This Eggplant Curry is my take on my favorite order from our favorite local Indian restaurant, and it’s just as cozy, smoky, and full of flavor right at home. (We live out in the country, so a trip to the city whenever a craving hits isn’t always in the cards!) This surprisingly easy recipe takes inspiration from Indian Baingan Bharta and is perfect for anyone craving a vegetarian curry. It’s got tender roasted eggplant, aromatic spices, and just the right balance of savory heat. Not to mention, the flavors deepen over time, so the leftovers get even better each day, and it freezes beautifully if you want to double the batch!

Easy Bharta-Style Eggplant Curry
Baingan bharta (the traditional dish this recipe is inspired by) is a thick, smoky, Indian mashed eggplant dish often built on a tomato-onion base with warm spices, though ingredients can vary. Baingan means eggplant, and bharta means mashed, which is exactly what this eggplant curry is, just made with affordable ingredients I can grab at my local grocery store for an easy weeknight version!
Traditionally, baingan bharta gets its smoky flavor from cooking the eggplant over direct heat, but in this recipe, I roast it in an oven with tomatoes and finish with a quick broil for a similar result with much less hands-on time. The roasted vegetables are then mashed into a fast flavor base of toasted garam masala and cumin, sautéed onion, garlic, and ginger, plus a handful of parsley. I also use a little red curry paste as a shortcut, since it’s pretty easy to find and packs in a lot of flavor, adding concentrated heat and aromatics while keeping the ingredient list simple. This thick and hearty eggplant curry is deeply flavorful and comforting, and I LOVE it piled onto rice with a homemade naan. 😋
Recipe Success Tips
- Roast the veggies until they’re mashable. The eggplant is ready when the flesh is soft all the way through, and a fork slides in with almost no resistance. If it still feels firm in the center, it won’t mash smoothly.
- Broil for extra flavor. That quick broil at the end is where you get a little extra color. It also mimics the direct-heat cooking method that’s traditionally used to get that lightly charred flavor. Just keep a close eye on it and pull the pan as soon as you see darkened edges and blistered spots on the tomatoes and eggplant.
- Make it spicier. Any heat in this eggplant curry really comes from the red curry paste. If you know you want some spice, I’d make sure to use a spicy red curry paste from the start. You can also add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper to taste.
- Keep it vegetarian (if desired!) If you want to keep this eggplant curry recipe veggie, double-check your curry paste since some brands contain shrimp paste. I use Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, which is vegan and gluten-free.
- Pre-prep the veggies. If I’m planning ahead, I’ll roast the eggplant and tomatoes in advance, then refrigerate them for a few days or freeze them for up to 3 months. When you reheat and mash everything together, just simmer a little longer if the vegetables release extra liquid.
- Eggplant shopping tip: I use about 2.1 lb total eggplant for this recipe, which is usually two medium-to-large eggplants. I look for ones that feel heavy for their size (a good sign they’re fresher and not packed with bitter seeds) with smooth, glossy skin.

