Can You Eat Aubergine Raw?+ 7 Things to Know About Eggplant (and Babaganoush)

Whole aubergine (eggplant)

Can you eat aubergine raw? The short answer is yes, technically you can, in small amounts. But I don’t recommend it. Raw aubergine (eggplant) is spongy, a little bitter and pretty unpleasant, and it contains small amounts of a natural chemical called solanine. Cooking transforms it into something silky, smoky and delicious. Below, the food scientist in me explains why, plus 7 things you should know about eggplant and my favorite babaganoush recipe.

Even though the evenings are still pretty chilly here in the mountains, we’ve been seriously getting into our barbecuing. There’s something so wonderful about cooking outdoors over an open flame with a glass of wine or two. I just love the smoky flavors, even if it means your clothes smell equally smoky the next morning.

Needless to say, we’ve been making a lot of babaganoush. I’m talking at least every weekend. So today I wanted to talk eggplant, and share my favorite version of the famous Lebanese dish. Perfected with the help of my good mate Rico, who was once in love with a Lebanese girl, so knows good babaganoush when he sees it.

Can You Eat Aubergine Raw?

Yes, but it’s not the best way to enjoy it. Here’s why:

  • Solanine – eggplant is a nightshade vegetable, like tomato, potato and bell pepper. Nightshades contain natural chemicals called glycoalkaloids, including solanine. In large amounts, solanine can cause tummy upsets. The levels in ripe eggplant are low (much lower than in green potatoes), so a few slices of raw eggplant won’t hurt most people. But it’s best not to eat a lot of it raw.
  • Bitterness – raw eggplant can taste bitter, especially older, seedy ones.
  • Texture – raw eggplant is spongy and dry. Cooking breaks down the cell walls so it becomes soft and creamy.
  • Digestibility – cooked eggplant is much easier on your digestive system.

How to Eat Aubergine Raw (If You Really Want To)

If you’d like to try it, choose a small, young eggplant or a slender Asian eggplant, which tend to be sweeter with fewer seeds. Slice it paper thin, sprinkle with salt and leave for 20-30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh basil in a salad. The salt and acid soften the texture and reduce any bitterness.

Can You Eat Aubergine Skin?

Yes! The skin is perfectly edible when cooked, and it contains antioxidants. It can be a little tough on larger eggplant, so peel those if you prefer. For babaganoush, the charred skin is discarded, but leaving in a few smoky flecks adds flavor.

What Happens If You Eat Undercooked Aubergine?

It won’t usually make you sick, but it will be rubbery, spongy and a bit bitter. Eggplant needs to be cooked until it’s completely soft all the way through, with no white, spongy bits.

7 Things You Should Know About Eggplant

1. Eggplant is also known as aubergine

A much more fitting name for this gorgeous, glossy vegetable. Even though eggplant is the normal Australian (and American) term, I generally call my black beauties by their much prettier name. Indians call them brinjal. In Italy they’re known as melanzane, which means ‘crazy apple’. The name eggplant comes from the egg-like shape of some of the early varieties.

2. Eggplant doesn’t need salting

Most modern varieties have had the bitterness bred out of them, so salting is no longer necessary to remove bitterness. I do remember reading an experiment where someone cooked salted and unsalted eggplant, and the salted ones took up slightly less oil and cooked more quickly. This is because the salt draws out water and collapses the spongy texture, so it soaks up less oil. Cooking them briefly in a microwave can have a similar effect. I rarely fry eggplant so don’t usually worry about either.

3. Eggplant loves olive oil

Eggplant grilled without oil is an entirely different beast to the same vegetable cooked in olive oil. The dry version never develops the wonderful silky texture that only olive oil can bring. So if you are going to cook eggplant, be generous with the olive oil.

4. Eggplant dislikes the fridge

They’re a little like me in that they feel the cold. Best to keep them at room temperature like tomatoes, and use within a few days.

5. Eggplant loves the summer

While they’re available pretty much year round, eggplant are in peak season from late spring to early fall.

