My authentic recipe for north Indian baingan bharta has creamy, smoky mashed eggplant in a minimally spiced tomato onion sauce. It's a dish even eggplant haters cannot resist!
Table of Contents
What is baingan bharta
Baingan bharta is a simple, even rustic, Punjabi dish made with mashed eggplants. It's at once creamy and smoky, not too spicy but richly flavored with garlic, ginger, ground coriander, cumin and cayenne. Few Indian dishes, with the exception of dal, enjoy its unequivocal popularity around the world.
Every Indian regional cuisine has a version of baingan bharta (which translates to mashed eggplant). My stepmom tried to get us used to the Goan "vangyache bharit" - mashed eggplants with ginger, green chilies and lemon juice. It was delicious but she switched to the Punjabi version soon enough because, everyone, including my dad, loved that more.
In my home Desi loves eggplant in dishes like baingan masala and dahi baingan. But he too is nuts for baingan bharta. This is the dish he wants every time I bring Italian eggplants home from the market, and I've spent many, many years perfecting my recipe. We order baingan bharta nearly every time we go to an Indian restaurant and increasingly the consensus has been that my homecooked version tastes better!
My top tips for baingan bharta
- Use Italian eggplants or globe eggplants. These are easier to roast because they are larger and they have the right texture for bharta. My mom always used a globe eggplant but I find smaller Italian eggplants like the black beauty variety a little easier to work with, and they are sweeter.
- You can roast the eggplant in the oven, but it is preferable to roast it on the flame of a gas stove or on the grill for the best flavor. The fire cracks and chars the purple skin, simultaneously packing smoky aroma into the flesh and turning it meltingly soft and silky.
- Chop the roasted eggplant, don't blitz it in the blender. The bharta should have a chunky texture from the eggplants, which makes it all the more delicious when you scoop it up with naan or roti.
- Sauté the onions until the are soft and lightly golden but don't overcook the tomatoes. Overcooked tomatoes are acidic, but tomatoes that have just broken down have some sweetness, which is key to great bharta flavor.
Recipe card
Baingan Bharta
Ingredients
- 3 Italian eggplants (or 1 large globe eggplant)
- 8-10 cloves garlic (crushed and left whole. Halve if large)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large onion (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon grated ginger
- 3 large tomatoes (finely diced)
- 1 green chili pepper (like serrano or jalapeno, finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (use more or less depending on how much heat you like)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Make deep cuts in the eggplant by piercing the skin and flesh with the tip of a knife. Insert a crushed garlic clove inside each of the cuts until it's firmly embedded.
Roast eggplants on stovetop or grill
- Place the eggplants directly over a medium-high gas flame (or on the grill).
- Turn the eggplants every three to four minutes with a pair of tongs until the skin is cracked and shriveled and completely charred. The eggplant is ready when a knife inserted in the thickest part goes cleanly through.
Roast eggplants in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut each eggplant into half lengthwise. Make slits in the flesh portion of each half and insert a garlic clove in each. Place cut side down on a foil-lined pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the thickest part of the eggplant goes cleanly through.
- Set the eggplants aside until cool enough to handle.
Peel eggplants
- Carefully peel the charred skin if you roasted the eggplants over an open fire, Don't be tempted to wash the eggplant because you will also wash off the smoky aroma. If you roasted the eggplants in the oven, it is easier to scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Don't worry if some charred bits of the skin stay on -- they will add more flavor.
- Chop the eggplant roughly. You can also mash the eggplant with a fork or potato masher, but I prefer chopping for the best texture and flavor.
Make baingan bharta
- In a saucepan, heat the oil and add the cumin.
- Once the cumin darkens slightly, add chopped onions and green chili peppers. Season with salt and sauté the onions over medium heat until the onions soften and start to brown.
- Add the ginger to the onions and sauté for a minute.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Mix, and let them cook another five minutes or so until pulpy. Don't cook them for too long or until the oil separates because they will be too acidic by that time. You want the tomatoes to remain slightly sweet.
