Indulge in a bowl of this comforting Roasted Eggplant Curry with Chickpeas. Made with simple and budget-friendly ingredients, it’s a warmly spiced and rich-flavored meal that’s perfect for easy weeknight dinners or healthy lunches!
Want more curry recipes? Check out my One Pan Tofu Curry, Easy Vegan Curry, and Easy Chickpea Curry.
Why I love this eggplant curry recipe
Have you ever considered putting eggplant in curry? If not, you should! In this eggplant curry, diced and roasted eggplant practically melts into the luxurious and nicely spiced curry sauce and lends a chewy, yet tender texture to every bite.
- Layers of rich and complex flavors: The secret to the delectable flavors in this eggplant curry (AKA brinjal curry or aubergine curry) is to roast the eggplant. When cooked slowly in the oven, the heat draws out the hidden flavors in the eggplant and gives this warm and comforting dish a nice complexity and a rich flavor that you wouldn’t get from pan-fried eggplant.
- A great late-summer dish: Eggplant, the star of this recipe, is in season from July through October here in North America. Pick up a few different varieties from your local farmer’s market and put them to use in this comforting brinjal curry! Any extras would be perfect for my Vegan Eggplant Parmesan.
- It’s budget-friendly! A handful of vegetables, dry spices, and canned ingredients make this vegan curry recipe friendly to your wallet.
- Perfect for meal prep: The leftover curry stays fresh for days and even tastes better over time. Prep it on Sunday and pack it in individual containers for healthy lunches to enjoy throughout the week!
How to make eggplant curry
Lay the cubed eggplant on a large baking sheet and add a drizzle of olive oil on top. Stir to coat, add a sprinkle of salt, then roast in the oven until the eggplant is tender.
Meanwhile, saute the onion and red bell pepper in a hot skillet until they’re soft.
Stir in the curry spices. You can add a small splash of water at this point if the spices are sticking to the pan.
Add the ginger and garlic next and cook until they’re very fragrant.
Next, stir the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and chickpeas into the curry.
Once the eggplant is done roasting, dump the chunks into the skillet. Stir to coat, then bring the mixture up to a simmer. Turn down the heat and continue to simmer until everything is tender and the flavors have come together.
Serve the vegan eggplant curry in bowls with cooked basmati rice and Indian flatbread on the side. Vegan naan is my favorite, but roti or chapati is good, too. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
You can make it with any variety of eggplant you have on hand or that you can find in your local grocery store or farmer’s market. American, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese eggplant all work well! What’s most important is to use medium-sized eggplants (about 550 grams each) that don’t have many marks or dents and are shiny, not dull, in color.
It’s up to you! The peel tenderizes as it cooks and is very easy to eat. Still, if you prefer to peel the eggplant first, you can.
I highly recommend roasting the eggplant because it deepens the flavors and yields the best texture. But if you’re making this during summer and it’s too hot to turn on your oven, cook the cubed eggplant in a hot skillet on the stovetop instead. Add the cubes to the curry when you add the chickpeas and simmer it a bit longer until the eggplant is tender.
The Indian spices in this recipe give the curry sauce a subtle warmth rather than an intense heat. If you’d like to jazz it up with some heat, saute 1 to 3 diced green chili peppers along with the onion and bell pepper.
Yes. Use 1 cup of water in its place (or as much as needed to reach the consistency you like) or cashew cream instead. Even unsweetened soy or almond milk will add some creaminess.
You can replace the chickpeas with another protein if you like. Use cannellini beans, black beans, baked tofu, pan-fried tempeh, or seitan chicken instead.
Once the curry is cooled to room temperature, transfer it to airtight containers and store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It also freezes well for about 3 months.
Roasted Eggplant Curry with Chickpeas
Ingredients
Roasted Eggplant
- 2 medium eggplants
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
The Rest
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for sautéing
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala OR use curry powder *I prefer garam masala but curry powder works
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated *or use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
For Serving
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
- 4 cups cooked white or brown rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Cut the tops off of the eggplant, then chop into 1 inch cubes. There is no need to peel the eggplant, unless you prefer to.
