I want to introduce you to an often-overlooked delicious side dish: Italian pickled eggplant! This unique dish can be enjoyed as an appetizer or side dish. It’s perfect for any occasion and easy to make at home. Pickles are also easy to make and great to pimp up your dishes.
This recipe consists of pickled marinated eggplant kept completely covered under olive oil and flavored with garlic, Mediterranean spices, and herbs, as in Italy.
This is one of the authentic Italian dishes made in Argentina, passed down generations to Joaquin's mother. It is a staple in every house with Italian heritage and is served in restaurants as an appetizer next to olives and can be paired with bread.
Pickling eggplant is a great idea for preserving fresh produce and making it last while enhancing its flavor. You can pickle almost anything, like zucchini or cabbage, eggplants are the ones that never miss in our house.
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💚 Why you will love it
- Authentically Italian
- Versatile uses
- Easy preservation
- Flavor enhancer
- Nutrient-rich snack
- Readily made appetizer
🧾 Ingredients
- Eggplants: These spongy beauties are perfect for soaking up all the pickling goodness. Plus, they offer a nice, meaty texture.
- Coarse Kosher Salt: This not only seasons the eggplant but also draws out excess moisture, ensuring a crisper pickle.
- White Wine Vinegar: It creates the acidic environment needed for preservation and adds a zesty kick.
- Vegetable Oil: This helps to preserve the eggplant and adds a rich mouthfeel to each bite. Choose a neutral one so it won't overshadow the other flavors.
- Peppercorns or Red Pepper Flakes: These add a tailored heat level, whether you like it subtly spiced or hot.
- Bay Leaves: These add a complex, herbal backdrop, enhancing the overall aroma.
- Garlic Cloves offer a robust taste, making the pickling liquid more complex. They are also a natural antimicrobial agent.
- Oregano Leaves: Brings an aromatic, woody note iconic in Italian cuisine.
- Smoked Paprika adds a smoky nuance that complements the eggplant's natural flavors.
Optional variations
- Dry Tomatoes
- Dried herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, or basil)
🔪 Instructions
It is a straightforward method; it doesn't take much time hands-on.
Salt the eggplant
The most time-consuming step is draining the excess moisture from the eggplant, but after that, the rest of the process is quick, taking less than 30 minutes.
For optimal results, start salting the eggplant either the day before or at least 8 hours ahead. Consider making a double batch, as it's best to let it rest in the fridge for a month before enjoying it.
Cut the eggplant into your preferred shape. While we enjoy slicing them lengthwise, you're welcome to cut them into long strips or even peel them if you'd like.
Alternatively, you can slice them into rounds. We usually keep the skin on, but feel free to peel it off if that's what you prefer. A mandolin slicer is a great tool for this job if you have one.
To help draw out the eggplant's moisture, we weigh them down with something heavy, like a stack of books or a Dutch oven filled with grains.
After cutting, sprinkle the eggplant slices with coarse salt, then place them over a plastic layer with a heavy object on top. This technique helps remove extra moisture.
Finally, arrange them in a spot where any drained water won't pool around them. I usually set a baking sheet at an angle, directing any dripping water towards the sink, and leave it there overnight.
Sterilize your container
Bring to a boil two liters of water on a large saucepan, and put your mason jar and lid to boil upside down for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Slightly cook eggplant
Using the same boiling water, add the white vinegar and give the eggplant strips or slices a vinegar and water bath to remove the excess salt.
Once cooled, squeeze out as much liquid as possible by taking a handful of eggplant strips at a time and squeezing them with your hands., removing excess vinegar as well.
Canning
Begin by layering the squeezed eggplant, dried oregano, and other herbs in the sterilized jars (refer to the video for guidance). Add garlic either in slices or as whole cloves.
Make sure you cover everything completely with enough oil.
💡 Expert tips
Ensure you thoroughly salt the eggplants to draw out moisture, which is crucial for achieving the desired crispness in the pickles. Use coarse Kosher salt for better control over the salting process.
After salting, pressing the eggplants under a weight helps extract moisture effectively; just make sure to set them up so that the drained water can easily flow away.
Sterilizing your jars is a must for safe preservation, so don't skip boiling them for at least 10 minutes to eliminate any bacteria. When boiling the eggplants in the vinegar-water mixture, keep the time brief to maintain their texture but ensure they're adequately sanitized.
We usually can't wait and start munching after 2 or 3 days. That's why we typically fix a second pot, which will be optimal in a month. If you munch on your first jar before the month has passed, skip the garlic, as its flavor might still be strong.