- Stir in ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne and turmeric. Mix well and toast the spices, about a minute.
- Add the chopped or mashed eggplant and mix thoroughly until it disappears into the sauce. Add salt as necessary.
- Turn off the heat after five minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- If you already have a jar of my Tomato Onion Masala Sauce handy, you can reduce the time needed to make this dish by half. Roast the eggplant and scoop out the flesh. Chop it up. Next, heat the oil, add the cumin, and then add the tomato onion sauce to the saucepan. Heat it through, add the chopped eggplant, and mix. Garnish with cilantro.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send this recipe to your inbox!
Frequently asked questions about baingan bharta
A true baingan bharta should be minimally spiced because you don't want to overwhelm the delicate flavors of the eggplant, onions and tomatoes. I don't use it in my recipe but if you want a spicier bharta you can add up to a teaspoon of garam masala with the other powdered spices.
Traditionally mustard oil is used to cook baingan bharta. It has a very spicy flavor that's wonderful in baingan bharta. If you use it, heat the oil until it smokes for a few seconds before adding the cumin seeds to mellow some of its sharpness. Mustard oil contains erucic acid, which has been linked to some heart conditions and you can't easily buy it here in the United States. You can find it at Indian grocery stores where it is ostensibly labeled as non-edible. I just use avocado oil or any neutral oil for baingan bharta with great results.
You can reduce the time needed to make baingan bharta by half with the tomato onion masala sauce. Roast the eggplant and scoop out the flesh. Chop it up. Next, heat the oil, add the cumin, then add the tomato onion sauce to the saucepan. Heat it through, add the chopped eggplant, and mix. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve baingan bharta with vegan naan, roti or aloo kulcha. Alternatively, serve with a simple yellow dal or dal tadka and basmati rice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The bharta tastes even better the next day. Baingan bharta freezes nicely. Place in an airtight container after it has cooled and freeze for up to three months. Reheat baingan bharta in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Recipe first posted on Sept. 7, 2008. Updated and republished on July 27, 2025.
Bee says
This baingan bharta is as good, or better, than anything I've eaten at a restaurant. It is my favorite Indian dish to make, and everyone at home loves it including my fussy teenager.
Maya says
I made the Baingan Bharta and loved it. Thanks for showing us how to prepare delicious healthy food Vaishali.
Vaishali says
Hi Maya, so happy to hear! 🙂
Virginia says
Is there an alternative for the cilantro and coriander, I really do not like the taste and usually do not make the dishes with this ingredient, but it is used in many Indian recipes. Thank you
Vaishali says
Hi Virginia, use mint! It's great in Indian curries and rice dishes.
Anonymous says
Thank you ?
Hannah says
This was absolutely delicious as always! I made it with red onion seeing as that's what I had in the house but I'm so glad I did because it made it slightly sweet and extra special - I'd definitely recommend it!
Vaishali says
Nisha, that sounds delicious. I'll be sure to try it soon. Thanks for your recipe. 🙂
Anonymous says
Hi vaishali,
Baingan Bharta is one of the happening dishes in U.P. during winters, served with bajra ki roti. It ss my favourite too, but I like the raw version of it. You will certainly love this version of baingan bharta. Just add chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped raw garlic, freshly chopped coriander, chopped green chillies, salt and mustard oil, to the roasted, peeled and mashed baingan. Its awsome; believe me.
God Bless
Nisha.
Madhu says
hi vaishali,
Nan looks yummy and very inviting.... wanna try them asap but i dont have clay tiles... r there other alternatives for this?? can i use the normal baking sheets?? Thanks!
Vaishali says
Ananya, Thanks for your kind words, and hope you enjoyed the dishes. Feel free to ask any questions.
Ananya says
The dishes look absolutely mind blowing! I am trying out both of them tonight for dinner. I am adding your site into my favourites. Please keep posting these kinda recipes... Great work! Thanks again!
Ananya
Sunshinemom says
I am yet to find soy yogurt! This is an usual combination but then I love the two:)
Kitchen Flavours says
Bharta looks gr8.