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Pickled Eggplant Recipe

Moroccan Eggplant Pickles with garlic, coriander seeds and cilantro. A delicious way to preserve your garden eggplant just a little bit longer! Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs, they make the perfect side to any Mediterranean-style meal.

4.7 from 139 votes
30 mins
Total Time
1
quart
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Pickled Eggplant

How to Make the Best Pickled Eggplant

Pickled eggplant is a wonderful way to preserve the bounty of late summer gardens while adding a tangy, flavorful side dish to your Mediterranean-inspired meals. This Moroccan-style recipe transforms tender baby eggplants into beautifully spiced pickles infused with coriander seeds, garlic, and fresh herbs.

The pickling process couldn’t be simpler—just simmer your quartered eggplants in a fragrant brine until tender, then let them marinate overnight in the refrigerator. The result is silky, flavorful eggplant with a gentle tang that pairs perfectly with grilled meats, falafel, hummus, or as part of a mezze spread.

Drizzled with good olive oil and topped with fresh cilantro or parsley, these pickled eggplants make an impressive appetizer or side dish that will keep for up to a month in your refrigerator. They’re proof that pickling doesn’t have to be complicated to be absolutely delicious.

Pickled Eggplant

Pickled Eggplant

Moroccan Eggplant Pickles with garlic, coriander seeds and cilantro. A delicious way to preserve your garden eggplant just a little bit longer! Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh herbs, they make the perfect side to any Mediterranean-style meal.

4.7 from 139 votes
CoursePickling
CuisineMoroccan
Keywordeggplant pickles, moroccan eggplant pickles, pickled eggplant, how to pickle eggplant
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time30 mins
Servings1 quart
Calories34kcal
AuthorChristina Hill
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Ingredients

Pickling Brine

Eggplant

For Serving

Optional Additions

Instructions

Prepare the Brine

  1. In a medium pot, bring the salt, sugar, vinegar, water, coriander seeds, and garlic to a simmer.

Prepare the Eggplant

  1. Slit each eggplant from the blossom end almost to the stem lengthwise, then once more into 4 quarters so that eggplant splays into four "fingers" attached to the stem end.
  2. Place eggplant in simmering liquid and gently simmer 8-10 minutes or until eggplant is tender. Bigger ones will take longer, mini ones shorter.

Pickle and Serve

  1. Using tongs, place eggplant in a jar, stems up, and pour the pickling liquid over top. Refrigerate 12 hours.
  2. To serve, place eggplant on a platter, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh cilantro or Italian parsley.

Notes

  • Makes a one-quart jar and keeps up to 4 weeks in the fridge.
  • Use fairytale eggplant or small Japanese varieties for best results.
  • Feel free to add other whole spices, bay leaves, or chilies for extra flavor.
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