin on. There is no need to peel the eggplant for this stew. Simply trim the stem and cut it into cubes or large bite-sized pieces.
- Salt it before cooking. Place the eggplant in a colander, sprinkle it with kosher salt, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Salting draws out some of its moisture and can temper bitterness. Rinse the cubes and pat them thoroughly dry before you begin cooking.
What You’ll Need to Make Eggplant Stew
This recipe starts with three humble ingredients (eggplant, chickpeas, and canned tomatoes) and then layers in vegetables and warm spices. Here’s what each one brings to the pot:
- Eggplant: You’ll need about 1½ pounds of globe eggplant, or one large eggplant or two smaller ones. Salt and prepare it as described above.
- Onion, green bell pepper, carrot, and garlic: Sautéing these vegetables creates the stew’s savory base. The carrot and pepper bring a little sweetness, while six garlic cloves add plenty of bold flavor.
- Spices: Bay leaves, Greek oregano, sweet paprika, ground coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper give this stew its earthy warmth. You can use smoked paprika in place of sweet paprika if you prefer a smokier flavor. If you don’t have every spice, don’t let that stop you. Use a little more of the spices you do have.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I use Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil to sauté the vegetables and finish the stew. That final drizzle adds richness and a fresh, peppery note.
- Canned tomatoes: One 28-ounce can of chopped or diced tomatoes, along with its juices, forms the stew’s rich tomato base.
- Chickpeas: Two 15-ounce cans make this vegan stew hearty and satisfying. Keep the canning liquid. You’ll add it to the pot along with the chickpeas.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley or mint adds a fresh finish and a pop of color, but the garnish is optional.
How to Make Eggplant Stew
- Heat the oven and salt the eggplant. Heat your oven to 400°F. Place the eggplant cubes in a colander set over a large bowl or in your sink. Sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside for about 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and pat it thoroughly dry.
- Build the flavor base. In a large oven-safe braiser or Dutch oven, heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onion, green pepper, and carrot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, paprika, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and a dash of salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the eggplant, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Add the prepared eggplant, canned tomatoes with their juices, chickpeas, and reserved chickpea liquid. Stir everything together.
- Start the braise on the stovetop. Bring the stew to a rolling boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Finish braising in the oven. Cover the pot and carefully transfer it to the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes, until the eggplant is fully cooked and very tender. Check the stew once or twice as it cooks. If it looks dry, stir in about ½ cup of water at a time.
- Finish the stew. Remove the pot from the oven and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with fresh parsley or mint, if you like. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Four Tips for Tender, Flavorful Eggplant Stew
- Dry the eggplant thoroughly. After rinsing away the salt, pat the cubes dry before adding them to the pot. Drying the eggplant well keeps excess water from diluting the flavorful base.
- Cook the spices only until fragrant. Stir the garlic and spices into the sautéed vegetables for about 1 minute. This brief step builds flavor without letting the garlic or spices scorch.
- Keep an eye on the liquid. Check the stew once or twice while it braises. If it begins to look dry, stir in water ½ cup at a time rather than adding too much at once.
- Let the eggplant become very tender. Don’t rush the 45-minute oven braise. The eggplant is ready when it has lost its spongy texture and is velvety and practically melt-in-your-mouth tender.
What to Serve with Eggplant Stew
This eggplant stew is satisfying enough to stand on its own, but I like to serve it over 15-minute couscous or with warm homemade pita bread for catching every bit of the tomato-rich sauce.
For a cool, creamy contrast, add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or tzatziki sauce and a few olives. If you’re serving a larger Greek-style meal, start with a traditional Greek salad. The stew can be served hot or at room temperature.
How to Store and Reheat Eggplant Stew
- Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to a shallow, airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours. The stew will keep for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, transfer the stew to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.
- Thaw and reheat: Thaw frozen eggplant stew in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little water if it needs more liquid. Heat leftovers to 165°F before serving.
Four More Delicious Ways to Cook Eggplant
Easy Greek-Style Eggplant Stew
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This easy Greek-style eggplant stew braises eggplant with chickpeas, tomatoes, and warm spices until velvety and tender. Serve it hot or at room temperature as a satisfying vegan main or side.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into cubes
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, stem and innards removed, diced
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 6 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 dry bay leaves
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, reserve the canning liquid
- Fresh parsley or mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven and salt the eggplant. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the eggplant cubes in a colander set over a large bowl or in your sink. Sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside for about 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and pat it thoroughly dry.
- Sauté the vegetables. In a large oven-safe braiser or Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onion, green pepper, and carrot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic and spices. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, paprika, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, and a dash of salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the eggplant, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, and reserved chickpea liquid. Stir to combine.
- Start the braise. Bring the stew to a rolling boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Finish in the oven. Cover the pot and carefully transfer it to the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes, until the eggplant is fully cooked and very tender. Check once or twice as it cooks. If the stew looks dry, stir in about 1/2 cup of water at a time.
- Finish and serve. Remove the stew from the oven and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with parsley or mint, if using. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
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- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently, adding a little water if needed.
- Slow-cooker instructions: Prepare the recipe through the garlic and spices step, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Add 1 cup water, the eggplant, tomatoes, chickpeas, and reserved chickpea liquid. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until the eggplant is very tender.