6. Bigger isn’t necessarily better

Medium-sized eggplant are usually best. Eggplant that are smooth, shiny and heavy for their size are most likely to be the freshest and have the least seeds. Like people, as eggplants get old they go all wrinkly.

7. Eggplant is best eaten cooked

As above, raw eggplant isn’t dangerous in small amounts, but it’s so much more delicious cooked.

Healthy Ways to Cook Eggplant

Eggplant is naturally low in calories (about 25 calories per 100 grams) and a good source of fiber. It pairs beautifully with tomato, zucchini, bell pepper, garlic and basil. Here are my favorite ways to cook it:

Babaganoush (smoky eggplant dip)

Babaganoush Recipe

I’ve written the recipe for indoor cooking over a gas flame, but feel free to char your eggplant over a wood-fired barbecue for the ultimate experience.

The quantities are just a guide. Every time I make baba, I tweak with a little more or less lemon and tahini, so please feel free to do the same. You often see natural yogurt in baba recipes, but since I started making it without, I’ve had much better results.

The other trick is to roughly chop the cooked eggplant, rather than pureeing it in a food processor. The texture is so much more rustic and it saves on washing up. Win-win!

Print

Smoky Babaganoush

A rustic, smoky eggplant dip made with just 4 ingredients. Charred aubergine, garlic, tahini and lemon - no food processor needed.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 as a dip

Ingredients

  • 2 medium eggplant (aubergine)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed to a paste
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Char the eggplant directly over a gas flame or barbecue, turning occasionally, until they are super soft and the skins are blackened.

  2. Place in a bowl and allow to cool.

  3. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh and discard the blackened skin. It's OK to leave a few bits of charred skin in for flavor.

  4. Coarsely chop the flesh until it is like a chunky puree. Place in a clean bowl.

  5. Stir in the garlic, tahini and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt. It may also need a little more tahini and/or lemon. Best served warm or at room temperature.

More 5-Ingredient Eggplant Recipes

In your corner,

Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
See my bio

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m Jules Clancy, an Australian Food Scientist and certified Health Coach. Stonesoup (est 2005) helps you lose weight without counting or depriving yourself. So you feel good in your clothes.


I know that sounds too good to be true. 

 

Let me show you how.

 

3 Micro Habits to Move the Scale
(without trying) — it’s FREE

Lose weight. Without doing anything hard.

 




49 Comments

  • Aubergine is such a classic word. I love it. Oh, and – how can you stop eggplant from turning black when you boil it? Most restaurants actually achieve that by frying it first.

  • Interesting about the salting. I just roasted a few tiny eggplant from a friends garden last night and salted them beforehand. They seemed to cook faster than when I don’t use salt. I’ll try foregoing it next time.
    I think I like melanzane best of all the terms for this veggie.

  • I call my aubergines “malancane” – an Istrian term that is a variety of Italian…
    Concerning babaganoush – would roasting the aubergines in the oven also be a solution? (as I don’t have a gas hob and barbeceue season is sadly over in Europe:-(

  • In my family, eggplant has never been too popular, therefore I do not know much about preparing it or anything else. That’s why I find above tips particularly helpful. The recipe seems great, I’ll definitely try it. :)

  • wei-wei
    I think they discolour if you’re using iron or aluminimum pans. So best to use stainless to stop the blackening.

    thanks astrid

    rachel
    I agree melanzane is wonderful. And you’re right to observe that they cook a little faster when you salt them first because the salting starts the softening process.

    natasa
    you can roast them in the oven but the flavour won’t be as smokey. If you have an overhead grill that would be preferable.

  • try adding some chopped parsley. my (arabic) family always do and I prefer it that way too. a sprinkle of paprika and oil on top for good luck. otherwise your recipe is the same

  • A very informative post, great tips on eggplant there. The babaganoush looks fantastic.

    I’d love for you to submit one of your beautiful photos, and a link to your post, to my new vegetarian food photo gallery showcasing beautiful vegetarian food. Feel free to submit photos of any other vegetarian dishes as well :)

  • I love you trick of putting the tasting sample on your hand, instead of tasting from the spoon and then going through 101 spoons. I can’t believe I’ve never thought of that.