- Add the eggplant chunks to the baking sheet, and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to coat the eggplant in the oil, then spread out and sprinkle with a salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the eggplant is tender.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onion and red bell pepper for 4-5 minutes, until translucent and soft.
- Now stir in the spices: coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric and garam masala (or curry powder). If the mixture gets too dry, add a few tablespoon of water to de-glaze the pan a bit. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.
- To the skillet, add the canned diced tomatoes, coconut milk and chickpeas. Stir. Once the eggplant is done roasting, add to the skillet as well and stir in. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Serve over cooked rice, fresh chopped cilantro/parsley and perhaps a side of vegan naan if desired.
Notes
- Roasting the eggplant brings out the best flavor and texture in my opinion, but if it’s the middle of summer and you don’t want to turn on your oven, you could simply cook in on the stovetop. Add it when you add the chickpeas and simmer a bit longer until the eggplant is tender.
- Light coconut milk works, it simply won’t be as creamy. Or use cashew cream or even almond milk.
- Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days. It freezes quite well, too.
This was really nice. Very easy to make. And cheap! I kinda stuffed up when adding the spices (I couldn’t remember if I had added the garam masala or not, so added another teaspoon) …unfortunately it overpowered the other spices somewhat. But, you live and learn, right? I do agree with another reviewer that said its best to drain the tinned tomatoes before adding. There was too much liquid, and it tended to dilute the flavours of the curry.
Thanks for sharing your experience and great feedback, Marilyn! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hey! I tried this and unfortunately the flavors didn’t come through. I did everything exactly as the recipe required with no substitutions. Do you have any recommendations? I’d love to try it again and make adjustments.
I think the best thing you can do is use a greater amount of seasonings and salt! Start by adding an extra 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of each spice, then add more as you go. Be generous with the salt, too, as it will help the other flavors shine. Tasting the curry as it cooks is the best way to tell that all of the flavors are coming through how you like. Lastly, make sure you’re using high-quality spices (preferably from an Indian grocer) because they will have much stronger flavors.
First time making this dish. loved it so much. i used less coconut milk since im not a big fan about it. Coconut taste wasn’t too strong at the end and blended very well with the curry.
Hi Sara. It’s great you loved the curry! Thank you for your great feedback and review!
Lovely recipe. My second time making it tonight and made a few wee adjustments. Used ghee, added some grated fresh turmeric, a small diced potato and some chilli. It’s cold, rainy and dark by 4pm here so a hearty curry was just the thing. We didn’t miss the meat and have plenty of leftovers for lunch. Thanks Nora 🙂
Another great recipe, Nora!!
I just added some black pepper.
Even my son liked it and he’s a devoted meat-eater. Usually, he’s very hesitant trying vegan dishes. Sometimes I think, that he thinks, that vegetables are poisonous or something, but he said it was not bad. That’s his way of saying that he loved it!
Hi Carlo. That’s great that your son liked the curry! I feel honored! Thank you for your fantastic feedback and fun story! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Very good – needs a little more heat. You should define medium eggplant. Since they ranged from 1-2 pounds in the store I picked two at 1 1/2 pounds each, too much eggplant for the curry sauce (I just saved some roasted eggplant for another meal).
The Bell pepper and onion I used were medium size. But by the time I got to the stage where I was to add the eggplants, there wasn’t even enough room in my large skillet for one eggplant, let alone 2. I had to transfer to a 5 quart electric cooker. I think a larger pot, say a 4-5 quart dutch oven, would accommodate the ingredients better. I’m glad I drained the diced tomato (not mentioned in directions) because this recipe had lots of liquid as it was. All together, I didn’t care for the flavor. I had high hopes but I won’t recommend this.
I agree re the tinned tomatoes. I wish I had remembered your review when I made this! Next time I will be draining the tinned tomatoes..it was too liquidy.
This is a fantastic recipe and very tasty. I tasted the dish before I put the coconut milk in and it was perfect. So for me the next time I make Nora’s recipe I will leave out the coconut milk. (lots of calories and fat LOL).
Try the recipe, you will be very happy!
Hi Bob. I’m so glad you loved the curry! Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback and ideas!
