Eggplant skeptics, this one’s for you. I know the bitterness and the unusual texture come up a lot when people talk about bad eggplant experiences. In my experience, both of those issues are almost always a salting problem. Salt the eggplant first and you’ll get great results. This harissa eggplant is a pantry-friendly summer recipe that comes together quickly on the stove. The harissa spices are built right in the pot rather than making a paste separately. Serve it over millet, rice, or couscous — and have some grilled flatbread on the side if you can manage it.
The salting step takes an hour, but it’s completely hands-off. I toss the eggplant cubes in a generous amount of salt and let them sit in a colander in the sink. From my experience, salting reduces any bitterness and, more importantly, dramatically improves the texture. The eggplant becomes silky! You can get away with 20 minutes in a pinch, but the full hour is worth it if you have the time.
I want to flag that “braise” is a little generous for a 10-minute simmer. Hopefully you can forgive me on that one! The eggplant gets seared in batches first until golden and softened, then added back into the pot at the end. That extra searing step is what gives you the brilliantly satisfying texture.
The spice combination here–cumin, caraway, and coriander are each doing something distinct. Cumin for warmth, caraway for that slightly herbal, anise-adjacent note, coriander for brightness. Several readers have doubled the spices and loved the result. I’d say go for it if you like bolder flavor. A squeeze of lemon and a handful of flat leaf parsley at the very end are what pull it all together.
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Braised Harissa Eggplant with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 tablespoon salt, plus extra
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra if needed
- 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
- 1 small chili (such as cayenne or fresno), seeded and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground caraway
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Notes
- This looks like a lot of salt, but you’ll be rinsing a lot of it away before the cooking starts.
- I left the peel on my eggplant, but feel free to remove yours if you prefer it that way.
- I like a wide and deep braiser-style pot, but a regular soup pot or even a deep skillet will work for this recipe.
- If you have harissa paste on hand, you can use about 2 tablespoons in place of the individual dried spices and the fresh chili. Add it with the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds before adding everything else.
- This braise/stew is an excellent base for all kinds of small-dice summer vegetables like zucchini, green beans, or bell peppers. You could add up to 2 cups along with the onions. You might need an extra few splashes of vegetable stock, but otherwise the recipe should remain the same.
- I grind the caraway seeds in my spice grinder for this recipe. Not 100% sure if you can buy ground caraway in stores. You can also just leave them whole!
Instructions
- Remove the stem of the eggplant and chop into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes in a colander and toss them with the tablespoon of salt. Set aside for an hour in the sink.
- After an hour, rinse the eggplant (to remove excess salt) and thoroughly pat the cubes dry with paper towel or clean kitchen towels.
- Set up a dinner plate with a couple paper towels on top. In a wide, deep braiser-style pot or deep skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. In batches, sear the eggplant until it’s golden brown on all sides and softened. As the eggplant finishes, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and place it on the paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- If necessary, add more oil to the pot and lower the heat to medium. Add the onions and hot pepper to the pot and sauté until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, caraway, and coriander to the pot and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, some salt and black pepper to taste, and then stir to coat the chickpeas in spices. Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock to the pot.
- Bring the braise to a boil and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the eggplant back into the pot and bring the braise up to a boil once more. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Serve the braised harissa eggplant hot over millet or rice (or any other starch of choice).
**This post was created in partnership with Jovial Foods. All opinions expressed are my own. Thanks for supporting!
Delicious and simple to make. I’ll be sure to pick up some carway for the next time I make this. There were a few changes, the first being, say yes to extra spice The second is adding cubed extra firm tofu to the eggplant during the braising process. The combined textures were perfect and the extra bulk yielded enough for us to have leftovers for tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve opted to roast my eggplant cubes rather than fry them to reduce the fat content. I still cubed, salted and patted them dry but then tossed them in a tablespoon of olive oil before putting them in a 425 F oven for about 25 min., turning them halfway. I’ve also doubled all the ingredients and ramped up the spices beyond the doubling because this freezes well and makes a great meal served over oven-baked brown basmati rice. (I know couscous would be more traditional but I’m going for nutritional density.)
YUM! I haven’t done much with eggplant or harissa (I bought a jarred paste) so this has been a delightful first introduction. Does this freeze well? I made this and it’s too much for me as a solo eater. =)
I want to make this a second time, just pulled 12 lbs eggplant from my garden, has anyone frozen it with good results?
Easy and tasty. I didn’t have a pepper, but used a prepared harissa paste at the end to bump up the heat.
So delicious! I couldn’t find caraway (!!) so I bought harissa blend. I served it over polenta which worked really well. I was sad I didn’t double the recipe
Delicious… Easy… Healthy… Recipe…
Delicious! Great start to the week with a tasty veggie meal! I have only ever used store bought harissa pastes but this also tasted very good. I did not have caraway (rarely ever use it) so I used fennel seeds (whole). I’m sure this changed the taste profile slightly but it turned out well for me. I look forward to exploring the rest of your site.
Truly enjoyed this meal! The caraway felt unusual here, but it was a really nice touch!
this is pure comfort food!
Lovely flavours but next time I will put nearly double the dried spices. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I doubled the spices too and it turned out to be great!
OMG this was fantastic! I made a variation though. Instead of using the chili and spices I added a tablespoon of Rose Harissa that I keep on hand. The flavor is amazing!!! Thank you!!!
Thanks for sharing! Does it reheat well?
