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Plate of Eggplant Curry and Rice with Fresh Cilantro on Top
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5 from 7 votes

Creamy Coconut Eggplant Curry

This easy eggplant curry is made with tender eggplant and hearty chickpeas in a creamy tomato-based sauce. It's bursting with flavor and easy to make!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, Indian
Servings: 6
Calories: 404kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil (or as needed), divided
  • 1 ½ pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • ½ serrano pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala, plus up to 1 additional tablespoon, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 (14 ounce or 400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • Cooked rice, for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet generously with olive oil and place it over medium heat.
  • When the oil is hot, add eggplant pieces in an even layer. Don't crowd the skillet or pile the pieces on top of each other — cook the eggplant in batches if needed.
  • Cook the eggplant for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the pieces are lightly browned.
  • While the eggplant cooks, coat the bottom of a large pot with 1 tablespoon of oil and place it over medium heat.
  • Add the onion and cook it, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
  • Stir in the garlic, ginger, serrano pepper (if using) and spices. Cook the mixture for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.
  • Stir in the cooked eggplant, fire roasted tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas, tomato paste, and sugar.
  • Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the eggplant is tender.
  • Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. Taste-test and add more salt if desired.
  • Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve over rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.2g | Protein: 7.4g | Fat: 29.7g | Saturated Fat: 16.6g | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 10.2g | Sugar: 9.4g | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3mg