How to make aubergines in a pan? The recipe (and variants)

The recipe for fried aubergines is quick and easy: a vegetable side dish that will conquer all palates with its goodness!

Today we offer you an aubergine side dish that is very easy and quick to prepare, which you can actually enjoy in a thousand different ways: on bruschetta for an aperitif , as a sauce for pasta or even – why not – to enrich a cold salad. We are talking about the recipe for pan-fried aubergines: today we will see in detail how to make this delicious side dish!

You are ready? So fasten your aprons and let's see together how to cook aubergines in this simple and fast way, but also very tasty!

Preparation of sautéed eggplant

1. After having washed the vegetables well, cut them into pieces of the shape and size you prefer (you can make cubes or even slices if you have chosen long aubergines).
2. Place them in a colander in the center of the sink and sprinkle them with salt (distribute it by eye). Leave them there for a couple of hours or so so they can drain the water .
3. This step is not essential and you can also omit it if you want. However, keep in mind that cooking will take a little longer because they will lose all the water that you did not drain previously.
4. Meanwhile, fry the spring onion in a drizzle of oil in a non- stick pan . Alternatively, you can also use a clove of garlic or onion, depending on your taste.
5. At this point, rinse, dry and dip the aubergines into the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes , stirring gently.
6. When they are nice and soft , serve. Enjoy your meal!

The variants of the aubergine side dish: ideas for cooking them

Now we have seen how to prepare simple aubergines, but if you want there are many other possibilities to bring this delicious recipe to the table. This dish lends itself to many variations based on your taste (and seasonality) as well as the ingredients that your refrigerator offers.

– For example, you can prepare aubergines and courgettes in a pan by replacing one of the aubergines with a courgette. Then put all the vegetables to purge , and continue with the recipe as indicated above.
The cooking times are more or less the same, so you shouldn't have any problems. You must, however, make small pieces all of the same size, so they will cook evenly.

– Another delicious variant involves the addition of tomatoes : add fresh cherry tomatoes or tomato puree in a pan and you will get an even more colorful side dish (very similar to mushroom eggplant , a Neapolitan specialty!)!
In this case, here is the video recipe that you can follow step by step:

-If you love Mediterranean flavors , you just need a handful of capers, anchovies and maybe even some breadcrumbs, to best flavor your dish.

– Do you want to overdo the goodness? Then try some diced aubergines in a pan: you can fry them or simply cook them in olive oil, flavoring them with herbs and seasonings . If you pass them first in flour, then, you will reach a level of absolute lust!

– Finally, for a really light dish, replace the olive oil with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar: fewer calories, but still a lot of taste!

Pan-fried eggplant parmesan

Finally, here is a greedy version of this dish! We will now prepare a sort of quick parmigiana made in a pan, delicious and quick to make, ideal to serve also as a single dish.
The ingredients are very simple : eggplant, tomato, mozzarella, grated cheese, basil and various condiments! The procedure is even simpler:

1. Once the aubergines have been cut into slices (and if you have time, after having purged them), cook them in a pan quickly until they are soft with oil, salt and pepper.
2. Make a tomato sauce in the same pan (use garlic or onion to taste) and when it is a little reduced, remove it.
3. Cut the mozzarella and let it release some liquid.
4. Return to the pan putting first the aubergines, then the tomato and finally the mozzarella.
5. Cook with the lid on, add the grated cheese and basil, the necessary seasonings… and the dish is ready!

If you liked these appetizing dishes in many different forms, then we invite you to try all the recipes and tips we have collected for you onhow to cook aubergines !

storage

This dish, after preparation, can be kept for about 3 days in the fridge , inside a tightly closed container. You can freeze them in order to enjoy them even out of season.
We also leave you our guide to storing eggplants so you don't make any mistakes !