How to cut eggplant
I am going to show you how to cut eggplant into slices, cubes, and wedges for the grill. This is a go-to for eggplant parmesan.
Eggplant offers lots of nutrients, and vitamins and is a great source of fiber.
It is an easy vegetable to incorporate into so many dishes as it has a mild flavor that can easily be altered to take on whatever flavor you are looking for.
They are spongy vegetables which is why you can change the flavor so easily. It just soaks up the flavors and seasonings you are using in your dish.
The skin seems tough at first but it softens nicely when you cook it up and the inside gets a creamy texture. The closest thing to compare it to would be zucchini but it still has its own taste and texture for sure.
How to cut eggplant 3 ways
Eggplant is great in so many dishes. You can cut it into slices great for eggplant parmesan or on pizzas, or you can dice it up and use it in pasta dishes or in salads.
Sauteeing or roasting them up as a side dish is delicious also.
It is important to remember that when you cook eggplant it will shrink in size by 25-50%. I recommend cutting your pieces twice the thickness you are looking for in your end dish.
Follow along while I go over the few simple steps on how to cut up an eggplant. All you need is a sharp knife and a cutting board.
Follow all these steps before you store your eggplant and also learn how to tell if eggplant is bad.
1. Wash
Wash the eggplant with a mild soap or vegetable spray and then pat them dry. This is an important step to make sure that you get off any of the bacteria or dirt from the farm or transport.
When you cut through the vegetable, whatever bacteria is on the skin will be introduced inside from the knife cutting into the skin and through the eggplant.
2. Trim
Trimming an eggplant is very simple as there isn’t much to trim off.
Cut off the top of the eggplant right under the stem and leafy top. Then you want to cut off the very bottom, only cutting off about a 1/4 in.
3. Eggplant rounds
Eggplant rounds are great for topping a pizza, making eggplant parmesan, grilled eggplant and so much more. Cutting them into rounds is easy to do.
All you need to do is lay the eggplant on its side horizontally in front of you and cut through the whole eggplant.
Depending on the thickness you are looking for will depend on how thick you cut your slices. a 1/2 inch is a pretty good thickness for eggplant parm.
4. Cubed & Diced eggplant
When you are dicing your eggplant remember that it is going to shrink so you want to cut your pieces twice the size.
When they cook the moisture from the eggplant releases and causes it to reduce significantly in size.
Diced eggplant is great in salads, soups, stir-fries and so many other dishes and it is a great way to add your daily fiber into so many dishes.
Slice the eggplant down the long way into sheets and then stack the sheets. Then cut them again the long way, turn them, and then dice.
5. Eggplant wedges
Cut the ends off and then slice the eggplant in half and then slice the eggplant the long way. This will create wedges that are great for grilling.
What to look for when buying eggplant
When you are buying eggplant you want to look at the skin. Good-looking skin is a great indicator of freshness.
Make sure there aren’t any bruises or cuts on the skin. You can buy them in all kinds of variety of colors which all have their own uniqueness. It’s good to know how to freeze eggplant so that you can prolong its shelf life and have it on hand for future dishes.
How to cut eggplant for grilling?
Cut the ends off of the eggplant then cut it in half. Cut each of the halves into quarters lengthwise. Or you can slice them and grill them kind of like a steak.
If you cut it too thin it’s not going to grill well so focus on cutting the eggplant around 1/2″ slices.
How to cut eggplant for stir fry?
Cutting for stir fry you’re looking for a thin consistent size, you can create slices something like a french fry is the dimensions I would focus on.
Cutting eggplant for stir-fry is simple and quick. Here are the steps:
- Start by washing your eggplant thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris.
- Cut off both the stem and the bottom of the eggplant.
- Stand the eggplant upright and slice it in half lengthwise.
- Lay each half flat on your cutting board, and cut lengthwise again to quarter the eggplant.
- Now, cut each quarter crosswise into slices, about 1/2 inch thick. You should end up with long, slender pieces of eggplant.
- If the eggplant is large, you may want to cut these slices in half, lengthwise, once more. This way, the eggplant pieces will cook evenly and be bite-sized for stir-fry.
Remember, eggplant can discolor quickly once cut, so it’s best to use it immediately or soak it in water with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.
Frequently asked questions about how to cut eggplant
How To Cut Eggplant (3 Easy Ways)
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
Instructions
- Wash your eggplant under cold water. You can use a vegetable spray or a mild soap. This is to get off all of the bacteria and dirt from the eggplant that might have gotten on them from the farm or from transport.
- Trim your eggplant by simply cutting off the top and bottom. Cut the top off just under the leafy top. At the bottom cut off just where it starts to round. All you will cut from the bottom will be 1 inch.
Rounds
- Now that you are all trimmed up, go ahead and lay the eggplant horizontally in front of you. Cut across and all the way through every 1/4 inch or so. The size that you cut your rounds will depend on how thick you want them but I like them this thick.
Diced
- Stack 2 or 3 rounds on top of each other and cut into 3rds or 4th across the eggplant. Then you want to turn your pile and cut again across the pile the same way you cut before, making them cross over the other cuts. The pieces will fall and you will have diced eggplant.
Wedges
- Cut the ends off, slice the eggplant in half and then cut wedges from the halves.
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