thai eggplant

This Thai Basil Eggplant is a vegan, gluten-free, healthy dish based on a popular restaurant-favorite! No frying necessary, easy 5 minute sauce, and full of flavor!

Thai Basil Eggplant

eggplant

green bell pepper (, thinly sliced)

red bell pepper (, thinly sliced)

yellow bell pepper (, thinly sliced)

onion

oz firm tofu (, block)

garlic (, minced)

tbsp cooking oil (,

basil leaves

4.5 tbsp hoisin sauce

tamari (, or soy sauce)

water

teasp chili sauce (,

teasp corn starch

Cut off the top and bottom tips.

If you are using Italian eggplants: Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 3/4-inch slabs. Then cut each slice lengthwise into 3/4-inch slices. Cut each slice into 2 or 3 pieces diagonally (see picture above for an example of how the eggplant pieces should end up looking).

If you are using Chinese or Japanese eggplants: Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise. Then diagonally cut small sections about 3/4-Inch thick all the way down both halves.

In a large non-stick pan or stainless steel pan, heat 2 or 3 Tbsp of cooking oil on medium heat.

Add the eggplant pieces and toss to coat them in oil. Add a little amount of water, turn the heat down to low-medium, cover, and let the eggplant cook.

Stir the eggplant pieces every few minutes. Add a little more oil or water to help cook the eggplant and keep it from sticking to the pan if needed (if adding water to help cook the eggplant, be sure to add a small amount each time so that you don't end up with watery mushy eggplant). While the eggplant is cooking continue on to preparing the rest of the dish.

The eggplant is done once it is tender, but still firm so it holds shape. Turn off the heat and set aside in the pan.&nbsp;

To Prepare the Eggplant:

Cut the tofu block in half. Place each half in a clean paper towel one at a time and squeeze gently to remove excess storage liquid (without breaking up the tofu).

Cut the tofu into 1/2-Inch cubes and pan fry  on medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp cooking oil (in another non-stick frying pan).

Turn the tofu frequently until all the water is burned off and the tofu is lightly golden brown on most sides (be sure not to burn the tofu).&nbsp;

Once the tofu is done, add it to the eggplant.

In the same non-stick frying pan, add 1 tbsp cooking oil and heat on medium-high. Add the thinly sliced onions and bell peppers. Saute until they are cooked but still crispy. Add the minced garlic half way through and saute it into the onions and bell peppers.

Once the veggies are done, add it to the eggplant and tofu.

To Prepare the Tofu &amp; Veggies:

Whisk all ingredients listed under sauce above. Mix until all the cornstarch has dissolved. Add more chili sauce if you prefer additional spice.

Heat the pan containing eggplant, tofu, and veggies once more.&nbsp;

Once the pan is hot, add the sauce, turn down the heat to low-medium and mix frequently until the sauce slightly thickens and coats the eggplant and veggies. This should only take a few minutes.

Turn off the heat and add some freshly chopped basil. Mix once more and serve hot with some cooked quinoa or brown rice!

To Prepare the Dish:

Thai Eggplant Stir Fry w/ your choice of protein, fresh veggies in a flavorful Thai stir-fry sauce with fragrant Thai basil. Vegan Adaptable.

Thai Eggplant Stir-Fry

coconut oil

garlic, roughly chopped

1-6 fresh Thai chilis, finely diced (optional,

onion, sliced

bell peppers, bite-sized pieces

pea pods, chopped into 2-3 inch pieces (or sub more bell pepper)

Thai Basil (or sub regular basil)

soybean paste (or sub miso paste)

oyster sauce or vegan oyster sauce

soy sauce

coconut sugar

teaspoons rice wine vinegar

Water

Prep Eggplant

Cut the eggplants into long, 1/2-inch thick pieces about 1-2 inches long. Place in a medium bowl, cover with water and 1 teaspoon salt (stir) for 15-20 minutes to keep the eggplants from browning and tasting bitter. Set aside.

Make the stir-fry sauce

 Mix soybean paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Set aside for later.

Cook the protein

Add a little oil to a large skillet or wok on medium heat. Add a 5-finger pinch of salt. to the oil. Once hot, add chicken or shrimp (see notes for tofu)  and cook until lightly browned, and cooked through. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if necessary to loosen up the pieces in the pan. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate. Wipe the skillet lightly with a paper towel.

Cook the eggplant

Drain the eggplant, and pat dry with a paper towel. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, then add the eggplant (or spray with spray oil). Cook until the eggplants are caramelized and translucent and tender. Anywhere from  4-7  minutes, depending on the pan you&#8217;re using. Remove from the pan and set aside with the cooked chicken.

