Enjoy this Sautéed Eggplant recipe as a delicious side dish! It comes together with Italian seasonings in a skillet in less than 20 minutes.
Eggplant never looked so good! Once you learn how to saute eggplant with a few simple seasonings, this will become a repeat recipe in your kitchen.
Stovetop cooking is a great method to cook summer produce because you don’t have to worry about heating up the kitchen with your oven. Sautéing is an easy way to cook vegetables like eggplant, carrots, butternut squash and sweet potatoes.
Even people that think they don’t like eggplant will love this quick and easy recipe. Sautéing the eggplant in olive oil and simple seasoning creates fresh Italian flavor.
Serve the eggplant with Cast Iron Chicken Thighs for a complete meal!
Why You’ll Love This
- It cooks in one pan in less than 15 minutes.
- The eggplant is crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
- You only need a few simple pantry ingredients.
- It’s naturally gluten free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian.
Ingredients You Need
This easy sauteed eggplant recipe comes together with fresh eggplant and a few simple spices.
- Eggplant – Choose an eggplant (also called aubergine) that is firm, smooth and shiny.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – You can substitute with avocado oil, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Spices: This recipe uses a mix of simple Italian spices. You will need dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can also substitute with Italian seasoning.
- Garnishes: A squeeze of lemon juice adds fresh flavor. You can also garnish with fresh parsley, fresh basil leaves, freshly grated Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes, if desired.
Equipment You Need
A simple cast iron skillet works best for this recipe. I like using an enameled cast iron pan. You can also use a hard anodized skillet.
How to Make Sautéed Eggplant
Prep for this pan fried eggplant requires less than 10 minutes before cooking in a skillet.
- Cut the eggplant into small pieces. Be sure to wash and dry the eggplant before cutting into 1/2-inch to 1-inch chunks.
- Cook the eggplant. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant, sprinkle on the seasonings and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the flesh begins to turn golden. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue to saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until browned and tender.
- Season with additional spices like red pepper flakes or fresh parsley. Then squeeze half a lemon over the eggplant. Stir and transfer to a serving dish.
Do you need to salt eggplant before sautéing?
Many recipes include a step to salt and drain the eggplant to remove bitterness. Eggplants nowadays are less bitter so the salting step is not necessary. You do not need to salt the eggplant or do any additional prep for this recipe.
Tips for Cooking Eggplant
- Don’t peel the skin – Eggplant skin is edible so you do not need to peel it. If you are worried about the skin being too tough, you can choose smaller-sized eggplant. Use two or three small eggplant in place of one large.
- Cut into small even-sized pieces about 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick – Small cubes cook the quickest and easiest, but you can also cut into 1/2 inch strips or thin eggplant slices.
- Reduce the amount of olive oil for crispier texture – Eggplant will absorb oil and liquid. This is a good thing because it adds flavor. However, if you prefer crispier texture then you can reduce the amount of olive oil by one tablespoon.
- Switch up the seasonings – Eggplant tastes great with a variety of spices. You can substitute the Italian seasonings with cumin, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, honey, paprika and more.
- Add Parmesan cheese for more flavor! Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top of the cooked eggplant.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat the eggplant in a skillet on the stove top or at 350 degrees F in an oven until heated through. You can also serve sautéed eggplant cold.
What to Serve with Eggplant
Eggplant is a versatile side dish that tastes great with a variety of flavors. You can serve pan fried eggplant on its own or with your favorite protein or on top of a salad or bowl of pasta with marinara sauce. Here are a few of our favorite dishes to serve with eggplant.
- Cast Iron Salmon
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Spaghetti Arrabbiata
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Pan Fried Cod
- Dutch Oven Whole Chicken
Did you make this easy Sautéed Eggplant recipe? Leave a recipe rating and review below.
Sautéed Eggplant
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large eggplant, or 2-3 small
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon, divided
- Red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Wash the eggplant, pat it dry, then cut it into 1/2-inch to 1-inch chunks.
- Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the eggplant, sprinkle on the seasonings and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the flesh begins to turn golden.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue to saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until browned and tender.
- Taste and season as desired, then squeeze half a lemon over the eggplant. Stir and transfer to a serving dish. Serve with lemon wedges, garnished with red pepper and fresh parsley.
This was absolutely delicious! Loved the seasonings.
A lot of times I use eggplant as a main dish, so I really enjoyed switching it up and using it as a side dish! This was excellent and will have me enjoying eggplant even more often now!