Sautéed Eggplant Cubes

5 from 1 vote

You'll love these quick Sautéed Eggplant Cubes with olive oil and garlic!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Mamma C

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.

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.