    Excellent post.

    I totally love you.

    • Omg. Brilliant. How did I never think of that. I too go thru 100 spoons every time I make anything new in the kitchen. Duh??!

  • oh shula
    you say the sweetest things.
    I actually got the trick from a masterclass I did with the Australian chef Tetsuya… when I saw him do it.. I had the exact same thought ;)

  • I must say that I really love your photos.
    Here in Greece we really love eggplants. They are called “melitzana”.
    Apart form a million dishes we use eggplant in we make a “melitzano-salata” – salad much the same as the babaganoosh you’re describing here. We just add some chopped parsley as RAN suggested.
    A tiny tip for those who want to try. After roasting your eggplant try to peel off the skin as soon as possible to keep the inside white and of course oil – lots of olivw oil.

    Before frying eggplants, (the long, thin striped ones are best for that) it’s a good idea to put the sliced eggplant in salty water for at least an hour .to take out the bitterness.
    Thank you.

  • Eggplants are called “brinjal” in Indian market, I learned that from my Indian friend.

    Here is what I learned or know to add to your list;

    1. Eggplants, tomatoes, onion and garlic goes well.
    2. Eggplants can soak up so much oil.
    3. Roasted eggplants tastes better.
    4. Long eggplants are better for roasting (per my grandma)

  • I made this tonight–found I needed only two tablespoons of lemon juice and we upped the garlic. We ate it with pita chips and a cucumber salad. It was a hit!

    An exciting moment during the preparation: I put the eggplant under the broiler in the oven instead of over the stove flame, and when I went to check on it, it exploded! Stayed mostly in one piece, thankfully, but it cracked open with a loud pop! I poked the other one with a fork to avoid a second explosion.

  • ayn
    wow I’ve never had an eggplant explode – glad there were no injuries – I guess the enclosed space of the broiler was too much for it!

    pam & rainbow
    thanks for sharing your insights

    conor
    I’m hearing you on the chunky = good

  • Hello

    Well done for not not sticking the eggplant in the food processor! A Lebanese fairy dies everyone does that. It’s just not right! Saw someone blitzing away on SBS Food Safari and shuddered. Great recipe recipe, and very authentic. Just like mom makes it.

    I like charring it and then putting it in the oven. This draws out any extra juice and results in a more concentrated flavour, and also allows the smokiness to infuse into the flesh before the burnt skin is removed. Not a necessary step – your recipe will work a treat. It does need a good deal of olive oil on top.

    Also, if you take out the tahini and add diced tomato on top with the olive oil, you have mutabbal, another Lebanese classic. Try both with roasted pine nuts :)

  • Question:

    I am in a rental flat and am stuck with an electric cooktop and electric oven. How shall I cook the eggplant to ensure a good flavour, seeing as I have no gas burner?

    Hubby looveess baba but we’re stuck at how to get it tasting “real” without using a gas burner. This is the first house we’ve been in that has electric bloody EVERYTHING.

    Ta muchly!

  • fouad
    Liking the idea of the tomato & pinenut option – thanks for sharing!

    amanda
    tough – if your using electric you could char it under the grill (broiler) on the hottest heat – but pierce the eggplant first so it doesn’t explode. IT’s all about getting the skin charred.

  • olio. haha, like it. big fan of aubergines and been looking for a simple recipe for babaG, can’t wait to try this!

  • I looove eggplant and babaganoush in general. Never knew eggplants should be kept at room temp – I’ve been keeping mine in the fridge !

  • Thanks for the tutorial! I’m going to try this today. I have eggplant from my CSA that needs to be used soon. Also, I tried the burnt carrot recipe, and it turned out really well! I love the visual appearance of the dish.