We are trying to eat more vegetarian food, both for health and budget reason. I made this last night exactly as written, except for cutting the eggplant a little smaller than 1″ cubes. Everyone thought it was delicious, and it was polished off for lunch today, so next time I will make a double batch! Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Jude. How fantastic that the curry was a hit! Thank you for sharing your great feedback and ideas! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
LOVE this curry recipe… I have put this one on repeat ❤️
That’s wonderful, Laura! Thanks for making my recipe and for your review!
We used to eat Indian food out in California all the time. Here in Florida, it’s pretty darned hard to find it! These recipes look simple and delicious ❣️❣️Thank you so much ♥️♥️♥️
You are welcome! I love creating easy and delicious recipes! Thank you for sharing your comments, and I hope you enjoy!
THIS DISH! Easy to make and beyond flavorful. I struggle with how to cook/eat eggplant but this dish is my new go to!! I added a bag of spinach because true to form, I always add a green to my food, and served it with quinoa. It will become one of my go-to comfort food but make it tasty dishes. Thank you!
Hi Stacie! I also love the flavor of the eggplant in this dish! I’m so glad that you do as well! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback, review, and ideas! Wishing you happy cooking!
So easy to make this really delicious dish! The garam masala mix I have is very mild so I added chili powder to give some heat to an otherwise very mild curry. Will definitely make this again and do double the recipe and freeze the leftovers.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback, Bridget! This is definitely a dish that makes wonderful leftovers! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I roasted my Eggplant on my grill real fast, and then through all the ingredients (minus the oil and coconut milk) into my Instapot with some extra water and cooked on high pressure for 15 minutes. After it was done I added the coconut milk and a little bit of honey. It turned out amazing! Will definitely be making this again. Thanks ?
Roasting eggplant on a grill sounds so good! Thank you for sharing your great review and feedback! I’m so glad that you loved the curry! Happy cooking!
Just made it, it’s delicious! I added zucchini and Shrimp, Yum!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Lovely! Used a lot less oil and still achieved a good consistency.
Very good. I used low-fat coconut milk but would not recommend if serving to guests. It makes a difference. Used my air fryer for the eggplant but didn’t save any time because I had to bake them in 2 batches. Although a keeper, it lacks the wow factor and I’m not sure how to take it to that next level.
Lime… I always find lime is what is missing if I don’t know what is missing haha
I agree. I added a couple of red chilli’s, but? Needs wow factor.
Soo good! Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
I’m so glad you love the curry! You are welcome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
Thank you!
You are welcome! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This curry tastes amazing. I made it last week, and my husband asked me to cook it today again!!! The roasted eggplant flavour is fabulous. I highly recommend this recipe.
This was FANTASTIC! Definitely going to be making it again.
This is so delicious! Easy to put together, great flavor, and a well written recipe. Thank you, Nora!
Thank you for your review and comments! It’s great to know the instructions are easy to follow. I’m so glad you loved the curry! It is one of my favorites!
Made this tonight and it was delicious. I didn’t have a bell pepper so I added 2 carrots to the roasting pan with the eggplant (plus the garlic) and used a sliced Serrano pepper with the sautéed onions. I dropped in fresh shelled green peas during the last 10 minutes from my CSA share. Yum!
So delicious! This was the second time I made the recipe…this time I added ~10 small red potatoes when roasting the eggplant, extra yellow bell pepper, cumin, chili pepper, cardamom and turmeric (extra kick!) to mix. It was excellent!
Ooooh! Sounds so delicious! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I’m cooking this right now the smell is incredible and I had a little taste whilst it’s bubbling away and oh my take me to heaven its delicious
I’m thrilled you love the flavor! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review, and enjoy your curry meal!
Just made this for dinner and it was delicious! You must have a huge skillet because I knew after I cut the eggplant up that this recipe was NOT going to fit in the largest skillet I have so I just used a pot instead and it turned out great. It was a lot of chopping but it was well worth it. I also love the large portion size because I won’t have to cook tomorrow. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
I am glad you loved this recipe! It is totally one of my favorites, and the leftovers just get better! Thank you for taking your time to share your review! I appreciate it!