Eggplant Curry
Equipment
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Medium Bowl
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Baking Sheet
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Parchment Paper
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Skillet or Sauté Pan
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants cut into quarters, (2.1lbs) $3.55
- 3 Roma tomatoes cut into quarters, (1 lb) $0.93
- 2 Tbsp olive oil divided, $0.35
- 1½ tsp sea salt divided, $0.02
- ½ Tbsp garam masala $0.50
- 1 tsp ground cumin $0.05
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.03
- 1 Tbsp salted butter $0.12
- 1 small white onion diced (about 3/4 cup) $0.86
- ½ Tbsp red curry paste $0.15*
- 2 garlic cloves minced, $0.10
- 1 inch fresh ginger grated, $0.39
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced, $0.27
Instructions
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Gather ingredients. Preheat oven to 450℉.
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Prepare fresh ingredients: cut eggplants in quarters, cut tomatoes in quarters, peel garlic, and dice onion.
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Toss eggplant and tomatoes in 1 Tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp salt.
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Spread out on a lined baking sheet and roast together for 35 min.
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In a dry skillet or sauté pan, add garam masala, cumin, and black pepper and toast until fragrant over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes.
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Add butter, remaining olive oil, onions, remaining salt, and curry paste to the pan. (Scrape out the last drips of olive oil and salt from your veggie mixing bowl, too!) Mix together and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until onions have softened.
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Mince the garlic and grate the fresh ginger. Add it to the onions sautéing in the pan. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. When your veggies have about 3-5 minutes left in the oven, turn the oven on to broil to get some more color on your tomatoes and eggplant pieces.
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If your veggies still need more time in the oven. You can turn the heat down to low on the skillet until you’re ready to add the veggies from the oven to your skillet. Stir occasionally to make sure they don’t burn.
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Add tomatoes, fresh parsley, and eggplant to your skillet. Turn the skillet back up to medium heat if you turned it off while the veggies in the oven finished!) Gently peel off the blistered eggplant skin. Don’t sweat it if some of the skin remains!
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Mash the tomatoes and eggplant into the seasoned onion mixture until well-combined. I use a wooden spoon to achieve this.
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Let the mixture simmer for another 10 minutes over medium-low heat. I love to serve this hot over basmati rice with naan!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
how to make Eggplant Curry step-by-step photos

Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 450℉.

Cut your veggies: Quarter 2 eggplants (about 2.1 lb) and 3 Roma tomatoes (about 1 lb). Peel 2 garlic cloves and dice 1 small white onion (about ¾ cup).

Season for roasting: In a large bowl, toss the quartered eggplant and tomatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp sea salt until everything is lightly coated.

Roast: Spread the eggplant and tomatoes out on a lined baking sheet in an even layer and roast for 35 minutes.

Toast the spices: While the veggies roast, place a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add ½ Tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir constantly and toast until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Build the base: Add 1 Tbsp salted butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil, the diced onion (about ¾ cup), remaining 1 tsp salt, and ½ Tbsp red curry paste. (If there’s any oil and salt left clinging to your veggie bowl, scrape it in here.) Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens.

Mince the garlic and grate the fresh ginger. Stir in the 2 minced garlic cloves and 1-inch grated ginger. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently so nothing browns too fast. When the roasted veggies have about 3-5 minutes left, switch the oven to broil to deepen the char a bit. Keep an eye on them so they don’t go too far.
If your veggies still need more time in the oven, turn the heat down to low on the skillet until you’re ready to add the veggies from the oven to your skillet. Stir occasionally to make sure they don’t burn.

Combine: Gently peel off the loose, blistered eggplant skin (it’s totally fine if some stays on). Add the roasted tomatoes and eggplant to the skillet, along with ¼ cup minced parsley. Turn the skillet back up to medium heat if you turned it off while the veggies in the oven finished!

Mash it up: Use a wooden spoon to mash the tomatoes and eggplant into the onion mixture until it’s saucy and well mixed.

Simmer: Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions
This easy eggplant curry is one of my favorites because it works just as well as a main dish as it does as a warm dip in the middle of the table. If I’m going the main-dish route, I’ll spoon it over fluffy basmati rice and add something cool on the side like cucumber raita and a warm naan. Roti, paratha, pita, or any warmed flatbread are also delicious for dipping into this curry. I’d also never say no to some puff pastry samosas and a little onion chutney on the side, either!
Storage & Reheating
This eggplant curry keeps really well, so it’s perfect for leftovers. Let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, I’ll either microwave it in short bursts, stirring in between, or warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through.
More Eggplant Recipes
- Soy Glazed Eggplant: This is a fast, colorful vegetarian weeknight dinner I love making in summer, with a savory glaze, a satisfying meaty texture, and great meal-prep potential.
- Eggplant Parmesan: This veggie-packed eggplant Parmesan is the ultimate comfort food, layering baked eggplant with homemade marinara and plenty of cheese.
- Eggplant Mozzarella Sandwiches: These eggplant mozzarella sandwiches are my easy skillet solution when a grilled craving hits, with sautéed eggplant, marinara, garlic-buttered buns, and melty mozzarella stacked into a seriously satisfying bite.
More Vegetarian Curry Recipes
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