  • WOW! All these tips & recipes….I’m overwhelmed but in a good way. There are things I wasn’t aware of that do make a lot of sense. Such as: a better flavor is achieved with a charred eggplant, scooping out the seeds, the reasons behind to / not to salt, size / shape making a difference, when you ‘only have electric’ to cook with, not using measures for tahini & garlic / as needed is best…
    There are however a couple things that weren’t covered that I’d like to hear / see l opinions on : how long is the shelf life of raw & cooked eggplant, do you cut the ends off B4 cooking, is slitting & adding sliced garlic B4 cooking good / bad, should you combine ingredients when eggplant is hot / cold, best type / brand of tahini, baking / frying (for Parmesan) breaded / not for better flavor. LOL…as you can see / tell eggplant is one of my favorites! Sorry this is so long, thought I’d get answers at one time. Thanks & I apologize if I’ve ticked anyone off with this ‘longer than it should be’ post.

  • Why can’t eggplant or any fruit or vegtable be eaten raw? Just bought eggplant from a local farmer who shared many tips on eggplant and one was eating raw is perfectly fine. Most vegatables lose their nutrients when heated, just like tomatoes lose their nutrients when kept in the fridge, so please explain why eggplant can’t be eaten raw.

  • Raw aubergine/egg plant is not poisonous raw. It is from the nightshade family of plants, but so are potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. It does contain a small amount of solanine, but you would need to eat 36 or more for there to be any problems.

    • Please, please, don’t say that aubergines are not poisonous raw. I was served raw aubergine by a River Cruise Line in Germany, and was unbelievably ill. And, four years later, I still have significant health issues. There is a theory that some people are more susceptible to solanine poisoning, and that the poison is only in the leaves and flowers, but when there are so many safe and tasty raw alternatives, my advice is, do not eat aubergine raw.

  • This looks so yummy! I am going to make some tonight! Thank you for sharing.

  • Solanine is not destroyed by cooking – aubergines don’t contain high levels of solanine. That’s not to say I would eat them raw, just that solanine poisoning from raw aubergine is a myth :-)

  • Last week I made some fried eggplant. Six small eggplant….I diced to bite size pieces. Put in salad lettuce spinner with salted water for 30 minutes. Lifted the drainer and poured out water. Spin eggplant to get dry.

    Then I dusted them with organic corn starch. Fried in 350 coconut oil …. OMG so good I ate the whole thing over the next three hours. Couldn’t get enough. Will be cooking again soon….like this week.
    I just sprinkled hot out of the oil with Maldon Salt for some of the eggplant pieces and Harrissa for some others. Smoky Paprika got put on the rest. All were delicious. Pick your spices and enjoy.

    Very little of the oil got into the eggplant. Some I cooked some longer and they were actually crispy like potato chips. Probably best served right after cooking….although that didn’t stop me from finishing the batch over a three hour period. Blessings, Anne

  • I can definitely taste the difference between salted and unsalted eggplant. The bitterness is quite defined for me and it gets worse over time so if you want to eat the eggplant dish the next day or day after eg in a curry, you definitely need to salt it.

  • Thanks for showing. Sounds like an authentic Australian voice. I’m from south west victoria.
    Why do so many cooks use the blade of the knife to clean the food off the cutting board, whether a plastic one or wood. I cna’t work that one out. Doesn’t it make sense to use the back of the knife so that tiny particles from the board don’t get into our stomachs?

  • Eggplant.YOU DONT KNOW EGGPLANT UNTIL YOU GO INDIAN??.ITS Incredible in indian dish there are varieties of way its cooked..curry eggplant with potatoes or chicpeas….its a magic pair in a pot..smoked grilled eggplant with garlic onions .chilli.dash of tomatoes. is very popular..delicious.eaten with rotti or naan..like appetizer.or a chutney..its got a smoke taste incredible..or simply deep fried seasoned with with breading..western style.eggplant is all around companion.on lot of indian dish..i was amazed stunned tofind out about its toxicity.on google..after eating 50+ years..eggplant potatoe curry is a must indian wedding..i mean the pots they are cooked in humungus in size..almost round the size of standard stove..lol?

Comments are closed.