Italian Eggplant Stew - 4 Ingredients

Melanzane in Potacchio (Italian Eggplant stew) is a simple but surprisingly tasty recipe from the Marche region in Italy. It is a side dish that can be prepared in advance and can be enjoyed cold or warm. If you are looking for delicious vegan eggplant recipes, you have arrived my friend!

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If you are like me and are constantly looking for tasty recipes for eggplant, you need to look at this simple but delicious dish.

Melanzane (eggplant in Italian) is one of the most beloved vegetables on the Italian Peninsula. There are many reasons to love it: it is cheap, versatile, has a great texture, plays along with virtually any flavor, and provides a delicate and distinctive texture to dishes.

When you plan to eat your way through Italy you can't leave Appetizers like Eggplant Parmesan and Eggplant Involtinis behind! There are many widely known eggplant dishes, but these are the must-haves.

For this Eggplant Stew recipe (you only need very simple ingredients, three vegetables and one herb!). Italian stews usually require just a few great quality ingredients to make the magic happen!

The stewed eggplant reminds us of a lot of the Catalonian Escalivada recipe, also on this site. But this dish is made quicker and doesn’t require an oven, just a saucepan!

This Italian eggplant recipe is very similar to our 3-ingredient pasta sauce, but this dish is less “saucy,” and you can serve it in various ways. It is one of those vegan eggplant dishes that was born this way! If you are into simple delicious treats, don't forget to look at our Pasta alla Puttanesca.

Two years ago, when Joaquin came to Italy to do his citizenship paperwork, he lived in Le Marche. A region that is best known for its beaches in cities like Rimini and Ancona. But Le Marche also has a great Enogastronomy (food and wine tourism).

This is how we first got to taste this dish, another queen in the realm of Italian Cuisine’s simplicity.

Jump to:

• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🥢 How to Serve
• 📖 Variations
• 🍆 Italian Eggplant
• 💡 Tips for using your Italian Eggplants
• ❓ FAQ
• 📚 More Simple Vegan Eggplant Recipes
• 🇮🇹 More Vegan Italian recipes
• 📋 Recipe
• 🌡️ Food safety
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

You need just a handful of ingredients for this vegan stew recipe. It is undoubtedly the simplest of all Italian eggplant dishes.

• Italian Eggplant (or any purple variety)
• Tomatoes
• Garlic
• Rosemary

Optional:

Extra virgin olive oil and salt.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🔪 Instructions

The cooking method is mind-blowing and simple, and very few ingredients are enough. Let's explore this vegan eggplant recipe together.

Chop the eggplant and tomatoes and mince the garlic. You can make eggplant slices or dice.

Slightly cook the eggplant until golden brown.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Garlic, tomatoes, rosemary, and optionally olive oil and salt.

Add Rosemary and adjust flavors with salt and olive oil in you want.

Stir once or twice and let the stew cook for 20 minutes over low heat with the lid on.

Remove from the heat, and let it sit for a couple of minutes before serving.

This is probably the simplest Vegan Vegetable Stew you will find out there! And probably also the most authentic!

🥢 How to Serve

You can serve this Italian Eggplant Casserole in several ways. Most Italian eggplant recipes call for cheese, but not this one, as it packs lots of flavor on its own!

• Main dish – serve a larger portion along with baked potatoes or steamed rice.
• Side – next to your dish of choice, such as this simple Romanesco Broccoli.
• Appetizer – serve it with your favorite Focaccia or Pagnotta bread as a Spanish Tapa at room temperature. You can alternatively use pita bread, for this absolutely delicious meal.

Top with fresh parsley.

📖 Variations

To make this vegan eggplant casserole, you can play with different Italian herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, and Rosemary.

You can also add one onion to augment the volume and provide even more flavor.

• Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet – omit olive oil and salt. The method doesn’t change.
• Herbs – use fresh basil or oregano instead of rosemary.
• Garlic – if you are not a fan of garlic, you can choose to use onions instead.
• White wine – to add more complexity and richness to the dish’s flavor, add ½ cup of dry white wine as soon as the eggplants are slightly roasted before you stir in the rest of the ingredients.
• Spicy - you can optionally add black pepper or red pepper flakes during the last minutes of cooking.

🍆 Italian Eggplant

Italian eggplants are a common type of eggplant that can be found in home gardens and farmers' markets across North America. This variety of eggplant is more commonly known as "Italian" or "sweet" eggplants, contrary to their relative species, which are usually more bitter and sour than they are sweet.

Italian eggplants can be harvested by cutting them from the vine near the stem, leaving about 2 inches of stem still attached to each fruit.

The main characteristic that separates Italian eggplants from other types of eggplant is the lack of a gel around their seeds, which can be found in its relative species along with a large amount of bitter taste.

Since the gel contains most of the water content in the eggplant fruit, lacking this gel means that Italian eggs will be more succulent and less bitter.

Italian eggplants can be found at local farmers' markets and some grocery stores from June to September each year, depending on regional climates. They are very simple to harvest - about 2 inches should be cut from the stem of the eggplant to harvest, leaving 2 inches still attached.

This bit of stem provides a place for nutrients to travel from the roots into the fruit, which will continue ripening afterward.

Eggplants are a great addition to one's diet, as they have surprising health benefits.

💡 Tips for using your Italian Eggplants

• Eggplants are great for cooking in stews, spreads, or frying
• Do not store uncooked eggplants in the refrigerator unless they are less than half of their original size
• They can be prepared by roasting or steaming to be used in salads or recipes such as baba ganoush and ratatouille.
• They tend to last only 4 days after harvest if refrigerated.

❓ FAQ

📚 More Simple Vegan Eggplant Recipes

This vegan version of the famous Pasta alla Norma is delicious, and you won't believe it is made with only 3 ingredients.

I am sure you love the Eggplant Parmigiana but sometimes refrain from indulging given its high-calorie content; well, you may not have tried our No-fry eggplant parmesan, but you won't miss any frying on this healthy recipe!

Our Eggplant Green Thai Curry will gain your heart if you are into Thai Curries with freshly steamed Jasmine Rice.

Eggplants not only do well with Thai Curries, but Indian Eggplant curries are delicious. This Mild Indian Curry has tomato and coconut milk that is hard to resist.

If you are in love with Eggplants as we are, don't forget to check our 9 Vegan Eggplant Recipes post.

🇮🇹 More Vegan Italian recipes

• Romanesco Broccoli in padella
• Best Stuffed Shells Pasta
• Saffron Risotto (Risotto alla Milanese)
• If you like quiches alike and puff pastry, have a look at this super easy Vegan Eggplant Pie, or the creamy eggplant pasta made with simple ingredients and great for meal prep.

Make sure to try a delicious authentic Tuscan Ribollita soup, made with simple ingredients that make a completely delicious, vegan, and balanced main dish.

Or simply hop into our Round-up post with Our Favorite Vegan Italian Recipes you should try!

Another Vegan Vegetable Stew that is super easy and quick to make is our Protein-Packed Chickpea Stew. We are sure you will love it.

⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

📋 Recipe