Finally, always ensure the eggplants are completely submerged in oil in the jar to prevent air exposure, which can spoil the pickles.
📖 Variations
You can make pickled vegetables from other veggies, such as zucchini, onions, and cucumbers.
Try eggplants and zucchinis to taste the difference, and pick your favorite.
If you like spicy food, I highly recommend trying these spicy pickled veggies. They are super easy to make and can be served next to these eggplants as part of your appetizer spread.
📝 Notes on oil
If you want a healthier option for this eggplant pickle recipe, you could also use Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It will just change the flavor a little bit, but olive oil tastes great! The recipe is traditionally done with neutral vegetable oil, so all the other flavors can emerge better.
I like to use olive oil that is not super aromatic, avocado, or flaxseed oil. These last two options have almost no aroma and are healthier options than mainstream vegetable oil.
🥢 How to serve
We usually have a pickled Eggplant jar in the fridge year long since they go well with everything.
Typically, we start our meals with a small appetizer, or tapa. Pickles serve as excellent, effortless choices for this.
They are easy to include in any antipasto platter. They are super enjoyable as a snack with our gluten-free crackers, a piece of Rosemary Focaccia, or Italian Artisan Bread.
Add some chunks to a sandwich with Lebanese hummus, add some to a vegan quinoa poke bowl, or use them to top your plant-based mashed potatoes for a flavor punch.
I often utilize the oil for other daily dishes, such as straightforward pasta meals.
On occasions when we're looking for an easy meal, we dice up a couple of slices of eggplant and a pickled garlic clove from the jar to toss with spaghetti or rigati pasta for a simple pasta night.
🫙 Storage
Store in a cool, dark place or the fridge closed with a lid in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 6 months. They may last even longer; I have not tried more.
Make sure they are always covered with oil. If the oil in the jar is not enough after consuming a portion, feel free to add extra oil.
📚 More eggplant recipes
- Vegan Eggplant Babaganoush Spread
- Escalivada
- Vegan Eggplant Involvitini
- Indian Eggplant Curry
- Vegan Eggplant Pie
- Creamy Eggplant Pasta with Tomato Ricotta Sauce
- Vegan Green Lentil Curry with sweet potatoes and eggplant.
See our vegan eggplant recipe collection.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
🎥 Video
📋 Recipe
Italian Pickled Eggplant Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 eggplants (large)
- ¼ cup sea salt (coarse)
- ½ liter vinegar (any)
- ½ liter vegetable oil (neutral, or avocado oil for a healthier option)
- 2 tablespoon peppercorns (black or mixed)
- 10 bay leaves (dry or fresh)
- 5 garlic cloves (whole)
- 2 tablespoon oregano leaves (dry)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
Optional (Son's version):
- 5 tomatoes (dry)
- fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley)
- basil (dry or fresh)
Directions
- The night before (or minimum 8 hours): Cut your eggplants the way you like them. We like cutting them following the eggplant’s length, but feel free to cut them transversally (discs) or even strips. We leave the peal, but you can cut it off if you want. Use a mandolin if you have one.
- Place the Eggplants on a tray. Add the salt on top and put another tray on top. Place some heavy stuff on it, such as books. The idea is that the salt dehydrates the eggplants. It will drain water, so make sure you place them somewhere where the water won’t spill overnight, for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Sterilize. You need a sterilized mason jar (glass). Below is how.
- Boil. Bring 2 liters of water to boil on a pot, and put your jar and lid to boil upside down for a minimum of 10 minutes.
- Boil aside. Bring to boil 1 liter of water + ½ liter of vinegar. Boil the eggplant strips for 3 minutes and take them off; let them drain in a colander.
- Start assembling: Start filling the mason jar with layers of all the ingredients (watch the video).
- Fill it with vegetable oil, making sure you cover all the ingredients, and close the lid.
- Store. Put them on the fridge and start craving!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
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As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.
Mitchell
Just Made 4 jars and excited to try it! How long will these keep in the oil?
Gus
Hey! That's so cool! You can preserve them for up to 6 months in a dark, cool place or the fridge. Thanks for your question; I just added this extra piece of information to the post; thanks to you! 🙂
Anita
I love eggplants, but never knew they can be pickled! This is a great way to use eggplants, and it tastes delicious.
Gus
We're so glad you enjoyed the eggplant pickles Anita! We love them too and are happy to know you found a way to enjoy them even more. Thanks for trying them!