Sweet and savoury, we found a way to get kids to enjoy eggplant. Super easy apple eggplant sauté is the perfect compliment to any meat or fish dish. It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free with a vegan option.
I have been making this recipe for years. In fact, I am pretty sure it was our family’s first introduction to eggplant. Sweet and savory at the same time, our apple eggplant sauté dish is now a household favorite.
To be honest, it all started when I was gifted some perfectly ripe purple eggplants. I know I had options for mains, like parmesan, but I needed something to compliment a steak. And let’s face it, eggplant as a side by itself is a bit boring.
On top of that, I find its slightly earthy flavor frequently has a bitter undertone.
The best thing about it is that its taste can vary depending on the variety of eggplant and how it’s prepared. When cooked, the flesh becomes tender and absorbs the flavors of other ingredients; therefore, cooking it alongside sweet apples not only dampers the bitterness, it makes the entire dish great.
With a drizzle of honey and some cinnamon, it even passed the kid test, making it a total winner.
What you need to make our apple eggplant sauté
Eggplant, also known as aubergine in some regions
Do you have a favorite recipe? Why not share it with us? Whether you’ve got traditional Jewish food or anything gluten-free, we’d love to see what you can create.
Submitting your recipes is now easier than ever. Click here for our online recipe submission form.
Health benefits of the 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, as well as having trace amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. It also has some compounds that help your body to better process sugar.
Apples
According to Medical News Today, apples are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and may improve mental health, reduce the risk of stroke, improve heart health, lower the risk of diabetes and cancer, plus more.
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.
Honey
Sweet and delicious, honey is high in antioxidants and propolis, may reduce blood pressure and blood fat levels, and has antibacterial properties. Source: Healthline
Cinnamon
This Asian spice may reduce inflammation, fend off free radicals, and fight bacteria, according to WebMD.
Tips to make our apple eggplant sauté
- Eggplant takes longer than apple to brown. Therefore, it’s important that the eggplant begins to soften before adding the apple.
- Turn off the heat before adding honey. Otherwise, the honey will burn.
Serving suggestions and optional changes to our apple eggplant recipe
We serve this as a side dish with plain foods, like a steak, corned beef, slow cooker chicken, or even BBQ chicken.
And as for options, to be really honest, we rarely do make this exactly the way we wrote it. I can’t remember the last time we measured anything. Here are some of our most common alterations:
- Granny Smith (green) apples rather than red apples for a tangier flavor.
- Now that our kids are grown, we rarely add honey, as I find the dish sweet enough without it.
- We make extra, so I have leftovers.
Apple eggplant Sauté
Sweet and savoury, this super easy apple eggplant sauté is the perfect compliment to any meat or fish dish. It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free with a vegan option.
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant medium, peeled
- 1 ½ apples, peeled
- 1 Tablespoon. olive oil
- Cinnamon to taste
- 1 Tablespoon honey (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and cube eggplant and apple, keeping them separate. Cubes should be approximately 1 cm square.
- Sauté eggplant in oil over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the eggplant begins to brown, add the apple.
- Continue sautéing and stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon, stir, and then drizzle honey (optional).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 6gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information isn't always accurate and it will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
Please share and save for later
If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media and save it for later on Pinterest.
Will you try this apple eggplant recipe with or without honey?
More side dishes you might like
Photo Credits:
All photos on this page are either shot by our team or the guest author or stock images from Depositphotos.
Not only was it a delightful combination of flavors, but my kids also devoured it with enthusiasm, which is always a win! This dish has quickly become a family favorite and a staple in our meal rotation.
I think this would be a great way to get the kids to eat more vegetables. Can’t wait to try it!
This looks so interesting! I’ve never had eggplant with any sweet foods.
Who would have guessed these two things could be so good together! Can’t wait until my eggplant in my garden starts coming in…should be around the time the new crop of apples comes in too. I’ll be keeping this recipe handy.
I have never had this combination of flavors before. Eggplant and apple with cinnamon sounds delightful. I am looking forward to trying this out.