Szechuan Eggplant Recipe
Chinese Eggplant with Szechuan Sauce with chilies and peanuts - a tasty, easy vegan dinner recipe! Serve with rice, black rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa or rice noodles.
How to Make the Best Szechuan Eggplant
Szechuan eggplant is a classic Chinese dish that delivers bold, complex flavors in every bite. The combination of numbing Szechuan peppercorns, fiery dried chilies, and aromatic garlic and ginger creates a sauce that perfectly complements the silky texture of Japanese eggplant. This vegan-friendly recipe is surprisingly simple to make at home once you have the ingredients on hand.
The key to achieving restaurant-quality results lies in properly preparing the eggplant. Soaking it in salted water draws out any bitterness and excess moisture, while the cornstarch coating helps create a lightly crispy exterior that soaks up the flavorful sauce. Take your time browning the eggplant in batches—this step is essential for developing deep flavor and the perfect texture.
Serve this aromatic dish over steamed rice, black rice, or cauliflower rice for a lighter option. The leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld together. Top with crunchy peanuts and fresh scallions for added texture and a pop of color.
Szechuan Eggplant
Chinese Eggplant with Szechuan Sauce with chilies and peanuts - a tasty, easy vegan dinner recipe! Serve with rice, black rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa or rice noodles.
Ingredients
Eggplant
Szechuan Sauce
Garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Eggplant
- Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch thick half-moons or into bite-sized pieces. Place in a big bowl covered with water and stir in 2 teaspoons salt. Cover with a plate and let stand 20-30 minutes.
- In the meantime, chop the garlic and ginger and make the Szechuan Sauce.
Make the Szechuan Sauce
- Toast the Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Crush.
- Place the crushed peppercorns along with the remaining sauce ingredients (soy sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, rice vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, and five spice) in a small bowl and whisk. Set by the stove.
Cook the Eggplant
- Drain and rinse the eggplant and pat dry with a towel. Toss with the cornstarch.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in an extra-large skillet over medium heat. Add half the eggplant, spreading them out. You want to get both sides nice and golden, and the insides cooked through—so take your time here and don't rush this step. Let one side brown then turn them over using tongs. This will take about 10 minutes for each batch. Set the eggplant aside.
- Add 1 more tablespoon oil to the skillet, and over medium heat, add the garlic and ginger, stirring for 2 minutes. Turn the fan on, add the dried chilies and stir one minute.
- Pour the Szechuan sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer for 20 seconds. Add the eggplant back into the skillet, tossing gently for about 30 seconds. Don't over-reduce, or it will get salty. If it seems dry, add a tablespoon of water to loosen.
Serve
- Place in a serving dish and top with scallions and optional peanuts.
- Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, black rice or rice noodles.
Notes
- Japanese eggplant works best for this recipe as it has fewer seeds and a more tender texture than globe eggplant.
- Salting the eggplant helps remove bitterness and excess moisture, resulting in better texture when cooked.
- Adjust the number of dried red chilies to your preferred spice level.
