You can make Sautéed Eggplant Cubes in 20 minutes! You'll love this eggplant side dish with just five ingredients, including olive oil and garlic!
If you need an easy eggplant recipe, you've come to the right place! These Sautéed Eggplant Cubes take just 20 minutes and taste like a million bucks!
Imagine browned eggplant cubes coated with olive oil and garlic, accented with salt and red pepper flakes. Their savory flavor will make you swoon!
Read on for all the details. And don't miss my other stovetop eggplant recipes ― Caponatina and Italian fried eggplant!
Sautéed eggplant ingredients
You just need five ingredients for this simple eggplant recipe!
Eggplant: You'll need one eggplant weighing a pound for the base recipe. Choose a long and skinny one, if possible, because it will have fewer seeds than a bulkier one.
Make sure the eggplant is firm, not bruised and has a green top, not brown. If you don't see any that look good at the store, ask a produce worker to check in the back room for better ones.
Olive Oil: This recipe calls for a generous amount of olive oil for the best flavor. I prefer using regular, mild-tasting olive oil instead of extra-virgin, but use what you enjoy.
You can reduce the amount of oil by a tablespoon or two, if you wish.
Garlic: Try to find the freshest garlic without green shoots, so it won't be bitter.
And don't miss this Italian Cabbage with Garlic!
How to cube eggplant
- Peel the eggplant first with a vegetable peeler (affiliate link).
- Slice off the root and stem ends.
- Cut the eggplant in half the long way.
- Cut each half into long strips that are 1-inch wide.
- Cut the strips into 1-inch cubes.
How to make it
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Heat a nonstick pan (affiliate link) with olive oil and add the cubed eggplant in a single layer. Don't touch them until they're browned on the first side.
- When the eggplants have browned on the first side, stir them, add the garlic and toss once. The eggplants should take 15 minutes total to cook.
- Stir in salt and red pepper flakes.
Recipe tips
- Peel the eggplant before using it in this recipe, because the skin makes it bitter.
- If there are lots of seeds, remove some of them so the eggplant isn't bitter.
- Wait to add salt until the eggplant is browned. Otherwise, the salt will draw out liquid, and it will take much longer for the eggplant to brown.
What to serve with it
Sauteed eggplant goes well with Italian chicken cutlets, pesto chicken or pan-fried breaded pork chops. Serve it with some homemade Italian bread!
And...you have to try eggplant pasta! Make Pasta alla Norma or simply mix the eggplants with spaghetti and top them with a quick tomato sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese for a fabulous meal.
Frequently asked questions
Salting eggplants before cooking them draws out moisture and bitterness. It used to be necessary, but eggplants today are bred to be less bitter and are usually fine if you remove the skin and excessive seeds.
Large eggplants tend to be more bitter than smaller ones, however. You can salt them first if you wish.
Reheat sautéed eggplant in a pan on the stove or in an air fryer. If you use a microwave instead, the eggplant will turn out a bit soggy.
I don't recommend freezing sautéed eggplant, because it will likely become soggy when thawed. There is no layer of batter or breadcrumbs to protect the vegetable from absorbing moisture.
More eggplant recipes
- Eggplant Parmigiana without Bread Crumbs
- Sorrentino Chicken with Eggplant
- Roasted Eggplant Dip
- Breaded Eggplant Slices
And don't miss my other vegetable recipes or my collection of Italian side dishes!
Enjoy!
If you try this Sautéed Eggplant Cubes recipe, please leave a comment and a rating!
Sautéed Eggplant Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant (Preferably long & skinny. See notes.)
- ½ cup olive oil (preferably regular, not extra-virgin)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- red pepper flakes (to taste)
- fresh basil ribbons (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Rinse the eggplant and pat it dry. Peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler. Slice off the root and stem ends. Cut the eggplant in half the long way. Cut each half into long strips that are 1-inch wide. Cut the strips into 1-inch cubes.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch, non-stick skillet on medium-high. Add the cubed eggplant in a single layer. Don't move the eggplant until it browns on the first side. It could take up to 10 minutes.
- While the eggplant is browning, peel the garlic and slice it.
- When the eggplant is browned on the first side, stir it, add the garlic and stir to combine. Continue sautéeing the eggplant until it's done, for another five minutes or so. Turn off the heat and stir in the salt and red pepper flakes. Garnish with basil ribbons, if you wish.
- Serve as a side dish or stirred into pasta. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Don't freeze them, or the eggplant will become soggy. Reheat in a pan on the stove.
Notes
- Choose a long and skinny eggplant, if possible, because it will have fewer seeds than a bulkier one and won't be as bitter.
- Make sure the eggplant is firm, not bruised and has a green top, not brown. If you don't see any that look good at the store, ask a produce worker to check in the back room for better ones.
- If you want to double this recipe (as I did for the photos), cook the eggplant in two batches. Don't overcrowd your pan, or the eggplant won't brown well.
- Wait to add salt until the eggplant is browned. Otherwise, the salt will draw out liquid, and it will take much longer for the eggplant to brown.
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Cooking with Mamma C)
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