This looks so good! What a great way to use up eggplant in a filling but plant based dish!
Wow! This is perfect for what the garden is offering up! I just made this, added in some yellow and green courgette and it’s amazing!
Definitely a repeat recipe! Thank you :)
I’ve made this recipe before and it’s delicious. Especially during Lent, it’s a go-to meatless option.
Without a braiser pan, I’ve always used a Dutch Oven. Would there be any benefit to using a skillet vs a Dutch Oven?
Hi Janaan,
I think with the skillet, the stew may concentrate and reduce a bit more–but probably not in a super noticeable way. I say if you’ve had good results with Dutch oven, stick with it ;)
-L
I doubled the spices and garlic
3/4 cup extra tomatoes
Added sun dried tomatoes 3/4 cup
Added Romano beans -about a cup
Added roasted red peppers – 1 cup
Substituted butter beans
End result – WOW – so good. Vegan wife and me voted this is a repeat keeper.
Excellent dish – a meal in a dish – enjoyed with some crusty bread.
I have a Harissa spice blend, could I use this in place of the other spices in your recipe?
Yes definitely!
-L
I love this recipe, this is the 3rd time I’ve made it. My meat eater husband even loves it. I add a little bit of sugar to cut the acid of the tomatoes I also double the amount of spices, other than that it’s as written. I’ve never cooked with Egg Plant until this recipe…thanks for sharing it.
Fabulous! I used less broth in order to make a thicker stew. I also tossed the eggplant in a whisked egg white before frying them. This way the eggplants don’t absorb nearly as much oil : )
Just wanted to say that i have made this twice now, using a harissa spice blend I still had in my cupboard. Was absolutely delicious and easy to make, and it will probably not be the last time I’ve made it, either ;)
Had it with pasta and baguette so far, so that leaves any type of grains to try out…
Thanks a lot for sharing!
I made this last night and served it over couscous. it was excellent. I didn’t have a Fresno chile so I used about 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. heat was just right (my wife doesn’t like dishes that are too hot; me, on the other hand…)
This was good. I didn’t have caraway so added sumac. Easy to make.
This is a delicious dish! Thank you!
What Staub pan is this??
It’s a 4 quart braiser.
-L
Great recipe! Seriously can’t wait to eat the left overs.
Eggplant in a delicious harissa sauce is the best combination in the world of eggplant dishes! I have to make this homemade harissa sauce, but I’m certain I’d start making it all the time! Definitely going on my recipe list ASAP!
This was delicious! I followed the receipt pretty much exactly except that I used a jalapeño pepper because that’s what I had. I ground up the caraway seed in a mini processor and am pretty sure that is what made this taste so special, along with the lemon. So, so good.
This is absolutely delicious! I added ground turkey to the onions and pepper before adding the tomato and vegetable stock. I actually used chicken stock instead, too. Thanks!!
Thanks for this recipe, can’t wait to try it at home! Harissa is definitely one of my faves.
Thank you for the recipe, it was soooo good. Will definitely make it again
I absolutely love eggplant, so I always want to try recipes where this ingredient features. And this one was delicious! I had it on bruschetta, on pasta and just on its own – it was that good. Thanks Laura, your dishes always inspire me to get into the kitchen and start cooking!
Just made this and it is incredible. Even though I discovered I was out of coriander, it’s still super flavorful and delectable. Thank you!!
This dish was delicious…next time i will add some potato to heft it up a bit but the flavours were amazing !!!
I added potato as you suggested. Excellent idea!
Oh man, that was good. I was out of chili peppers so I substituted red pepper flakes. Otherwise no changes. I will definitely make again. Delicious! And I didn’t realize that I was a caraway fan until I tried Laura’s recipes. Thank you!
Can I just say I love you and your site? I made this dish last night and it is so delicious! I’ve yet to make anything you post that doesn’t turn out. I don’t know where you get your inspiration, but keep it coming. Your ability to create both depth and layer of flavours is off the charts. Thank you!
I can’t seem to find caraway, in seed or ground. I do however have harissa paste at home. How much would I need to use in this recipe to replace the spices?
Hi Nancy,
I would start with two tablespoons of the paste, and add more if you think it necessary as you taste the braise. If you’re using paste, you can eliminate the dried spices and the chili (unless you want yours to be a little bit hotter).
-L
Eggplant is definitely one of those vegetables that can be poorly prepared and ruin it forever. Thank you for your tips of salting the eggplant in advance! I’m sure this alone will improve many other recipes for cooks everywhere. This stew looks amazing and I definitely need to make it soon, probably paired with a good baguette.
I was looking for a recipe to use the lovely eggplant I’ve seen at the farmers market – this will be it! Excited to try it.
Laura, when I read this post this morning I knew immediately that I was going to make it for dinner tonight. On my way home from working late(after 8p), I swung by the store to pick up whatever I couldn’t find at the farmer’s market and got to work. This is SOOOO good! It was quick to put together and your treatment of the eggplant was brilliant. The lemon juice and the caraway seeds added so much flavor. This is definitely going into the rotation. Next time I’m adding zucchini. Thank you for sharing. You’ve got such a knack for recipe development. And yes to reducing plastics! It’s good to see smart companies starting to adapt. xo
I wish I had a bowl of this beautiful food in front of me right now, and it is only 07:30 am. :)
Oh man, this looks delicious! I’ve not had a veggie stew like this in ages, I’m going to have to get the ingredients next time I head to the shops. Great recipe!