This sautéed eggplant recipe is the perfect gluten-free and vegetarian comfort food. Only taking 15-20 minutes to make, it is delicious, healthy, and fantastic for a winter’s day.
Don’t you just love cheesy, gooey, gluten-free comfort food? I started sautéeing eggplant in my second year of college, and it immediately became my favorite comfort recipe. Now, I probably make this sautéed eggplant recipe once a week when eggplant is in season.
The sweet mildness of the eggplant really soaks up the tangy tomatoes. Every bite becomes gooey and creamy from the cheese, while the oregano and basil round out the dish with some Italian undertones.
This sautéed eggplant with tomatoes is super quick to make, too. When I’ve had a bad day at college, I can have this on the table within 15-20 minutes of walking in the door.
I have some allergies, so I like being clear about what is in my meals. I’m happy to say that this sautéed eggplant recipe is:
- Gluten-free
- Soy free
- Vegetarian
- Low FODMAP (if you moderate your portion)
- Optional dairy-free and vegan
I love comfort foods, but I find many of them are excessively carb-intensive and usually are baked or fried. This recipe is my attempt to make something that tastes like home while still feeling good once it hits my stomach.
I’ve always eaten my sautéed eggplant recipe as a meal in itself, but a few friends have also tried it as a side dish to family meals.
What you need to make our sautéed eggplant recipe
- Frypan
- Eggplant
- Canned tomatoes
- Basil and oregano
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Optional: rice
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Health benefits of the main ingredients
Disclaimer: Statements regarding health benefits are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
Eggplant
According to WebMD, eggplants are high in potassium and fiber. It also has calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and some compounds that help your body to better process sugar.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a fantastic fruit! BBC Good Food says they’re high in potassium and vitamin K. There’s also some research that some of the compounds in tomatoes may help protect against cardiovascular disease, eye diseases, and skin damage from UV.
Cheese
Cheese is…healthy? Healthline says that in reasonable quantities, it’s a great source of calcium, vitamins A and B12, zinc, phosphorus, and riboflavin. There’s also some evidence that dairy products can help protect your teeth from cavities.
Olive Oil
According to Healthline, olive oil has lots of mono-saturated fats and antioxidants. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, is not associated with weight gain, and may help fight Alzheimer’s Disease.
Tips for making our sautéed eggplant recipe
This is a super easy recipe and shouldn’t take you long to cook. I’ve discovered the following tricks after several years of constantly making this recipe.
- Try to cut the eggplant into cubes no larger than 1 inch. Any bigger and it takes a while to cook.
- Don’t let the eggplant sautée for too long before adding the tomatoes. It should be cooked enough to eat but still have some firmness.
- It can be easier to use a can of tomatoes with pre-added oregano and basil, but you may still need to add more spices to taste their flavor.
- Don’t salt it until it’s nearly ready to serve or it’ll end up over-salted. Add sparingly and taste frequently.
Sautéed Eggplant
This sautéed eggplant recipe is a quick and easy comfort food. Made with seasonal vegetables, it is gluten-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Optional - pre-cooked rice
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes or smaller.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook eggplant for 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally
- Add the canned tomatoes, basil, and oregano.
- Cook for 2 minutes or until hot. Add salt and pepper, frequently tasting to ensure you don’t over-salt.
- Sprinkle it with cheese and serve. Great over rice.
Notes
You can use canned tomatoes with basil and oregano pre-added, but the flavor may not be strong enough. Salt sparingly or you risk over-salting the dish. It is not as good without cheese but still tasty if you want a dairy-free/vegan meal.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 575mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 11gSugar: 14gProtein: 10g
Nutritional information isn't always accurate and it will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
Sautéed eggplant is a great side dish with oven-fried BBQ chicken, garlic spaghetti, or corned beef.
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This was an excellent side dish for my fish. Quite substantial and filling.
I love eggplant – and this dish looks awesome! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party. Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend! (Btw – you can share up to five recipes at the party. Would love to see more of yours!)
Thanks Hannah for this delicious recipe. I will be using it soon as I have invited a friend to dinner who has celiac disease.
I had to try cooking eggplants this way and they were fantastic. I served them with chicken and rice and they were thoroughly enjoyed.
I was looking for something different from what I usually make and tried this. We really enjoyed it for dinner over rice with some air fried chicken breasts. Thank you!
It was easy to make and the cheesy flavor made it a comforting dish. Plus, it being gluten free was a huge bonus. I will definitely be making this again.
Such a delicious recipe, so quick to make, and the flavors are perfect! Served over pasta, everyone loved it! Thank you!
I love the idea of serving it over pasta! Thanks
This recipe checks all the boxes for my diet restrictions! Delicious! Even the family enjoyed it 🙂
This was a delicious way to try eggplant. I had only had it once mixed into spaghetti, but this was so much better – great recipe!