We Indians love eggplants, and it shows in the variety of delicious dishes we make with it, from this delicious baingan bharta recipe to others I’ve shared with you, including baingan masala, bagara baingan and dahi baingan. Baingan bharta is an irresistible, spicy Indian dish of fire-roasted eggplant mashed and cooked with garlic, tomatoes and onions. It is both an Indian-restaurant and home-cooking favorite, and it’s delicious and versatile enough to enhance nearly any meal.
Why you’ll love this baingan bharta recipe
It’s healthy. Tomatoes, onions, eggplants, garlic and spices with just a little oil. What’s not to love? It’s easy to make. Especially if you have some of my tomato onion masala sauce ready, you can bring this dish together in minutes. And you don’t need any highly specialized spices or ingredients for this easy baingan bharta –not even garam masala. It tastes amazing. The smoky, creamy, sweet eggplant with the spicy tomato onion sauce is a gorgeous combination. It’s versatile. You can eat it with almost any meal, although my favorite way is to eat it with roti or vegan naan.
How to make Baingan Bharta
Cut the eggplant down the middle into half, lengthwise. Make three slits with the knife in each half (on the white side) and insert a clove of garlic in each. Place the eggplant, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking pan or rimmed baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until the skin is charred and a knife in the thickest part of the eggplant goes cleanly through. For a more authentic flavor, you can roast the eggplant over an open flame. Be careful and do this with tongs as the eggplant will leak juices. Turn the eggplant around on the open flame with tongs until the skin is all charred and a knife inserted in the center goes cleanly through. Once the eggplant has cooled, scoop out the flesh. You can blitz it at this point if you want it to melt into the tomato onion sauce, or just chop it up into little bits. Heat the oil and add in cumin seeds or jeera. Next add the onions. A baingan ka bharta needs lots of onions, so use a large or medium onion and chop it fine. You want it to melt into the sauce when the dish is done. I like tossing in a handful of cilantro with the onions because it adds even more flavor. Chop the tomatoes fine and add them to the skillet. Season with cayenne, turmeric and coriander powder. You can add finely chopped green chili peppers, like jalapeno or serrano, if you want more heat, but they’re optional. Finally add the roasted eggplant, mix it in, and check if you need more salt. Let the eggplant cook in the sauce for just a few minutes so it absorbs all those great flavors. Turn off the heat, garnish with more cilantro, and serve.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a delicious dal tadka. Scoop up with vegan naan, roti or aloo kulcha.
Advance meal prep suggestions
Make my Tomato Onion Masala Sauce in advance and refrigerate or freeze it. You can also roast the eggplant up to a day ahead. To make the baingan bharta heat oil, add the cumin, and then add the tomato onion sauce to the saucepan. Heat it through, add the chopped eggplant, and mix. Garnish with cilantro.
Storage instructions
Refrigerator: Place leftovers in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to three days. Freezer: Baingan bharta freezes nicely. Place in an airtight container after it has cooled and freeze for up to three months. Reheating: Reheat frozen or refrigerated baingan bharta in the microwave, about 3-5 minutes for frozen and 1-2 minutes if refrigerated. Stir a couple of times in between to ensure everything is evenly heated. If doing this on the stovetop thaw the eggplant bharta first, then reheat in a skillet or wok.
More delicious Indian eggplant recipes
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