- Shop This Recipe: Private Reserve Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Greek Oregano, Sweet Spanish Paprika, and Organic Ground Coriander.
Nutrition
Calories: 280.1kcalCarbohydrates: 36.8gProtein: 10gFat: 12.4gSaturated Fat: 1.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.3gSodium: 595.2mgPotassium: 846.1mgFiber: 12.6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2230.2IUVitamin C: 33.9mgCalcium: 128.6mgIron: 3.9mg
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I’ve made this dish twice now in one week. It’s super easy to prep. I actually didn’t have oregano so I substituted cumin, which is a personal favorite. The dish was so flavorful and the veggies melt in your mouth. It’s perfect by itself, with cheese, or with other things. And you feel very light after. Great dish to own!
So glad to hear it, Lauren! Thank you so much for sharing
I made this dish in my instant pot and it was delicious and so easy. So many good flavors. I will definitely keep this in my rotation.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m really excited to try this dish, and would love to make this in my instant pot, coud anyone provide suggestions on how long to cook, on what setting and if it should be sealed? Thanks so much!
While I haven’t tried this particular recipe in an instant pot, I think you could use the sautee option first, then cook on manual 20 mins or so. Again, this is just my guess. Hopefully another reader can offer some advice.
Very very good
Thank you!
We made this after having an abundance of eggplant and were not disappointed! We left out the oil as I need to avoid too much fat but it was still great. I love that it wasn’t overly complicated or difficult but still delivered lots of flavour. We will be making this again for sure. Thank you
Thank you for sharing, Kelsey!
Man, this was fantastic!!! I’m a vegetarian but adding more plant-based meals throughout the week, and my husband had 2 bowls. This was so, so good. I added castelvetrano olives (because I love them) and served w/ couscous.
Thanks a lot, I can’t wait to make another one of your recipes.
Wonderful, Lauren! So glad this worked out well for you
So good! I just started cooking with eggplant (i used to be very intimidated by it). I ended up adding kalamata olives and they were just the right touch!
Thanks, Cara!! I feel like a lot of people are intimidated by eggplant, but there’s really no need to be, right?
Super easy recipe! All vegetables organic and from our local Farmer’s Market. Doubled the batch on this recipe. Use all these spices often. Grew up with them in my mom’s kitchen 🙂 Loved how quickly it came together. I added some red pepper flakes to give it a kick and served it with Garlic bread. A winner!!!
Definitely a repeat recipe!
Thanks so much
Kat
That sounds like such a wonderful meal! Thanks for sharing, Kat!
I also was curious to find other different recipes to make with our overflow of eggplants….This was FABULOUS!!! I doubled the recipe (and then some) and made it in our very large Staub Dutch oven. All the vegetables used were from our garden, the tomatoes my husband canned last season, and I decided to use fresh oregano from our herb garden. The rest of the herbs/spices were dried organic. Oh. My. Goodness!!!! We had friends over, one being a vegetarian and they LOVED it!!! Since I made such a big batch and saw it freezes well, I packaged some up in an airtight glass container and froze some for later…as well as keeping some in the frig for dinner tomorrow too. The house smelled amazing and I am so grateful to have found this recipe. A Keeper for sure!!
Thank you so much for sharing, Lara!!! Hope you’re able to try out some of our other eggplant recipes with your crop! Would love to hear your thoughts!
Winner!!! I hesitated to make this recipe because of a combination of spices that I was totally unfamiliar with using in one dish. Boy am I glad I tried this this The house smelled so great while cooking and the taste was like eating in the best Greek restaurant(FYI: I’ve eaten in some of the best NYC Greek restaurants). I served it with Tzatziki Sauce and pita and I even asked Alexa to play Greek music. We enjoyed our dinner and can’t wait to sit down and eat it again.
That sounds like a lovely evening, Jane! Thanks for sharing!
This was a super easy dish that the whole family enjoyed. Even the kids ?. I juggle the dietary needs of different members of the family and this hits the mark on all of them. Thanks
That is great to hear! Thanks, Joe!
I don’t have a braiser- can I use a Dutch Oven, or should I use a regular oven safe pot instead?
Either would work just fine, Michael!
I didn’t have green pepper so I skipped it but this was absolutely amazing! We ate it with some tzatziki sauce and couldn’t stop eating it.
So glad, Becky! Thanks for sharing!
I’m not greek nor vegan, but this tasted like comfort food.
I skipped the pepper and cardammom-somce i didn’t have any, , but added extra carotts.
Definitively would do it again.
Thanks for sharing, Hugues!
This looks delicious, For the canned tomatoes, is it with the liquid?
Enjoy! Yes, use the canned tomatoes with their liquid
Can you just simmer it instead of having it go in the oven?
You can, Charlotte. Watch the liquid and add as needed.
The aroma of this dish in the oven is amazing! Thank you, I’m dreaming of Greece!
I made this for dinner and it was a hit with my meat-loving family. It is so flavorful! I served it with tzatziki and pita bread and it went so well together. If you put the tzatziki right in the stew it makes it creamy and so yummy. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yum! Thanks for sharing the tzatziki tip :).