Stir fry

Swipe the pan again with a paper towel, then add one tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add garlic, chilis, and onion, and constantly stir for 2 minutes or until the onion is lightly caramelized. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if necessary to loosen up the pieces in the pan. You might start to cough from the chilis being fried. It&#8217;s normal! (A badge of honor when making stir-fries in a Thai kitchen!) (: Turn the vent on or open windows for some air circulation.

Add the vegetables

(except the basil), stir, and cook for 3-4 more minutes until the vegetables are tender. If using a cast iron pan, they tend to cook everything more quickly because it conducts more heat, so lower heat if necessary. If using a non-stick pan, you may not need to add water at all.

Add the cooked chicken and eggplant

back into the pan with the vegetables. Stir well and heat through about 2 minutes.

Add the stir-fry sauce

, and stir for 1-2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the flavors with more soy sauce and a dash of sugar and add more chilis for extra heat.

Stir in the fresh basil,  saute for 30 seconds, and turn the heat off. The residual heat will continue to cook the basil while not overcooking it. Let it cool for a few minutes. Serve over a plate with rice or carbs of your choice.

This was a delicious recipe and one of the better stir frys I have ever cooked. I was able to use up some of my late summer eggplant abundance which was gratifying. I didn't have oyster sauce and subbed fish sauce, and used tofu as my protein. I am often reluctant to cook items separately a in a stir fry, I tend to throw it all in there in stages and not cook separately, but I followed Sylvia's directions and I think it made it way better. Another favorite!

So good! I love the quick way to make the eggplant, and how it soaks up the sauce. I used red serranos and Basil (reg) from the garden :) I am loving these Thai dishes, thank you!!

Whole Family loved this dish. Give yourself plenty of time to chop, but it came together easily. 
Thank you!

This was excellent as are so many other of your recipes. I am such a fan! I skipped the protein because I was also making a Thai chicken entree. A perfect recipe to feature our Japanese eggplant from our garden. I might try skipping the salting of the eggplant next time or use less salt. I find it too salty sometimes for my taste.

Whee-Oo! This was so good - way better than takeout. I used 5 chilis, which was plenty of heat. Fantastic recipe and relatively easy and fast to prepare. I used tofu and subbed broccolini for the snow peas since I didn’t have those.

Flavourful and fragrant Thai basil eggplant featuring stir fried eggplant, bell peppers, onions and Thai basil in a mouthwatering sweet and sticky sauce.

Thai Basil Eggplant Recipe

tamari

tbsp soy sauce

tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (54 g)

tbsp rice vinegar (15 mL)

maple syrup or coconut sugar (20 g)

water (60 mL)

cornstarch

tbsp neutral oil, like avocado

Japanese

red bell pepper, thinly sliced (approx. 140 g/1.5 cups)

yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced (approx. 140 g/1.5 cups)

onion, thinly sliced (approx. 155 g/1.5 cups)

garlic cloves,

1-inch ginger, peeled then grated (1 tbsp/20 grams)

red Thai chili (seeds removed, if desired), thinly sliced

Thai basil, torn (15 g, about 1 cup torn)

Jasmin rice

Thai basil

Prepare the Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce (or additional soy sauce), vegetarian oyster sauce, rice vinegar and maple syrup until combined. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and cold water. Set both aside.

Cook the Eggplant: Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once it&#8217;s hot, add the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Spread the pieces evenly around the pan in one layer. Sprinkle a little water over the eggplant, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, flip the pieces and sprinkle with a little more water, cover and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the lid and stir fry until the eggplant is golden brown. It should be tender but still holding its shape. Remove the eggplant from the pan and set aside.

Stir Fry Peppers &amp; Onions: Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium-high. Add onions and peppers. Cook for 5-6 min, stirring often, until tender-crisp.

Add Aromatics: Add garlic, ginger and Thai chili. Cook for 1 min, stirring constantly, until fragrant. 

Add Sauce

To the pan, add the sauce and cornstarch slurry, making sure to re-mix the slurry as the cornstarch will have settled to the bottom.

Add Eggplant and Thai Basil: Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium. Add eggplant to the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes stirring often, until slightly reduced, saucy and eggplant absorbs some of the sauce. Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil.

Serve

Serve Thai basil eggplant over your choice of rice. Garnish with more Thai basil, if desired.

Wow, absolutely loved this! Will definitely be making it again.

Love this recipe, it has become a weekly favourite. I wish I could have posted a picture of it!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1677773055/ozmijlytaa9ynlsgzarz.mp4

This spicy, stir fried Thai basil eggplant features peppers, onion and Thai chili in a sweet and sticky sauce.

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Thai Basil Eggplant

Thai Eggplant Stir-Fry

Thai Basil Eggplant Recipe

Top 3 thai eggplant recipes from across the web

The most viewed thai eggplant recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Thai Basil Eggplant

Thai Eggplant Stir-Fry

Thai Basil Eggplant Recipe

The most viewed thai eggplant recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine